Rated one of Pennsylvania's top blog/sites, the LuLac Political Letter delves into issues of politics on all levels (with special concentration on Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties: thus the name LULAC) and pop culture.
The LuLac Political Letter was also named Best Political Blog of the Year for 2014 by NEPA BLOGCON and most recently David Yonki was named Best Blogger of the year 2015 by the publication Diamond City.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
The LuLac Edition #3364, November 30th, 2016
WRITE ON WEDNESDAY
Our “Write On Wednesday” logo.
LET’S MAKE OUR COUNTY A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME
This week’s piece comes from Michael Giamber who was one of the people that helped put the Charter government together. Giamber ran a very good race a few years back and is still very much interested in how the County runs. He also, as a citizen of Luzerne County continues to offer suggestions and innovations that can make things run smoother. Here are his thoughts on the stagnant market in homes as well as helping current home owners protect the value of their properties. Editor: Continuously increasing county property taxes in a stagnant housing market suffering from years of negative appreciation is a weapon of mass destruction. The notion that increasing taxes on depreciating real estate assets, many already functionally obsolete, will somehow improve the real estate tax base or sustain future revenue growth is absurd. An alternative approach to help defray the cost of county home rule government may be to develop minimum standard county-wide ordinances that protect property values. This approach not only contributes to cleaning up and making the county more appealing but also rewards those who maintain their properties while penalizing those who don’t. (Also reference: Broken Window Theory.) A sample list of county-wide ordinances adopted in more progressive counties include, spot blight, dump heap/trash storage, illegal placement of temporary advertising signs, graffiti, tall grass and weeds, over occupancy, inoperative vehicles on private property, permanent storage of items outside in the public view on porches or decks or inside a carport such as couches, trash containers, car parts, tools, construction materials, etc. It should be noted that revenue generated by civil penalties imposed for home rule county ordinance violations are generally paid without an enforcement action being necessary; the violator simply receives a citation and then pays it. To reinforce this proposal, results from the recent citizen survey conducted by the Manager Search Committee found blight reduction as the most important community issue. To many outsiders Luzerne County conjures up a negative image. Let’s turn that image around and make our county more attractive and a great place to call home. Michael Giamber Sweet Valley For more….here’s the link: http://citizensvoice.com/opinion/let-s-make-our-county-a-great-place-to-call-home-1.2123979
Representative Tom Price, tea party guy!!! (Photo: CNN)
Mike Pence's running mate is set to name Congressman Tom Price as Health and Human Services Secretary. You'll hear a lot about the repeal of the Affordable Care Act but not a lot about Medicare. Well, his job will be to manage an overhaul of Medicare, the health-care system for the elderly and disabled, that’s planned by Republican lawmakers. House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, has proposed to privatize Medicare and provide seniors with vouchers to help cover health-insurance premiums. Price said Nov. 17 that Republicans plan to use a procedural measure known as reconciliation to make the changes to Medicare in 2017. Here's what reconciliation involves, it is an instruction is a provision in a budget resolution directing one or more committees to submit legislation changing existing law in order to bring spending, revenues, or the debt ceiling into conformity with the budget resolution. The instructions specify the committees to which they apply, indicate the appropriate dollar changes to be achieved, and usually provide a deadline by which the legislation is to be reported or submitted. They can change the law just like that!! I'm pretty sure I mentioned this before, right?? To those seniors who voted for Mike Pence and his running mate.....good luck.
COUNTY CHILDREN AND YOUTH GETS THIRD DOWNGRADE
Luzerne County going sideways again.
Hey more great news on how Luzerne County is doing. News comes that the Children and Youth Agency is going on its third provisional license. There was an inspection in the summer and the agency was found wanting again. A provisional license means they don’t stop operating but rather they have the state giving them guidance. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services will get a plan of correction from the county, they will peruse it and then work with the county to try and meet their goals. They don’t know their goals? They can’t meet them? Well I guess you have to know them to meet them. The issue seems to be that the part of the agency that handles child protective services and abuse is coming under scrutiny. That’s the most difficult part of the agency work. It also is the most crucial. There are reports that case notes are not complete or the writing can’t be understood. Plus there are openings that the Council has not yet filled. Most likely looking for some crony’s kids to graduate. What happens if the agency fails again? That’s a good news/bad news thing. The bad news is they still will have proven they can’t get out of their own way. The good news is the agency will be taken over by the Department of Human Services who will run the place until they think the County can handle it. Most likely this outstanding county agency will screw it up again but I hope not. I understand that these are tough jobs but it seems to me that there are unforced errors being made here. Legible notes? Missing data? Late reviews? If this was private industry, ALL of those things would be firing offenses. That data used would be for products and cargo in the private sector. With ramifications for people, human beings, children at risk, the data needs to be clear and accurate. Let's hope this gets resolved one way or another.
