The LuLac Edition #3540, June 22nd, 2017

DEMOCRATS 0 FOR 5

I am really getting tired of this hype about Special Elections and how the Democrats might have a chance to win them. Tuesday's results in Georgia and North Carolina were close but that won’t mean a thing because in politics it’s about the numbers. The great Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells would say, “You’re only as good as your record.” Right now the Dems are 0 for 5.
I know that there will be people saying “they came so close” and Trump is going down but that’s whistling near the grave yard. Instead of spending money on “hopeful” races, the Democratic Congressional Committee should start building organizations in at least 40 Districts. They need to:
1. Get new DEMOCRATIC registrations.
2. Attract viable candidates who will not have a primary challenge.
3. Run on the policies of Trump and not against him.Face it, there is a widespread acceptance that this country elected an idiot. It appears that he is the new standard. To point that out is pretty much redundant and white noise at this point. +
Plus they need to get rough. Not with the President or the Republicans but with their own party.
 In the Georgia 6th the GOP voters turned out in a driving rain. The Democrats, not so much. Maybe that term snowflake is not that mean.
If Democrats think a march on a Saturday afternoon is enough but can’t get 20 friends to vote, then maybe they deserve a Trump Presidency.
After 0-5, you can’t blame Hillary or the GOP attack machine. Because that machine will be relentless and it will come for anyone with a D after their name.
It might be time for the Democrats to look in the mirror and ask, “Do we really want to return to power and how bad do you want it? 
The time for building is past due. The time for "Wishin' and Hoping'" is over! 

THE GOP AND HEALTH CARE

The REPUBLICAN Senators are rolling out their new health care plan in a secret meeting with their own members and lobbyists. Not Democrats, not even citizens. Lobbyists.
The Senate bill is also expected to repeal the individual mandate and all or most of the ACA's taxes, phase out the Medicaid expansion as well as change how the Medicaid program is funded, establish a system of tax credits to help people buy insurance if they choose, and make it easier for states to opt-out of the ACA's mandates for preexisting conditions and minimum insurance coverage mandates.
What this means is that disabled people in Wisconsin will have training programs cut because they are funded by Medicaid. The big things are the mandates for pre-existing conditions as well as installing minimum coverage mandates. That means companies are not bound to offer comprehensive plans but can offer and charge whatever the hell they want.
The bottom line is that the REPUBLICANS, by repealing the whole thing are offering tax credits for the 1% by abolishing the mandates. Then they are screwing the middle class.
To all those whiners who had health care and bitched about their high premiums, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Your premiums will rise, and when you or an older family member run out Medicaid funding after you outlive it, you are the only one to blame.
Enjoy your new Health Care under your REPUBLICAN party.
Just close your eyes and bend over.

AFTERNOONS WITH TARONE

L.A. and your blog editor back at WYLN TV 35 (Photo: LuLac archives)

L.A. Tarone is back in the area at a Skilled Nursing Facility. He is in the fight of his life with lung cancer. I had the opportunity to visit him last week. We had wide ranging conversations about radio, baseball and even sauntered into some politics. The politics, gingerly.
My intention is to have many more.
Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
In the meantime continue to send those cards to WILK, Highway 315, Pittston, Pa 18640 and contact me by Facebook if you’d like to visit.

SHINE PROGRAM GETS PLAUDITS

Congressman Lou Barletta (Photo: Barletta office)

