The LuLac Edition #3522, June 2nd, 2017

THE SARGE @ 50

Could it be fifty years ago that the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club band? I was 13 in the summer of ’67 and my friends, the Dellarte Brothers had a buddy named Dave Emershaw. This guy made a prediction that I thought was insane. He opined on that front porch on Sharp Street in Wyoming that:
1. Tom Seaver would be in the Hall of Fame.
2. Yankee Stadium would not last forever.
3. The Beatles would be as popular and still be played all across the world well into the next century.
He was right about all of it. That summer, radio stations played that album and those singles.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was the eighth studio album by the Fab 4. Released on 26 May 1967 in the United Kingdom and 2 June 1967 in the United States. An immediate commercial and critical success, it spent 27 weeks at the top of the UK albums chart and 15 weeks at number one in the US. On release, the album was lauded by the vast majority of critics for its innovations in music production, songwriting and graphic design, for bridging a cultural divide between popular music and legitimate art, and for providing a musical representation of its generation and the contemporary counterculture. It won four Grammy Awards in 1968, including Album of the Year, the first rock LP to receive this honor.
A few days after the album hit, this song, in the summer of love was number one for a very long time. The song redefined the Beatles growth as musicians and icons of pop culture. (wikipedia, LuLac)

BARLETTA BILL TO REAUTHORIZE FEMA, DRIVE DOWN DISASTER COSTS PASSES COMMITTEE

LEGISLATION ADDRESSES RISING COSTS OF DISASTERS, SUPPORTS FIRST RESPONDERS

Congressman Lou Barletta (Photo: LuLac archives)

The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed bipartisan legislation introduced by Rep. Lou Barletta (PA-11) that would address the rising costs of disasters, provide support for our nation’s first responders, and – for the first time ever – reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The FEMA Reauthorization Act of 2017, H.R. 2548, reauthorizes FEMA through Fiscal Year 2020 consistent with current funding levels. The bill would ensure accountability and strong Congressional oversight of the agency. FEMA is responsible for coordinating the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, including flooding and terrorist attacks.
As Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, Barletta has worked to mitigate disaster damages and streamline public assistance to affected communities.
“As disaster costs and losses continue to rise across the nation, we need to ensure that the federal government is prepared to respond, and that our local communities are strong and resilient,” Barletta said. “This bill would improve our ability to mitigate disaster damages, train first responders, and improve our nation’s ability to recover from catastrophes.”
The bill directs the National Advisory Council to complete a comprehensive study of disaster losses and damages, and provide recommendations to reduce costs related to these events. The legislation also reauthorizes the Center for Domestic Preparedness and the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, which provide specialized preparedness training to state, local, and tribal emergency responders.
“Losses in lives and economic costs as a result of disasters have been rising in recent years,” House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (PA-09) said. “This bill begins to seriously address this trend and seek ways to reduce losses caused by future disasters. I commend Chairman Barletta’s strong leadership on this bill, and his important work over the years in working to strengthen America’s disaster preparedness and response capabilities.”
Lou, you might want to ask your buddy Trump why with two Houses under REPUBLICAN control you can’t find a head of FEMA!