Remember the guy from Atlanta who was on a Delta Flight last week and made many passengers uncomfortable with his pro Mike Pence’s running mate’s behavior? Well Delta Air Lines has barred and banned him for LIFE!! Wonder if Mike Pence’s running mate will give him a lift on his plane. There are among us folks. The guy was coming to Allentown from Atlanta. In addition, Delta has refunded the passengers FULL PRICE on this creature’s behavior. All my life I’ve been passionate about candidates but never would dream of doing it in a confined space with people I didn’t know. A time and place for everything. The head of Delta said this, “This individual displayed behavior that was loud, rude and disrespectful to his fellow customers,” Ed Bastian said in the statement. He added, “We must require civility on our planes and in our facilities.” I’m glad Delta stood up to this guy because even though speech is free, in certain cases it comes with consequences. The sad part for this young man is that Mike Pence’s running mate would squash this guy like a bug.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS STEIN MISSED RECOUNT DEADLINE
Jill Stein had got the cash, the grassroots activists and the media to try and get a recount in the Keystone State. She had everything but the deadline she needed. Stein missed Pennsylvania's deadline to file for a voter-initiated recount. Democrats hoped for their recounts in the Keystone State, Michigan and Wisconsin. Michigan today certified their votes and Wisconsin most likely will too after doing a count. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported the deadline of November 21.
Mike Pence’s running mate was never a true believer in pretty much anything. However as I pointed out numerous times his supporters are. That could be trouble for the new administration. Evidence of that bubbled up on Sunday. Former campaign manager, Kelly Anne Conway suggested that Mike Pence’s running mate’s supporters would not back former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and 2012 GOP nominee for Secretary of State. Conway told CNN that while she hoped Romney would be a gracious Secretary of State if selected, his aggressive criticism of Trump during the 2016 Republican primary did not sit well with the President-Elect's supporters. Conway said that Romney "attacked the President-Elect’s character." I guess it’s okay for Mike Pence’s running mate to call Romney a loser but Romney can’t criticize when there was so much material provided by Mike Pence’s running mate during the ’16 race. Then Conway threw out the little tidbit that there were some of Romney’s old team who questioned whether Romney had the foreign-policy chops to deserve the position. Of course no names were mentioned. Then there’s the loyalty test that Mike Pence’s running mate seems to be demanding. Look in a position like Secretary of State the only loyalty should be to the nation. But this is a different time and era.
STEIN’S RECOUNT REQUEST
Many of the GOP winner’s faithful are now taking to Social Media to say that Jill Stein’s recount is a scam and that the Democrats can’t shake the fact they lost. By the way it was Mike Pence’s running mate himself who said Stein’s effort was a scam. Well I think the GOP team should be flattered. After all Mike Pence’s running mate said that the system for elections was rigged. So the Green Party is just agreeing with that position. It won’t change the outcome but since the supporters of Mike Pence’s running mate were so concerned about it, I applaud Stein for checking it out. Meanwhile, Mike Pence’s running mate went on Social Media Sunday and said that millions, MILLIONS he says, voters cast their ballots illegally. Well now let’s ramp this thing up shall we? I mean since the man himself said there was wide spread fraud, we owe it to the big fella to do what he says! After all, we don’t want no rigging going on, right? Thanks Mr. President Elect for your concern and making Jill Stein's point.
WOLF’S PUSHES BACK ON BUSINESS MAN COMPARISON TO MIKE PENCE'S RUNNING MATE
Governor Tom Wolf (Photo: Penn Live)
Today Governor Tom Wolf was interviewed on one of those Radio Pa.'s weekly program yesterday morning on WILK. The moderator asked what Wolf thought of Mike Pence’s running mate who is after all the first businessman to be elected to the nation’s highest office. Wolf was asked if he had any thoughts on it. The first term Governor said he himself was a businessman but that’s where the comparison stopped. Wolf said that his employees shared in his company’s profits and that he always paid his vendors. Wolf said that in his business dealings a handshake was all he needed rather than teams of lawyers and tons of contracts. Good on ‘ya Governor!
SAM HYDER RE-HIRED
Things going sideways again at Luzerne County.
It looks like the Luzerne County Reform Government is now taking a step backward to the good old days of political shenanigans. Those of us who supporter the County Charter now pretty much look like asses for even believing these guys were for real. If you looked at the paper on Thanksgiving Day it was reported by the Citizen’s Voice that Sam Hyder was re hired as Deputy Warden. It appears that the Luzerne County government is now operating the way Mike Pence’s running mate won his election here in the County: rewarding bad behavior. This guy was let go by the Luzerne County Correctional Facility Board in 2010 He was also implicated in the famous debit card scandal when he used a county debit card to spend $71 at a Las Vegas strip club. Yep that was tax payer money folks. Now they hired this guy back and no one is talking. If this was part of a hiring dispute, if Hyder was offered the job as part of a legal action,
well that's another aspect to this. But to my knowledge there has been
no court filings regarding discrimination or wrongful dismissal. Dave Pedri the County Manager declined comment. Man!! If Lawton did that his head would be on a spike!!! Pedri did say according to the Voice that Mark Rockovich, who leads the county’s division of correctional services, followed the merit hiring process. Whatever that means. You mean to say there was no one else in the county better qualified? I guess if you want a promotion in the County just grab one of those debit cards and head on a up to a strip club. Okay, just kidding there. But you have to wonder if the sainted Home Rule County Government has really changed or if Sam knows where some of the bodies are buried. All that said, we wish him well in his new position. You have to hand it to the guy. As for the new “reform” government, yeah guys, reform this!
As you all know LuLac published a list of significant deaths every December in our “Moving On” editions at the end of the year. But two recent passages recently stood out for us locally and deserve our attention.