Congressman Lou Barletta recently joined with national experts on workforce development to highlight the success of the SHINE, or “Schools and Homes in Education,” afterschool program during a House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development hearing. The hearing focused on the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which was signed into law during the 113th Congress and contained provisions similar to Barletta’s America Works Act, H.R. 497, to encourage states and localities to prioritize federal spending on education and training. Barletta discussed the role afterschool programs, like SHINE, play in helping students to succeed in school and develop the skills necessary to land jobs.
Louis M. Dubin, Chairman of the Maryland Governor’s Workforce Development Board and the main expert witness at the hearing, applauded SHINE’s efforts to connect students with technical and career experts. SHINE is a successful educational program in Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties that Barletta has championed.
“Congressman Barletta, the SHINE afterschool program in your district is an example of a rural afterschool partnership that is preparing our students for the future,” Dubin said. “Partnering with the Carbon Career and Technical Institute and the Lehigh Carbon Community College, SHINE provides an innovative educational model by teaming technical experts with academic teachers and through hands on career projects connects students to math/science with a real world application.”
Barletta echoed Dubin’s praise, stating that, given its record of proven success, SHINE could be a model for other afterschool programs across the country. Barletta stated that one of SHINE’s many strengths is connecting students with career and technical experts so that they are exposed to job opportunities at an early age.
“We all know that we must bridge the skills gap to help more of our constituents realize good-paying jobs and help our local businesses thrive,” Barletta said. “This is good for our communities, and it’s good for America. But I believe we must also work to remove the stigma that’s associated with non-traditional, technical careers. Studies show that educating students about their options at a young age is central to this goal.”
Dubin pointed out that afterschool programs, such as SHINE, help students develop “soft skills,” or the personal attributes necessary to land and maintain jobs – something that Barletta said he often hears from employers in his district.
“I had a local employer approach me just a couple of weeks ago and said he had 100 good-paying jobs, but cannot find people to fill them,” Barletta said. “In fact, his biggest hurdle he said was getting people to pass the drug test. And I hear this more and more often, and it is discouraging when there are so many people unemployed. There are so many jobs that are available, and we know what we’ve got to do to teach the skills. But I think somewhere we’ve got to go back to teach basic skills, like showing up to work on time.”
Dubin said that Maryland spends “considerable resources” helping students to develop soft skills, often called “employability skills,” which include punctuality, dependability, maintaining a positive attitude, and communication skills, among other attributes.
“Soft skills are important,” Dubin said. “Not everyone had the advantage of growing up with people around them that taught them the things you need to be successful. And so I’m also a big proponent of soft skills training, and we see those big success stories all the time because that little element of soft skills gives someone the ability to go and do an interview and get a job.”
Barletta has been consistently recognized for his work on behalf of afterschool programs, such as SHINE. Last Congress, Barletta was instrumental in saving the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program, which provides nearly 50 percent of SHINE’s funding. As a result of his leadership in saving federal funding for afterschool programs, Barletta was the only House member to receive the 2016 Congressional Voice for Children Award from the National Parent Teacher Association. He was also named an “Afterschool Hero” by the Afterschool Alliance, and earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network named Barletta an Afterschool Champion for his commitment, dedication, and outstanding work on learning programs.

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN TV 137
THE PARTY CHANNEL

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

This week's guest will be Maureen Gray from the NEPA Youth Shelter. Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400-The Game, NEPA's Fox Sports Radio and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River.

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Week on Sunday Magazine.
Brian Hughes speaks with Peterlyn West from Cultural Homestay International, and Jackie Savage, who hosted Tyler, a Chinese foreign exchange student for the past 10 months, and they discuss their experiences with the program.
Brian speaks with Dr. David Fisher and his patient, Lani about joint pain and osteoarthritis in women occurring more often in women in their 40's and 50's .
And Brian speaks with Bob Valiante, co-ordinator of the 35th annual Scranton Catholic Charismatic Conference, which will be held at the University of Scranton August 4th thru the 6th.
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 can be seen on Comcast channel 19 (61 in some areas) and is aired during the Noon, 6pm and Midnight hours each day of the week. Following Monday's Live program the show will become available on Electric City Television's YouTube channel which can be viewed on your computer.

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 he heartwarming comments on the issues of the day on Webster and Nancy with Karel Zubris.

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP!!!!!

Bobby's show is back again live this Sunday @6PM on The River. 104.9 FM and 100,7FM in Wilkes Barre! Plus Bobby V has a brand new website, check it out at www.doowopsockhop.net.

1977

Our 1977 logo

Apple Computer ships its first Apple II computers…James Earl Ray (Martin Luther King's killer) escapes from prison..International Labour Organisation and United Nations meet to discuss apartheid in South Africa and potential actions to prevent further violence and state repression…… 109th Belmont: Jean Cruguet riding Seattle Slew wins in 2:29.6…. Main Street Electrical Parade premieres in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World…."Pippin" closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 1944 performances…..23rd LPGA Championship won by Chako Higuchi… Groundbreaking ceremony for John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum…….in Pennsylvania began to be the site of the filming of an ever increasing number of major motion pictures. Slapshot and The Deer Hunter were among the first of these productions……in Scranton work the Police decide to crack down on nuisance bars in the city and 40 years ago this week in LuLac land and America was “Angel In Your Arms” by Hot.