The LuLac Edition #3556, July 18th, 2017

RED JONES, ME AND HARRY TRUMAN

Your Blog editor with Jones at the 2016 Lincoln Day Breakfast. (Photo: LuLac archives) 

and Harry S. himself. (Photo: Truman Library)  

 Red as a young man. (Citizen's Voice) 

 Red in 2011 at Volunteers of America event. (Photo: Citizen's Voice) 

 Red with then newly elected Wilkes Barre Councilman Tony Brook. (Photo: Kathleen Smith) 

Former Luzerne County Commissioner Red Jones has passed away. I first met Jones in 1979 on the campaign trail with my late Uncle Timmy Pribula when Red was running with Frank Trinisewski against Frank Crossin and Edd Brominski. Both Crossin and Bromo pulled a shocking primary victory just a few months before by unseating incumbent Ed Wideman who served in that seat 16 years. Jones was energetic and did his best to get a GOP Majority. But with a heavily Democratic county, he was the odd man out. But I knew he’d be back.
During the campaign, I not only met Red Jones but Red Jones diehards. Kids he coached, people he did business with, they were all in Red’s Regiment.
Jones worked for the Wilkes Barre City Redevelopment Authority but he was also a Square Dance caller. Red would travel through the state and parts of the nation doing the old ho down with C&W artists and even polka kings. In 2011 he came out of retirement and did a benefit for Volunteers of America when he son Bill was head chief there.
Red served on The Lake Lehman School Board with distinction from 1981 to 1995. He tried again for the job of County Commissioner and this time won in 1995. 
When I met Red again in 2016 he was attending the GOP Lincoln Day Dinner. Everybody wanted to meet Red. And talk. Red and I spoke about the county charter (he brought it up!) and he gave me chapter and verse as to why things should be modified. Hell, he didn’t like the charter. I got a civics lesson in county government that cold, windy sub zero morning.
I asked Red if he still had the Harry Truman picture. He raised his eyebrows and said, “Yeah, how did you…….”. Then he stopped and said, “You gave me that picture!” I shook my head in delight saying “Yep”. When Red was working for Great Northern Press, on a Sales call he admired my Truman photo I had received from The Truman Library. We talked about voting for the person and not the party. He kept staring wistfully at it and I said, “This belongs with you”.
Years later I’m told he still had it.
Red Jones was a Republican who worked hard and knew that people needed to work together.
Sadly, that’s not the case today.
Red was in the Marine Corp but extended that patriotic service in public office He will be remembered as an even tempered politician who spoke his mind and sometimes politically paid for it.
He was 79.

REP. CARTWRIGHT INTRODUCES BILL TO ENCOURAGE WATER EFFICIENCY AND SAVE CONSUMERS MONEY

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright re-introduced legislation that would incentivize water conservation and help consumers cut costs on water bills. The WATER Use Act (H.R. 3248) would codify the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s WaterSense program, which helps consumers identify water-efficient products, such as faucets and toilets.
WaterSense is a voluntary certification labeling program that acts as a water-friendly companion to Energy Star, which is a similar energy-efficiency program administered by the EPA and the Department of Energy. Since the EPA launched the WaterSense program 10 years ago, Americans have saved an estimated $32.6 billion in water and energy bills and 1.5 trillion gallons of water.
“WaterSense certified services and products are at least 20 percent more efficient than average products in the same category,” said Rep. Cartwright. “These more efficient products can save billions of gallons of water each year. This bill takes responsible and commonsense approaches to improving consumers’ water conservation.”
In addition, the WATER Use Act directs all federal agencies to give purchase preference to WaterSense-certified products and services, providing greater certainty than existing Executive Orders addressing the issue. The bill would also provide assistance to state, local, and tribal governments; wastewater, water, and energy utilities; and nonprofit organizations to support incentive programs for consumer purchases of residential water-efficient products and services.
“This legislation formally authorizes EPA's successful WaterSense program, a public-private partnership, that delivers a "win-win" by encouraging voluntary reduction of indoor water consumption by consumers and businesses through highly efficient, safe plumbing products, services, and practices that save water, as well as money and energy,” said Kerry Stackpole, CEO of Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI).