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.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
The LuLac Edition #3585, August 31st, 2017
BEFORE AUGUST ENDS
TWO ANNIVERSARIES
THURGOOD MARSHALL TO THE COURT @ 50
Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court Justice named to the confirmed 50 years ago this month. (Photo: Newsweek)
It was fifty years ago today that Thurgood Marshall became the first African American named to the Supreme Court. Marshall was nominated on June 13th by President Johnson following the retirement of Justice Tom C. Clark, saying that this was "the right thing to do, the right time to do it, the right man and the right place." Marshall was confirmed as an Associate Justice by a Senate vote of 69–11 on August 30, 1967. He was the 96th person to hold the position, and the first African American. Marshall once bluntly described his legal philosophy as this: "You do what you think is right and let the law catch up", a statement which his conservative detractors argued was a sign of his embracement of judicial activism Marshall served on the Court for the next 24 years, compiling a liberal record that included strong support for Constitutional protection of individual rights, especially the rights of criminal suspects against the government. His most frequent ally on the Court (the pair rarely voted at odds) was Justice William Brennan, who consistently joined him in supporting abortion rights and opposing the death penalty. President John F. Kennedy appointed Marshall to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1961 to a new seat created on May 19, 1961, by 75 Stat. 80. A group of Senators from the South, led by Mississippi's James Eastland, held up his confirmation, so he served for the first several months under a recess appointment. Marshall remained on that court until 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him to be the United States Solicitor General, the first African American to hold the office. As Solicitor General, he won 14 out of the 19 cases that he argued for the government. His most famous legal case as a lawyer was Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), the case in which the Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" public education, as established by Plessy v. Ferguson, was not applicable to public education because it could never be truly equal. In total, Marshall won 29 out of the 32 cases he argued before the Supreme Court. Marshall retired from the Supreme Court in 1991 due to declining health. In his retirement press conference on June 28, 1991, he expressed his view that race should not be a factor in choosing his successor, and he denied circulating claims that he was retiring because of frustration or anger over the conservative direction in which the Court was heading." He was reportedly unhappy that it would fall to President George H. W. Bush to name his replacement. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to replace Marshall. Marshall died of heart failure at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, at 2:58 pm on January 24, 1993, at the age of 84. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. (LuLac, wikipedia.com)
PRINCESS DIANA GONE @ 20
The iconic photo of Princess Diana. (Photo: BBC)
It was a Saturday night, Labor Day weekend and we had on CNN. News broke that Princess Diana had died in a car crash. She came to prominence in February 1981 when her engagement to Prince Charles was announced to the world. Diana's wedding to the Prince of Wales took place at St Paul's Cathedral on 29 July 1981 and reached a global television audience of over 750 million people. During her marriage, Diana was Princess of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay, and Countess of Chester. The marriage produced two sons, the princes William and Harry, who were then respectively second and third in the line of succession to the British throne. As Princess of Wales, Diana undertook royal duties on behalf of the Queen and represented her at functions overseas. She was celebrated for her charity work and for her support of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. She was involved with dozens of charities including London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for children, of which she was president from 1989. Diana remained the object of worldwide media scrutiny during and after her marriage, which ended in divorce on 28 August 1996. Media attention and public mourning were extensive after her death in a car crash in a Paris tunnel on 31 August 1997 and subsequent televised funeral. Years later she is still a hot pop culture commodity. 2 decades after her death there is speculation about the way she died. On Clyde Lewis' program on the morning of the 20th anniversary, he had a guy on his show that claimed she was "assassinated". Diana had the misfortune as well as a type of luxury in her untimely death at such a young age. Like JFK and Marilyn Monroe, she is frozen in time. There were commemorations throughout London today.
Three 500 year flood events in Houston in 3 years.
Warmer weather than ever in parts of the country.
Florida shorelines eroding.
More to come!