TED TWARDZIK, SENIOR
(Photo: Citizen's Voice)
Growing up in Pittston Junction as a grandson of a Slovak immigrant, the culture of that country was firmly embedded in my upbringing. My late aunt, Ann Yonki, who was my Godmother was always responsible for the Christmas Eve supper (more like feast) at the family homestead at 83 Cliff Street. Besides looking forward to Santa (who we later heard was my uncle Mike) were the delicious pierogies my Aunt made. They were a lot like Christmas in the sense that because of my aunt’s work schedule those 'rogies came just once a year. Once we all got older and the generation of bakers passed away, we missed those pasta filled delicacies. But when we all started yearning for a taste of those foods of days gone by, we found a suitable alternative. That alternative was Mrs. T’s Pierogies. Now for the purist they weren’t the real thing but for me they did the trick. My go to when Mrs. LuLac was out of town were the Sauerkraut filled pierogies. I’d par boil them, then put them in the broiler. After getting scorched on the top, I’d drench a Cooper Cheese Sauce on top of them and have at it. In my younger days there were the Jalapeno filled piergoies that I just boiled and ate with some Pace Salsa. Mrs. T’s provided the next best thing to the original and was the brainchild of the late Ted Twarddzik. It was my good fortune to have some interactions with Ted’s relatives through the years and I am grateful for that. Because of that, I knew a little bit about Uncle Ted but today I’d like to share the rest of that story with you via his obituary.
Theodore F. "Ted" Twardzik Sr., 89, of Siesta Key, Fla., passed away Thursday surrounded by his loving family at Schuylkill Center's Homestead Care, Pottsville. Born Sept. 7, 1927, to parents, Frank and Mary Binek Twardzik of Shenandoah, Ted was the youngest of six children. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Frances Gish and Eleanor Zale, and three brothers, John, Walter and Lou. After spending a majority of his first 77 years in good old Shenandoah, he traded the coal dust for the soft sand beaches of Siesta Key. He strolled the beach for much of the past 22 years but continued to "vacation" in Shenandoah, to visit family and friends. Because a mine subsidence caused Shenandoah schools to split half day sessions, Ted became a proud "Purple Lark" of Mahanoy Township High School, where he graduated in 1945. In 2015, Ted was awarded an honorary diploma from Shenandoah Valley High School joining his childhood friend, Jerry Wolman, in sharing such an honor. A year later, Ted was inducted into the Shenandoah Valley High School Wall of Fame joining his son, Tim, the only father and son team to share that honor. After graduation from high school, Ted enrolled at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind. His college days were interrupted to serve honorably in the Army from March of 1946 to September 1947, where he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant in the 83rd Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron. Upon completing his commitment to proudly serve his country, Ted resumed college at the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1951 with a bachelor's degree in accounting, while making the dean's list. Ted was active in the Notre Dame Glee Club, where he served as the group's treasurer. He was also part of the Glee Club's two appearances on CBS-TV's Sunday night "Toast of the Town" hosted by Ed Sullivan. After college, Ted's first job was as a staff accountant for Arthur Andersen & Company, New York City, one of the prestigious "Big Eight" accounting firms of its time. In 1952, Ted decided to return home to Shenandoah to pursue his entrepreneurial dream to start a food company using his mother Mary's recipe for pierogies. He remembered how popular the traditional Polish dumplings were at Church Festivals and thought people would buy them at a grocery market. To honor his mother, the brand became Mrs. T's. Ted started with five women around the kitchen table in his mother's home at 218 N. Main St., Shenandoah. It wasn't long before he had worn out his welcome in his mom's kitchen and decided to move production to Mrs. T's current location at 600 E. Centre St., Shenandoah. This was a homecoming for Ted as this location was his childhood home and his parent's tavern. Today, Mrs.T's /Ateeco Inc. is Shenandoah's largest employer with more than 240 associates. Ted is considered a pioneer in the food industry creating the completely new frozen food category: "pierogies." While Ted cannot claim to have put Shenandoah on the map, he did add pierogies to the Merriam Webster Dictionary. He took great pride and immense joy from the impact his idea had on providing jobs and income to hundreds of employees and their families. Ted never forgot his hometown of Shenandoah and the people who helped him realize his dream. Even after retirement, Ted's love for business didn't end. In 2000, he co-founded Lee's Oriental Gourmet Foods still operating today in Shenandoah, employing 30 people. Ted and his beloved wife, Jean, supported a multitude of local and national charities. They were members of the Edward Frederick Sorin Society Founder's Circle at Notre Dame and created the Twardzik Family General Library Endowment as well as supported a Distinguished Library Collection in Polish Studies. As life members of the Hillsdale College President's Club they created the Twardzik Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Endowment which funds both the Twardzik Business Seminar Scholarship and the Twardzik Free Enterprise Tradition Award Scholarship. Ted and Jean also supported The Shenandoah Valley Band, funded computer labs at the Father Walter Ciszek Elementary School and Cardinal Brennan High School as well as capital campaigns for MMI Preparatory School. They were the lead gift creating the Schuylkill County Volunteer Fire School Burn Building and Fire School Campus that provides lifesaving training for our communities brave volunteer fire fighters. Ted was a longtime Pace Setter of the Schuylkill United Way, continuing his father Frank's charter efforts with the Schuylkill County Society for Crippled Children. Ted and Jean were humbled by the efforts and loyalty of his employees and the hometown community that played an important role in Mrs.T's success story. They donated the building on South Main Street in Shenandoah to house the Greater Shenandoah Area Historical Society. Ted is survived by his beloved wife of 60 wonderful years, the former Jean Roberts; three sons, Ted Jr. and Audrey, Center Valley, Tim and Caroline, Frackville, and Tom and Pam, Shenandoah Heights; five grandsons, Adam, Eric, Ryan, Tom Jr. and Nick; loved nieces and nephews. A lifelong learner, Ted enjoyed the advice of Earl Nightingale, the father of the self-improvement industry. Earl's distinctive voice was heard on records, tapes, and iPods encouraging Ted to "improve just a little bit everyday" - a motto Ted carried out throughout his life. "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or idea," Earl Nightingale. Ted Twardzik Sr. was a successful man. "Tiger" Ted often liked to say, "God takes care of drunks, children and Teddy Twardzik." A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday in St. Casimir Church, the scared worship site of Divine Mercy Parish, 229 N. Jardin St., Shenandoah. Interment with military honors followed in St. Casimir Cemetery, Shenandoah Heights.
GENE GUARILIA
(Photo: Times Tribune)
When I was a sports crazed kid I looked beyond LuLac land for my sports heroes. But my father said that maybe I should take a gander in the town right next door to The Junction section of Pittston. Duryea. There to my surprise resided a member of the Championship Boston Celtics Basketball team.His name was Gene Guarilia. Gene played four seasons for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He attended Holy Rosary High School. Guarilia played freshman basketball for Potomac State College, a junior college in Keyser, West Virginia. He established a State Conference freshman record by scoring 595 points in 1953. A 6'5" (1.96 m) forward Guarilia played for the George Washington University varsity basketball team beginning in the 1956-1957 season. He took the place of All-America Joe Holup who went on to play for the Syracuse Nationals. In February 1957 he was averaging 17.1 points per game and was #6 in the NCAAin rebounding. In the twenty games he had played, Guarilia had snatched 353 rebounds. He was selected to the all Southern Conference basketball team in February 1958. Guarilia was selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 1959 NBA Draft. Guarilia appeared in 129 games for the Celtics over four seasons (1959–1963), averaging 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. He earned four NBA championship rings in his brief career. Here's more about Gene from his obituary.
Eugene (Big Gene) Michael Guarilia, 79, of Duryea, passed away Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, at his home. Born in Duryea, he was the son of the late Michael Guarilia and Helen Kashuda Guarilia Collura. He was a graduate of Duryea High School, Potomac State College, West Virginia, and George Washington University, Washington, D.C. Eugene played professional basketball, No. 20 for the Boston Celtics, from 1959 to 1963 and won four world championships during this time. Prior to his retirement, he was employed by the Pittston Area School District as a teacher. He was a member of Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Duryea. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, friend, teacher, coach and musician. For many years he was a bass player in the Heartbeats, Sidestreet and the Cadillacs. He was preceded in death by his two brothers, Gerald and Joseph. He and his wife, the former Elizabeth Knowles, celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary this past Dec. 31. Surviving in addition to his wife are his son, Michael; son, David and his wife, Charlene; daughter, Marlene; grandchildren, Bethany, Andrew and Megan; and aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at noon Wednesday in Holy Rosary Church, 127 Stephenson St., Duryea. Family and friends are asked to go directly to the church the morning of the funeral. Interment was at St. Joseph's Cemetery, Duryea. Let’s face it, LuLac land and Northeastern Pennsylvania has always had a bit of an inferiority complex. But these two cases of grit and determination are examples of future generation that success can be had if you work for it.
Tony Bennett and Miss Piggy. (Photo: The York Post)
Just in case you missed it yesterday, Miss Piggy averted a national entertainment catastrophe yesterday by saving singer Tony Bennett from falling off a float at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was hardly noticed by the Today Show’s Matt Lauer who either ignored it or just kept going. Lauer did promote the singer’s special on NBC later this month. After the song, the float lurched forward. Bennett who is still spry at 90 tried to steady himself with some packages but was faltering. The Miss Piggy character jumped into action and anchored Bennett. The crooner whose most famous song is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” must have had that heart in his throat yesterday. But leave it to a woman, albeit one in character to save the day.
HILLARY GOES SHOPPING
Brittany Valente, 25, bumped into Hillary, Bill, Chelsea and baby grandson Aiden at the Chappaqua Village Market on Wednesday and posted a photo on Face book. (Photo: NBC News)
The night before Thanksgiving, Hillary and Bill Clinton and their daughter were out shopping for a Thanksgiving Dinner. You can bet your ass that Mike Pence’s running mate would never, ever be caught dead doing that. Yet the GOP supporters said she was the elitist.
GET THIS GUY
So isn’t amazing how supporters of Mike Pence’s running mate get pissed and hurt when no one responds to their love of their candidate. This man wanted the plane to cheer for Trump and when no one did he channeled the big man-child baby that was elected President. Why he wasn’t thrown off the plane is incredible to me!
BOB MELLOW MIGHT NEED A RE-DO
Senator Bob Mellow (Photo: LuLac archives)
Convicted State Senator Bob Mellow will definitely need a re-trial if the Secret Service gets their way. The Secret Service wants to rent a floor at Trump Tower to protect Mike Pence's running mate. And who will get the money paid for by your tax dollars? uh, Mike Pence's running mate. Mellow got convicted pretty much for the same thing. Life just isn't fair UNLESS you're Mike Pence's running mate. This might help Mellow's rehab tour though.