TRUMP NEVER MENTIONS DEAD OR HOMELESS IN HIS TEXAS VISIT
So the President travels to Texas with his $40.00 merchandising hat on (will that money go to charity? Yeah right…) and did not utter one single solitary syllable about those who died, those with homes or companies in the floods that devastated southeast Texas. There was nary a word about the heroic first responders and volunteers who are holding it together under the demands of people in need. There was no nod for the tens of thousands of evacuees, some of whom were separated from their families in the storm and are now warehoused in arenas, churches and empty facilities. There wasn’t the class and poetry of Reagan after the Challenger explosion; George W. Bush after 9/11; Clinton in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing and Obama after Charleston. Nothing like that. Instead we got rambling about how big the disaster was, as if the freaking people didn’t KNOW that! This was Donald Trump's first major moment to shine in this role. The President launched into a monologue about the epic nature of Harvey -- "Nobody's ever seen anything like this!" and then he singled out FEMA Director Brock Long, Trump gushing like a prom date called the Director, "A man who's really become very famous on television over the last couple of days." As if that's the main job of the FEMA head. And in wrapping up his remarks, he started to congratulate the group for their proficient handling of the storm, even when Houston and the surrounding region continued to be pounded by rain and floods. Then he spoke about the crowds who came out to greet him on his visit. The dead policeman, the people displaced, not a word.......the man has no empathy in his heart. I can understand that less than 30% in he country who defend him as a political power, a force to be reckoned with and even as a President. But for Christsakes…....how can you defend him as a man?
SO WILL THE TEXANS VOTE AGAINST THEIR OWN DISASTER/FLOOD RELIEF?
Does anyone remember October of 2012 when Hurricane Sandy ravaged the Northeast? Homes were swept off their foundations, roofs blown off and lives and businesses were lost. Parts of the Northeast needed help and they needed it fast. When the storm was over, the Obama administration proposed a $60.4 billion emergency bill to fund recovery efforts, which was supported by both Democrats and Republicans. Remember Agnes in ’72? Our Congressman at the time moved heaven and earth to get the Wyoming valley back on track with federal funding. It was decided on a bi partisan basis back then. Usually when you are faced with the prospect of doing the right thing, you get bi partisan agreement. Of course that was then but by 2012 we were a bitter and divided nation. During the President’s visit to Jersey, Governor Chris Christie took heat for even giving Obama a hug. Even with that political posturing in an election year, the assumption was that the relief package for those affected by Sandy would be approved quickly if not overwhelmingly. That was not to be because THE REPUBLICAN party decided that even though it was a disaster, they needed the money to pay for the relief to come to the Northeast. As a matter of fact, Senator Ted Cruz tried to kill the relief. Led by Cruz, and despite the bipartisan pleas of elected officials on the ground in areas devastated by the storm, conservatives in both the House and Senate sought to kill the emergency assistance package. For years members of Congress in the Northeast voted for disaster aid in far off parts of the country. States struck by drought and tornadoes, flood, what have you..... accepted the money. But in 2012 the two Texas REPUBLICAN Senators voted NO for disaster relief. They say Karma is a bitch with the terrible disaster that is happening in Texas. I’m just wondering if REPUBLICANS Cruz and Cornyn will stand up and repeat what they repeated in 2012, “We can't do anything unless we find the money to pay for it”. I bet not......because REPUBLICANS are both hypocrites and cowards. Cruz the biggest of all of them. I’m sure the Northeast delegation will vote for disaster relief unlike the petty big men from the state of Texas that now need help. Let’s give it to them but never, ever forget what they tried to do when the disaster hit the Northeast.
SCOTT WAGNER VISITS THE TOMATO FESTIVAL AND IT WASN’T JUST A NORMAL HELLO
Republican candidate for Governor Scott Wagner stopped by the Pittston Tomato Festival. The plan I’m told was for him to meet the folks and perhaps introduce himself to the various and sundry numbers of people who come to visit the 4 day event every year. But the self made man who is the great hope Republicanism in the Commonwealth for 2018 took after the super villain George Soras. Wagner called Soras a Hungarian Jew who did well for himself. Now there is a big hub bub about Wagner using the term Jew. I might have said something differently but Wagner was doing an off the cuff interview with apparently a guy who follows him around. That can spook anyone. Not giving him a pass mind you, but I could understand what happened. But when Wagner wondered how Soras could be such an ingrate and try to destroy this country after it made him successful left me shaking my head. After Wagner launched into “Hey I have many Jewish friends” he said Soros hated America. Who said this you think? “A full and fair discussion is essential to democracy.” Not Scott Wagner. It was George Soros. See Wagner takes a page out of the REPUBLICAN LIE and HATE machine by saying that Soros hates America. Soros is most likely richer than the current President and Wagner is super cool with that guy who is trying to destroy the county. But Soros? Bad rich guy. Bad because he doesn't believe what Scottie believes! By the way, check out the end of the video where a Wagner lackey ENDS the interview. That’s okay though, we’ve seen enough of the real Scott Wagner and what he means for Pennsylvania. Which isn’t much.
Okay before you think I’m dumping on Lou Barletta, I am not. The other day Sue Henry had a caller who said he might not go for Lou because Lou never got to the bottom of an issue that this gentlemen cared about. I waited with baited breath. Immigration? Taxes? Money to state governments? Health Care? Nope. This guy was angry that Congressman Barletta never got down to brass tacks and found out that former President Obama’s birth certificate was FAKE. Yep that’s what this guy was mad at Lou for. Let me say this about Congressman Barletta. He never wasted time and effort in Washington that was a non starter or something that was disproved. He might not have this guy’s vote in the bag but I’m sure he’ll make it up with others who worry about real stuff and not nonsense.
BARLETTA MOVE IS NOT JUST ABOUT HIM
Tuesday I chatted with WBRE/WYOU reporter Andy Mehalshick about the domino effect of the Congressman's decision. Let's go to the video.....
CARTWRIGHT EVENT
You’re Invited!
to the
6th Annual Cartwright for Congress
Summer Picnic
Saturday, September 9, 2017
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
$25 a ticket
Mercatili-Segilia Park
4046 Birney Avenue
Moosic, PA 18507
Join U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright for a day filled with great food, live music and good company!
For more information you can call 570-793-1296 or email paul@cartwrightcongress.com
You may return your contributions to the following address:
Cartwright for Congress
PO Box 414
Scranton, PA 18501
Checks should be made payable to: Cartwright for Congress
Contributions to Cartwright for Congress are not tax deductible. Federal law requires Cartwright for Congress to use best efforts to report name, address, employer, and occupation of all individuals who contribute over $200 per election cycle. Contributions can be accepted from an individual totaling up to $2,700 per election cycle and $5,400 per election cycle. Federal law prohibits contributions to the campaign from corporation, labor organizations, national banks, from any person contributing another person’s funds, from foreign nationals who lack permanent resident status, and from federalgovernment contractors.
MEDIA MATTERS
WALN TV
BOLD BOLD COMMUNITY FORUM
This week's guest is Geologist Brian Oram discussing water testing.
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. Magic 93's Frankie in the Morning speaks with Chris Kelly and Molly Hagen from the Osterhout Free Library about their upcoming gala, "Under The Tuscan Sun", coming up on Friday Sept 8th at the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes Barre.
An encore of Frankie's interview with Dolly Woody and Jill Eidenberg about "Race For The Cure"coming up on Sat Sept 16th in downtown Scranton.
And Brian speaks with home improvement expert Tom Kraeutler about the best home improvement projects you can tackle this Fall. 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 LIVE
The crew of ECTV Live, Producer/host David DeCosmo, co-host Rusty Fender, and Director Mark Migilore are taking a week off!