Mike Pence’s running mate had a meeting with the press the other day. He essentially called out 40 media members saying that their coverage of him was unfair. A source said that ***** started with [CNN chief] Jeff Zucker and said ‘I hate your network, everyone at CNN is a liar and you should be ashamed,’ ” the source said. “The meeting was a total disaster. The TV execs and anchors went in there thinking they would be discussing the access they would get to the ***** administration, but instead they got a *****-style dressing down,” the source added. (The Daily Wire). Mike Pence’s running mate said that he was unhappy with a photo NBC used of him calling it unflattering. He also said that Saturday Night Live was not fair to him. Wow! This is who bullies really are. They blame others for what they do. The ultimate bully now has the power. It is entertaining by some who think he’ is telling them off! But a press pool needs to cover the President. But Mike Pence’s running mate is only familiar with having his own way. If this is allowed to stand, the ironic thing about this is the GOP railed against Sanders, Clinton and Obama for having a possible Socialist government. “We’re on the road to socialism” they cried.. Well it appears that Mike Pence’s Vice President is more concerned about controlling the news and bullying reporters. Any idea of socialism was bogus to begin with and in the rearview mirror. But fascism is jest taking it baby steps. Book it.
PA. STATE LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO BE REDUCED
The State Capitol (Photo: Penn Live)
The Times Tribune/Citizen’s Voice had an editorial the other day about the impotent, ineffective and lazy State Legislature. The Legislature has not passed basic funding measures to help the unemployed. Boy the people who brought some of these leeches in on the Republican side must be so proud to have voted for Mike Pence’s running mate for President. These are a bunch of lazy, overpaid bullshitters who everybody loves in individual districts because they are nice and decent people. Your current legislator is not bad. But they are in a bad, glacial system that does things at the very last minute. And for that they are overpaid. The Legislature should be reduced. Here’s the take from the newspaper. Check out the link: http://citizensvoice.com/news/public-would-be-better-served-by-a-part-time-legislature-1.2121015
NOW THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE
During a Parliamentary debate I n Canada an MP made this impassioned pleas for infrastructure and jobs. Here’s how it went:
DIAMOND CITY SKATERS BIG EVENT
Meet the Skaters later this weekend!
The Diamond City Figure Club Skating will hold it's annual skating show.
When:
Sunday 11/27/2016
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Where:
Toyota Sportsplex at Coal Street.
It will highlight individual skaters and include group numbers from the learn to skate groups and the Diamond City Figure Skating club. There will be raffle baskets and a bake sale hosted by the Diamond
City Figure Skating club.
For more info:
http://toyotasportsplex.com
MEDIA MATTERS
BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM
Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on NEPA Sports Radio-The Game 1400/1440 am and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River.
SUNDAY MAGAZINE
This Week on Sunday Magazine
Brian Hughes speaks with David Slade from Beyond Organics Garden about an upcoming Winter Farmer's Market in Tunkhannock, and his 45 Day Healthy Reboot plan.
Magic 93's Frankie in the Morning speaks with Miss Wilkes Barre/Scranton Outstanding Teen Madison Dompkosky about her horse drawn carriage rides in downtown Wilkes Barre on Dec 9th to benefit the Children's Miracle Network.
Brian speaks with Mary Bach from AARP about how to handle phone scammers who prey on senior citizens.
And an encore of Brian's interview with Bruce Spencer, who discusses the work of Equines for Freedom to help veterans with PTSD at Marley's Mission in Ransom Township.
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on NASH-FM, 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X and Sports Radio 590, WARM, and 6:25am on Magic 93.
ECTV
ECTV Live hosts David DeCosmo, Rusty Fender, and show Director Mark Migilore welcome Steve Perillo, President of Making a Difference Ministries to the program during the week of November 28th.
He'll be unveiling plans to bring an "Old Fashion Christmas" to Wilkes-Barre and discussing some of the projects offered by his organization in northeastern Pennsylvania. ECTV Live is seen on Comcast channel 19 (61 in some areas) and is aired near the Noon, 6pm, and Midnight area daily throughout the week.
SUE HENRY’S SPECIAL EDITION
Tune in to Sue Henry's "Special Edition" this week as Sue recaps the week's news. The show will run Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. on WILK, and on KRZ, Froggy and Max 102 early Sunday morning.
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.
BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP!!!!!
The Doo-Wop Sock Hop can be heard every Sunday night from 6P to 9P on “105 The River (104.9 FM) Host is the incomparable Bobby V. www.105theriver.net www.doowopsockhop.net.
1971
Our 1971 logo.
The People's Republic of China takes the Republic of China's seat on the United Nations Security Council (see China and the United Nations)……During a severe storm over Washington State, a man calling himself D. B. Cooper parachutes from the Northwest Orient Airlines plane he'd just hijacked, with US$200,000 in ransom money, and is never seen again (as of March 2008, this case remains the only unsolved skyjacking in history)……in Pennsylvania Governor Shapp said that he was thankful for a productive first year in Harrisburg….in Luzerne County talk centers on the 1972 elections where several State Legislator races are up for grabs and forty five years ago the number one song in Lulac land and America was “Got to Be There” by Michael Jackson.