In place of a new program Migilore has selected several "Best Of ECTV Live" programs that will alternate throughout the week.
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
SUNDAY NIGHTS!!!!
1977
Our 1977 logo.
Evangelical pastor Oral Roberts publishes plans to build the 'City of God Hospital' in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The towers are completed in 1981 for $120M ($299M, in 2012)...The Commodore PET computer is first sold….. The Golden Dragon massacre takes place in San Francisco…….Voyager program: Voyager 1 is launched after a brief delay…...
in Pittsburgh, the new Mayor Richard Caliguiri, who became Mayor after longtime mayor Pete Flaherty resigned to take a position in the newly formed Jimmy Carter White House decides to run as an Independent in the city. Allegheny County Commissioner Tom Foerster who won the Democratic primary after Caliguiri stepped aside all of sudden had opposition from the GOP and the newly minted Independent. Word is that both men had a political dispute that led to Caliguiri’s decision…..in Scranton another Independent campaign by a Democrat starts to take hold when James McNulty ramp up his efforts with a sticker campaign for November and 40 years ago the number one song in LuLac land and America was an old Jackie Wilson song “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher” by Rita Coolidge.
WNEP TV is reporting that Congressman Lou Barletta will run for the Senate seat held by incumbent two term Democrat Robert Casey. http://wnep.com/ Barletta is set to make the announcement, we're told tomorrow morning in a video. Time line on that is 7am. Barletta has been courted by the Trump administration. His race will garner excitement in this area because he is popular. But a few things to remember. 1. Luzerne County gave President Trump 26% of the vote he got in the state. That was more than half of the 44% he totaled statewide. The rest of the state is not Luzerne County. 2. Barletta will have to defend the record of Donald Trump. Only hardcore supporters in the state are still staying with Trump. Right now, Trump is at least 10 points under water in the Commonwealth in terms of approval. Will Pennsylvania support an ardent supporter of this President? 3. The announcement puts this 11th Congressional District seat in play. State Representative Tarah Toohil has said she would be interested in succeeding him. On the Democratic side, talk is percolating that Attorney Bill Vinsko, now of Dallas, might be in the mood for a return run. But any Democrat thinking about this has to remember that running against a new candidate would not be the same thing as running against Barletta. With a new opponent and the heavy GOP legislation, this would be a hard nut for any Democrat to crack. Meanwhile if Toohil decides to run, then the 116th Legislative seat would be in play. Toohil defeated incumbent and Democratic leader Todd Eachus in an upset victory. There are some Democrats who might want to line up for that seat to return it to that column. Then there are Republicans to consider. Two that come to mind are WYLN TV talk show host Tiffany Cloud (who helped Toohil in her upset of Eachus) or her husband Sergeant Eric Olson, a decorated veteran. That's just the tip of the iceberg when you think about the domino effect this Barletta announcement will have. Then there will be the media budgets to consider. There will be many happy broadcast sales people smiling when they catch the possibility of all of this. More to come.
Newsweek reported that in an attempt to de-regulate rules set in place to guarantee successful growth, President Trump took a short cut.Funny, he hasn't started ANYTHING yet! But it appears Trump signed away Obama-era flood standards just weeks before Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in a bid to get infrastructure projects approved more quickly. The rule signed by former president Barack Obama in 2015 had not yet come into effect but aimed to make infrastructure more resilient to the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and flooding. Those who backed Obama’s rules believed they would make people safer by putting roads, bridges and other infrastructure on safer ground, NPR reported, but Trump rescinded the rule several weeks ago in an attempt to speed up the time it takes for infrastructure projects to be approved. Obama's regulations meant roads, buildings and other infrastructure needed to be constructed to take climate change into account and be built to withstand the effects of such climate change, including rising sea levels in coastal areas. But Trump believed the rule would slow down the permitting process. The president favored a faster route for infrastructure building, which he announced with an executive order signed several weeks ago—the latest in a series of Obama-era climate change policies to get the boot. Speaking from New York when he announced the rollback of the rules on Tuesday, August 15, Trump said: “We're going to get infrastructure built quickly, inexpensively, relatively speaking, and the permitting process will go very, very quickly." The executive order signed by Trump also gives a two-year time limit for the permits to be completed for major infrastructure projects, which includes environmental reviews on such proposals. “It’s going to be a very streamlined process, and by the way, if it doesn’t meet environmental safeguards, we’re not going to approve it,” added Trump, who previously promised he would pass a $1 trillion package intended to improve the country’s infrastructure, although this is yet to materialize. The fact of the matter is that Trump has had NO infrastructure plan. So he pretty much did this because Obama made this rule. Talk about spiteful behavior. When right wing conservatives talk about regulations stopping business growth, they don’t realize that regulations are there for the safety and the public good. Not just the almighty dollar.
IN THE LAC, MARK POWELL TEACHES BEFORE HE PREACHES
Attorney Mark Powell (Photo: Powell for DA website)
There has not been a Democratic District Attorney since the late 60s in Lackawanna County but Attorney Mark Powell wants to change all that. Powell is an interesting guy who is facing off with Eugene Talerico who wrested the GOP nomination from Sean Scanlon in the spring. Powell has been an Attorney but has had quite the teaching career. See he instructs other lawyers in the nuances of the courtroom. Here’s a little bit about what he’s up to from his website: In addition to his busy law practice, Attorney Mark Powell spends a great deal of time teaching other lawyers how to try cases. He is a faculty member of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, a leading teaching organization for trial lawyers in the United States. In his capacity as a NITA faculty member, Mark frequently lectures at Temple and Georgetown Universities, helping experienced trial lawyers from around the country – some with 10 to 20 years of trial experience - hone their courtroom skills. Fellow faculty members include law school professors, federal judges and other experienced litigators. In addition, Mark has instructed the Trial Skills and Depositions programs numerous times. “I have been honored to be invited by NITA to instruct every year since the inception of NITA’s Advanced Trial Skills Program in 2004,” Mark says. “Teaching is personally rewarding to me. I enjoy mentoring other lawyers. But it also helps me in the courtroom because, in jury trials, you have to be able to teach jurors the law or some complex field of science that few have experienced.” None of the other candidates for Lackawanna County District Attorney has Mark’s teaching experience. “As District Attorney, you have to be able to help the younger Assistant District Attorneys in the office successfully prosecute their cases,” he says. “I have the trial experience and teaching experience to mentor young attorneys to make sure the public is well-served and criminals get the punishments they deserve.” This race which some people are calling a sleeper just might heat up.
In conjunction with Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's landmark documentary series, The Vietnam War, WVIA Public Media presents War Stories: Vietnam, a multi-platform effort collecting the personal stories of people from northeastern and central Pennsylvania who lived through the conflict in Vietnam. The War Stories: Vietnam online component will feature veterans and others sharing their memories from Vietnam through three to four-minute pieces. A new episode will appear each Wednesday leading up to the premiere of The Vietnam War, Sunday, September 17th on WVIA-TV. Audio from selected interviews for War Stories: Vietnam will air on WVIA-FM’s Artscene, hosted by Erika Funke. The interviews will focus on artwork that has been inspired by the Vietnam War from local artists. WVIA-FM is also producing Music of the Vietnam Era which highlights the music of the 1960s featured in Ken Burns' The Vietnam War documentary and will tell the stories behind the songs. WVIA invites the public to attend a screening of the one-hour highlight reel of Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s landmark PBS documentary series, The Vietnam War at the WVIA Public Media Studios on both Tuesday, August 29th and Wednesday, August 30th. The screenings will be followed by a brief intermission with refreshments and then WVIA will host an hour-long panel discussion titled War Stories: Vietnam with Vietnam veterans that will be recorded for later broadcast.