BILL APPROVED BY HOUSE WOULD COST U.S. MANUFACTURING JOBS
I had to share this on with you. On November 18th the GOP controlled House said no to manufacturing jobs that they and Mike Pence’s running mate campaigned on. Take a look at this from a recent editorial in the Citizen’s Voice. Many U.S. House members who bemoaned the loss of good U.S. manufacturing jobs, while campaigning this fall, voted Thursday to kill some of the very best U.S. manufacturing jobs. By a vote of 243-174, the House approved a bill that would prevent the sale of U.S. commercial aircraft to Iran. Under the 2015 agreement by which Iran agreed to halt its nuclear power development, six Western powers including the United States agreed to lift economic sanctions. Iran since then has negotiated about $42 billion worth of preliminary deals to buy or lease at least 200 new commercial jets from U.S.-based Boeing and Europe’s Airbus Industries. Airbus also assembles its A321 aircraft in Alabama and buys about 10 percent of its parts from American manufacturers. The bill would preclude the Treasury Department from issuing licenses that banks need to finance international transactions, and would apply to Boeing and Airbus. Rep. Jim Himes, a Connecticut Democrat and member of the House Intelligence Committee who opposes the bill, said it would adversely affect about 100,000 jobs throughout the commercial aircraft industry and its long supply chain. To complete the deals, Iran would have to comply with several international protocols for multi-nation financial transactions. So the bill not only would diminish U.S. manufacturing but it would also preclude Iran’s movement toward global diplomatic and financial norms. The Senate should reject the bill. If it does not do so, President Barack Obama should veto it. Here’s the link: http://citizensvoice.com/opinion/bill-approved-by-house-would-cost-u-s-manufacturing-jobs-1.2119245
Fifty three years ago today, President John F. Kennedy was gunned down in Dallas, Texas.
Here is a radio account of the day. The most fascinating part of this was the array of stories as well as commercials leading up to the news of Kennedy's shooting.
A few years back on the 50th anniversary of JFK's death, I spoke about the impact of that day and Kennedy on my generation with WBRE TV's Brittany Sweeney on Pa Live.
Forty years ago tonight the movie “Rocky” was released. It started out slowly, by word of mouth and took a while to get going. One of the issues I remember at the time was that the movie was set in the Bicentennial year. A few friends said the Bicentennial year was almost over and didn’t go. I went because it featured Philadelphia. My interest was also piqued by the rumor that the movie was based on the prize fighter Chuck Wepner known as The Bayone Bleeder. Wepner went the distance with the great Muhammad Ali. Stallone told people the original plot was for the sport to be auto racing instead of boxing. The cast was pretty much a no name bunch except for Talia Shire who played Connie Corleone in the two Godfather movies and the veteran character actor Burgess Meredith who played Mickey Rocky’s erstwhile and ambitious manager. . The charm of the movie, at least for me was that Rocky attracted a cadre of misfit loyalists who helped him in various and sundry ways achieve. The story line and theme music were flawless. At the ’77 Oscars, “Rocky” won a fair amount of awards for Best Movie as well as best Screenplay. It was a story of an underdog, a less than, a so called loser who had heart and guts. What’s not to love about that? 40 years later “Rocky” is still a movie that you watch for at least a little while when it is on the TV cable channels. There is something that still pulls us to all of the characters. Maybe it’s because there’s a little bit of each of them in all of us. There were other Rocky movies. Some say too many. Not me. The sage of “Rocky Balboa” is the story of America. Hard scrabble, hard working, hopeful and inspiring. Four decades later “Rocky” belongs to the ages. A few years ago both Shire and Stallone talked about the heart and soul of "Rocky"and their characters.
Mike Pence went to the theater the other night to see “Hamilton”. Most people who have seen it think it is great. After the performance, Pence who was both alternately cheered and booed on the way in got a bit of a lecture. Now there are some who think it was not appropriate because after all the guy was just going to the play. I get that. But any public figure at any time can get an earful. There was one of the Ray Conniff singers giving it to Richard Nixon at a State Dinner in 1972. The singers filed in and a woman has an anti war banner that matches her dress. An account from the Washington Post tells it this way: Ray Conniff hears a voice but can't make out the words. He climbs onstage, moves toward it. "You go to church on Sundays and pray to Jesus Christ," the singer says. "If Jesus Christ were here tonight, you would not dare to drop another bomb." Conniff reaches out to take her banner away. Her grip tightens and she pulls it back. "Bless the Berrigans and bless Daniel Ellsberg," she says as Conniff retreats. The banner is folded now, as are the singer's hands. She takes a deep breath. Silence. The bassist hits two nervous notes. Conniff raises his arms. "One, two, three, four," he counts, and the band begins to play. "Ma," sing the eight women. They are staring straight ahead. Doo, doo, sing the eight men. They are bobbing up and down. "He's making eyes at me! Ma -- Doo, doo -- He's awfully nice to me! Ma, he's almost breakin' my heart. I'm beside him. Mercy! Let his conscience guide him . . . "
Then there was Eartha Kitt lashing out at LBJ's wife in 1968 at a White House Luncheon of Women Doers during the Vietnam War. Both of these incidents happened in the White House!!!!! Pence's visit was a public forum. Donald Trump’s morning Tweet that his Vice President was disrespected is pretty rich coming from a guy who vilified his opponents, belittled them and called for bans on people of color and an entire religion. One of the stars of the play, Brandon Victor Dixon addressed Pence as the Veep elect was walking out of the theater. With the cast standing, he read from a paper telling the newly minted member of the Executive team “Vice President-elect Pence, we welcome you, and we truly thank you for joining us here at ‘Hamilton: An American musical.’ We really do. We sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us — all of us. Again, we truly thank you for seeing this show, this wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men and women of different colors, creeds and orientations. Trump said that Pence was harassed. Really? Look if he thinks that’s harassment, he has no idea what’s ahead in terms of how this country works. Trump and by his acquiesce, Mike Pence, have given people of color a reason to be scared and concerned. The little message from Dixon is covered by the First Amendment. It was a truthful expression of a belief that one American had.Plus no one called Pence an offensive name or made fun of him in a disparaging way like Trump did in the 2016 campaign. These guys better get used to it because as Trump said hundreds of times during his campaign, “When I’m attacked, I’ll fight back”. Given the rhetoric of the campaign and the appointment of White Supremacist promoter Steve Bannon earlier this week, Brandon Victor Dixon just followed the Trump/Pence ticket’s lead.