“THE STORM” AND MEDIA SELECTION OF JUDGES
HON. CORREALE STEVENS, PA SUPERIOR COURT AND STATE REP. TARAH TOOHIL, 116th-PA TO APPEAR ON WYLN35’s THE STORM TO DISCUSS HB111, THE MERIT SELECTION OF JUDGES
Starting Wednesday, Aug 30th 8PM, The Storm hosted by Tiffany Cloud, airing on WYLN35, will cover the pros and cons of HB 111, which would replace the current election of PA appellate court judges with an appointed system of selecting such judges in Pennsylvania. Currently, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is one of the few states in our nation to elect judges to our high courts of appeal by a vote of the people. After some judicial scandal on high courts in recent years and on the heels of over $16M spent on judicial campaigns in 2015, the legislative committee of the PA House of Representatives has put forth HB 111 which proposes having a diverse committee of select people chosen by the Governor and legislature recommend candidates for the PA Supreme Court, the Superior Court of PA and the Commonwealth Court of PA. Those candidates would then be confirmed by the legislature. Supporters of HB 111 suggest it is a good step in the right direction to remove excessive fundraising/judicial campaigning for high court seats. Conversely, opponents express concern that the power will be removed from the people and that the appointment process may cause “back door politics” to select judges. On The Storm to discuss HB 111 starting August 30th 8PM, Cloud’s guests are State Rep. Tarah Toohil 116th PA and the Hon. Correale Stevens of the PA Superior Court. WYLN35 was informed, as a public service on the administration of justice, which does not involve lobbying for or against the Bill, Judge Stevens is permitted under the Judicial Ethics Act to participate in the discussion and offer reasons supportive of allowing voters to elect their judges. Representative Toohil reviews the substance of the Bill and discusses why some in the legislature support the merit selection approach as well as next steps as related to HB 111. Additional airtimes after the Aug 30th premiere: Thursday 6PM, 930PM; Friday 1030AM; Saturday 5PM; Sunday 11AM; Monday 8PM; Tuesday 10AM, 5PM, 930PM only on WYLN35. The show may also be live streamed during these times at www.wylntv.com
Democratic candidate for Luzerne County Council Wendy Cominsky had a big event Friday evening in Nanticoke at a very pleasant park on a very nice (weather wise) Friday night. About 100 people attended the event and showed the strength she seems to have going into the General Election. There was cold beer, Coke instead of Pepsi for hardcore guys like me, great food, a bake sale and a band that rocked the night away. Cominsky is just one Democratic candidate in a very strong field being put up by the party this year. Here are some photos of the event last night.
Former Wilkes Barre City Councilman George Brown (right) is seen with the candidate and Paul Maher, long time Wilkes Barre City political operative who did a good job as Master of Ceremonies.
Senator John Yudichak, primary candidate James Barttoli, current Democratic candidate Matt Vough who will be hosting his own event on September 13th in Pittston at The Red Mill and Wendy Cominskty.
David Saxton was at the event. Saxton is one of the premier environmental advocates this region has ever seen. Many of the things David talked about in the 80s regarding energy, weather and the negative impacts of corporate greed on the environment are coming to fruition. And that's not good. Here is Saxton with my college, WRKC FM buddy Frank Stefan visiting from Olean, New York. Frank served on Council there and is currently on the School Board. We catch up every year when Frank visits the area.
Here is a type of inside crowd shot at the event. For the speeches, (which were limited) the group moved to the outside.
Paul Maher chatting with former Pittston Mayor and current candidate for Mayor Michael Lombardo.
Senator Yudichak and I had a wide ranging discussion about why the current President won, the coverage of the county by the national media as well as where we go from here.
Thanks to my buddy Frank Stefan who took this photo of the candidate and your blog editor.