MEDIA MATTERS
GOOD LUCK DAWN
Our good friend from WBRE/WYOU TV Dawn Miller is pursuing a position at another station. Dawn and I first started working together on the old WYOU TV Interactive News. We wish her well in her new position. We have no doubt she’ll knock them dead.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
The Christmas season got off in earnest today with two big parades in LuLac land. In Scranton this morning thousands attended the Santa Parade. Later on in the afternoon, in Wilkes Barre Santa made a visit that thrilled kids of all ages.
Who are those three elves in shades? None other then Nancy Kman, John Webster and Karel Zubris.
Here's WILK's News team of Paula Deignan-Reynolds and l.A. Tarone at the Wilkes Barre parade. L.A. is also on 6pm to 9pm Monday thru Friday. Both were in full holiday regalia. However there is no truth to the rumor that after the parade, L.A. was asked to pass the basket at a 430pm Mass in Nanticoke because of that bright red usher's blazer he was sporting!
It seems that many people of color as well as women are protesting the election of Donald Trump in major cities across America. Trump was elected with the Electoral vote but lost the popular vote by 1 million votes. Many of the Trump supporters say it is reprehensible for people to protest a President even before he puts his hand on the Bible. But their memory, like oh so much, is so short. A few years ago, these were protesters marching against another newly elected President at the start and during his administration.
Here are the photos.
The only difference between this year and then is that the Democrats weren’t whining about like these tough guy Trump ites are!
SENATOR CALLS FOR RUSSIAN INQUIRY
Senator Lindsey Graham (Photo: CNN)
A former Republican Presidential candidate belittled by Donald Trump is calling for investigations into alleged Russian cyber hacks during the US election. This flies in the face of Trump’s plan for warmer ties with Moscow. Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of the chamber's most experienced foreign policy lawmakers , said the attempt by a foreign country to interfere with the US voting process needs better understanding and a vigorous response. Graham, wants the hearings to examine all Russia's covert and overt doings in the world. Plus he has the support of colleagues on both sides of the aisle. The hearings could become a source of tension between the GOP and the new President.
BARLETTA: HARRISBURG COURTHOUSE MOVES TO #1 ON PRIORITY LIST
GOVERNING BODY OF FEDERAL JUDICIARY APPROVES LIST WITH HARRISBURG ON TOP
Congressman Lou Barletta (Photo: LuLac archives)
Congressman Lou Barletta confirmed that the long-awaited federal courthouse in Harrisburg has been installed formally as the top priority for the judiciary. The judiciary’s Committee on Space and Facilities has ranked the project as the number one item on the construction list – a decision which has been approved by the Judicial Conference of the United States, the governing body of the judiciary chaired by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. The ascension of Harrisburg to the top slot is further indication that the courthouse project will become a reality. Barletta has pushed for the project as Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. He has worked closely with Judge D. Brooks Smith, Chief Judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, who had been Chairman of the Committee on Space and Facilities until October 1, 2016. Barletta has also been in close contact with Judge Christopher Conner, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Congress formally appropriates the money for courthouse construction and renovation, but traditionally defers to the judiciary to set the priority order. “Each bit of good news brings us closer to the day when we can cut the ribbon and open the new courthouse,” Barletta said. “The new courthouse will be an important new facility for Harrisburg, as it will serve as a hub of activity and drive new economic development for the area. I am proud to have been working on this project for a number of years, and I commend Judge Smith, Judge Conner, all of the members of the judiciary, and everyone in Harrisburg who has worked so hard to make the courthouse possible.” “The rigorous analysis that the judiciary applies to ranking courthouse projects that most merit Congressional funding has resulted in Harrisburg as the top priority for Fiscal Year 2018,” said Judge Smith. “As the former chair of the Judicial Conference's Space and Facilities Committee, I am grateful for the generous support Congress has demonstrated for our courthouse needs; and as the Chief Judge of the Third Circuit, I am pleased that the Harrisburg community can look forward to having a modern and secure courthouse to serve its needs.” “We are thrilled,” said Judge Conner. “We thank Congressman Barletta for his unwavering support of this important project, and we look forward to the construction of a courthouse that will represent the very best of our federal courthouse facilities.” In September 2016, Barletta had announced that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee had authorized a total of $194,444,000 for the Harrisburg Courthouse. The final step will be the actual appropriation of the funds, a process which will not begin until at least the new year. The amount includes $29.5 million appropriated in Fiscal Year 2016 for partial funding of feasibility studies and preparation work in addition to earlier funding in 2004 of $26 million. The Harrisburg project includes the design and construction of a courthouse of approximately 243,000 square feet and an estimated 43 parking spaces. The building will contain as many as eight courtrooms, including three for District Judges, two for Senior District Judges, two for Magistrate Judges, and one for Bankruptcy Judges. There had been initial discussions of constructing only an annex to the existing courthouse, but that idea has been shelved in favor of an entirely new courthouse.
DIAMOND CITY SKATERS BIG EVENT
Meet the Skaters later this month!
The Diamond City Figure Club Skating will hold it's annual skating show.
When:
Sunday 11/27/2016
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Where:
Toyota Sportsplex at Coal Street.
It will highlight individual skaters and include group numbers from the learn to skate groups and the Diamond City Figure Skating club. There will be raffle baskets and a bake sale hosted by the Diamond
City Figure Skating club.
For more info:
http://toyotasportsplex.com
MEDIA MATTERS
BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM
Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on NEPA Sports Radio-The Game 1400/1440 am and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River.
SUNDAY MAGAZINE
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on NASH-FM, 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X and Sports Radio 590, WARM and 6:25am on Magic 93.
ECTV
With colder weather moving into our area the needs of those who find themselves homeless are increasing. ECTV Live hosts David DeCosmo and Rusty Fender and program Director Mark Migilore welcome John Gleason of the Keystone Rescue Mission to the show during the week of November 21st. to discuss those issues.
ECTV Live is seen on Comcast channel 19 (61 in some areas) and is aired near Noon, 6pm, and Midnight throughout the week!
SUE HENRY’S SPECIAL EDITION
Tune in to Sue Henry's "Special Edition" this week as Sue recaps the week's news. The show will run Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. on WILK, and on KRZ, Froggy and Max 102 early Sunday morning.
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.
BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP!!!!!
The Doo-Wop Sock Hop can be heard every Sunday night from 6P to 9P on “105 The River (104.9 FM) Host is the incomparable Bobby V. www.105theriver.net www.doowopsockhop.net.
1971
Our 1971 logo
Intel releases the world's first microprocessor, the Intel 4004.....
Britain's Foreign Secretary Alec Douglas-Home arrives in Salisbury, capital of Rhodesia, to discuss proposals for a political settlement......Procol Harum Live wiTh the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is recorded at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada….This week marked the Opening of Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground at Orlando, Florida…..Women from all over the US show support for abortion rights with marches on Washington D C. and San Francisco. A new organization, WONAAC, called for the marches. WONAAC was formed by a national conference of more than 1000 women that convened for a week in New York City in July 1971...in Pennsylvania in 1971 you were paying for a gallon of Gas 40 cents, a Datsun 1200 Sports Coupe ran you $1,866.00, a United States postage Stamp cost 8 cents, a Ladies 2 piece knit suites were $9.98 and a Movie Ticket was $1.50…in Luzerne County the election for County Commissioner didn’t appear to ease the fracture in the Democratic party as word comes that Commissioner Ed Wideman who placed third in the Election would team up with Minority Commissioner Ethel Price and 45 years ago today the number one song in LuLac land was "Family Affair" by Sly & the Family Stone.
Paul Ryan was re-elected by the House Republican conference Tuesday to serve a second term as speaker of the House. The official vote installing him as the speaker will come in early January, when the next session of Congress begins.
PELOSI ON HOLD
House Democrats decided Tuesday to delay their leadership elections until after Thanksgiving -- a move that will give reeling Democrats time to nurse their wounds and could spell trouble for longtime leader Nancy Pelosi. After a closed-door meeting, some of Pelosi's supporters said it was time for some serious soul-searching in the Democratic Party. The vote is set for November 30th.
PA GOP STATEMENT ON THE STATE HOUSE LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement on the State House leadership elections.“Our new 122 State House Republican majority have elected a leadership team who is ready to fight for commonsense in Harrisburg,” Gleason said. “Last Tuesday, voters elected the largest Republican State House majority since the 1950s in a clear rejection of Tom Wolf’s extreme liberal policies. Speaker Turzai, Leader Reed, and the entire Republican leadership team will continue to stand up for taxpayers in the weeks and months ahead. “On behalf of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, I want to congratulate Speaker Mike Turzai, Leader Dave Reed and the entire State House Republican leadership team on their elections. The PA GOP looks forward to working with them.” Today, the State House Republican Caucus elected the following members to its leadership team: Speaker of the House Designee – 28th District State Representative Mike Turzai Majority Leader – 62nd District State Representative Dave Reed Whip- 100th District State Representative Bryan Cutler Appropriations Committee Chairman – 94th District State Representative Stan Saylor Caucus Chair – 147th District State Representative Marcy Toepel Policy Committee Chair – 171st District State Representative Kerry Benninghoff Caucus Administrator – 107th District State Representative Kurt Masser Caucus Secretary – 63rd District State Representative Donna Oberlander
Location: Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
Political analyst for WBRE TV's Pa. Live program and post election commentator for WBRE TV's Eyewitness News Daybreak show. Author of the book "A Radio Story/We Wish You Well In Your Future Endeavors" and "Leges Vitae" "26 Rules of Life" and the new novel, "Weather Or Knot". The blog editor also writes various news articles and columns as well as upcoming literary projects. The blog editor was a frequent guest on WYOU TV'S INTERACTIVE NEWSCASTS when political issues were discussed on the national, state and local level. Yonki was a weekly panelist on WYLN TV 35's Friday Topic A program. He also appeared on the Hazleton, PA. station on Election Night doing coverage and did special projects and stories for WYLN TV 35's 10PM Newscast "Late Edition".