(Photos: LuLAC, Frank Stefan, Scott Cannon)
TOOMEY CAUGHT UP IN CAMPAIGN FINANCE SCANDAL
Senator Pat Toomey received more than $10,000 from major GOP-donor Richard Stephenson. However, according to new FEC documents, Stephenson reimbursed himself for those donations, making the contributions illegal. Here are the key elements of this: •A chain of for-profit hospitals owned by a major GOP donor admitted to illegally reimbursing executives for hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to political candidates over a decade-long period, according to FEC documents obtained by POLITICO. •Cancer Treatment Centers of America admits to paying out $700,000 over a 12-year period ending in 2014 to reimburse donations to 31 different political candidates. •Besides Romney and the senators facing reelection in 2018, more than $10,000 went to Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, South Carolina Sens. Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham, Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey and South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds. •The company’s founder, Richard Stephenson, has donated hundreds of thousands to Republican politicians and committees and once served as a top board member of the conservative group FreedomWorks. So what a scam………you donate to a candidate and get the money back. And the REPUBLICAN party of Trump railed against the Clintons. Too bad Puny Pat hasn’t come out of hiding to answer for this. Well maybe he’ll emerge on Groundhog Day.
Tuesday night Donald Trump appealed to the worst instincts of the American people. He appeared in Arizona and unscripted did a performance art of hate and loathing. This is what he dared to say: 1. Called the media un American and not caring about the welfare of this country. In fact he said the media wanted to destroy America. He said, "I really think they don't like our country. I really believe that." 2. Trump said he would shut down the government if his wall was not built. The fact that he has no idea of how the government even works, except to destroy it, is laughable." But believe me, if we have to close down our government, we're building that wall". 3. The big bully was on display calling out ABC News. "I mean, CNN is really bad, but ABC this morning -- I don't watch it much, but I'm watching in the morning, and they have little George Stephanopoulos talking to Nikki Haley, right? Little George." No class. N
4. This no nothing talked about how smart he was and the best education he supposedly got. "Now, you know, I was a good student. I always hear about the elite. You know, the elite. They're elite? I went to better schools than they did. I was a better student than they were. I live in a bigger, more beautiful apartment, and I live in the White House, too, which is really great." Like, is this the mind of a 7 seven year old? My house is better than yours? This exhibition of his weakness is telling. 5. Trump also said he was the most successful President in history during the short time he was in office. He said, "I don't believe that any president has accomplished as much as this president in the first six or seven months. I really don't believe it. "I think we've gotten more than anybody, including Harry Truman, who was number one, but they will tell you we've got none."During the 70s when there was Watergate an its aftermath, Chicago invoked Harry Truman in a song. With this guy running rings around Nixon in psychosis, perhaps it's time to dust this oldie off!
This was a flight of fantasy given off the cuff against his staff’s advice. It was a selfish feel good talk that had mindless people chant for the death of Senator John McCain as well as endorse a pardon of a racist lawman. Donald Trump was at his best for HIM, his very worst for the country.
But he doesn’t care anything about the country. He is a divisive bully that is the most insecure human being to ever hold office.
Plus to say he has achieved more things than any President in this time frame, let’s revisit the Constitution. See an Executive Order or a Supreme Court appointee is NOT a LAW, not a bill. Here’s how it works Mr. President:
TRUMP TO MILITARY ABOUT DEATH OF SOLDERS
It’s on film and not fake. When asked about the soldiers killed on the USS John McCain Trump simply stated, “That’s too bad”. This is what he thinks of our military.
TRUMP FIGHTS WITH MCCONNELL
The opportunities for the Special Prosecutor Robert Muelller keeps piling up very high like pastrami and corned beef on a Katz Deli mile high sandwich. Trump had tried to coerce Senator Mitch McConnell in stopping the Russian investigation. Word is that the Senator Majority Leader who did yeoman’s work in getting 49 votes for a very bad bill on health care has been insulted and demeaned by the President. It will only be a matter of time before McConnell turn on him. The REPUBLICAN party has to decide who will they stand with, a man child that has shown no loyalty to them or their own heritage and history. If the don’t, their party will go down as a casualty of Trump just like many others. What gets me is that Trump doesn’t understand the political reality of taking on McConnell. He is no “obstructionist” Democrat, he is one of his own. McConnell as well as other Republicans will start to realize their need to save their own skin.
QUINNIPIAC REPORTS
59% of Americans think that President Trump has emboldened White Supremacists in the country. That’s more than half. 62% felt that the President had badly handled the Charlottesville comments. This poll is not fake.
GOVERNOR WOLF ATTENDS MLB PIRATES-CARDINALS GAME AT HISTORIC BOWMAN FIELD
Governor Tom Wolf attended the first-ever Major League Baseball regular season game held at the start of the weeks-long Little League World Series festivities in Williamsport. The Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the St. Louis Cardinals at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, the home of the Class-A Williamsport Crosscutters of the NY-Penn League. “It doesn’t get much better than a great baseball game,” Gov. Wolf said. “To experience Major League Baseball in the intimate setting of historic Bowman Field with so many Little League players, coaches, families, and volunteers was just a tremendous night.” Dubbed “The MLB Little League Classic,” The Pirates-Cardinals game was introduced to celebrate youth baseball during the 2017 Little League World Series. The game aired nationally on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” and ESPN Radio. To start the day, Major Leaguers attended Little League World Series games at Howard J. Lamade Stadium. The day-long baseball celebration culminated with MLB hosting Little Leaguers and their families at the Pirates-Cardinals game. Bowman Field had a major makeover in preparation for the game. A new deck, named Logger’s Landing, was added down the first base line and new seats were added on the grandstand’s two levels. Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program awarded $1.25 million toward the project in November 2016. Major League Baseball made a significant investment, too. “The only thing better than this Major-League game are the dozens of Little League World Series games being playing in Williamsport over the next two weeks,” Gov. Wolf said. “The MLB game was a perfect kick-off for the 2017 Little League World Series. I wish all of the teams here in Williamsport a lot of spirited competition and the best of luck.”
WOLF AND THE BUDGET
Governor Wolf:(Photo: Philly.com)
If anyone wants to blame Governor Tom Wolf for this budget problem……I have a one word answer: DON’T. 1. The Governor never signed the Budget. 2. The REPUBLICAN party that controls both the House and the Senate could not come to an agreement. So what’s a Governor to do? If the party in power can’t decide, why the hell should he? The Governor said that he favors the Senate version because it causes less damage but why aren’t these over paid Legislative titans DOING THEIR JOB? 3. We are now going into September and the Wolf administration might have to pick and choose the bills they can and cannot pay. That’s not on him but the constipated State Legislature.
CARTWRIGHT EVENT
You’re Invited!
to the
6th Annual Cartwright for Congress
Summer Picnic
Saturday, September 9, 2017
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
$25 a ticket
Mercatili-Segilia Park
4046 Birney Avenue
Moosic, PA 18507
Join U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright for a day filled with great food, live music and good company! For more information you can call 570-793-1296 or email paul@cartwrightcongress.com
You may return your contributions to the following address:
Cartwright for Congress
PO Box 414
Scranton, PA 18501
Checks should be made payable to: Cartwright for Congress
Contributions to Cartwright for Congress are not tax deductible. Federal law requires Cartwright for Congress to use best efforts to report name, address, employer, and occupation of all individuals who contribute over $200 per election cycle. Contributions can be accepted from an individual totaling up to $2,700 per election cycle and $5,400 per election cycle. Federal law prohibits contributions to the campaign from corporation, labor organizations, national banks, from any person contributing another person’s funds, from foreign nationals who lack permanent resident status, and from federalgovernment contractors.
MEDIA MATTERS
WALN TV
BOLD BOLD COMMUNITY FORUM
This week's guests are Lisa Durkin and Tammy Marcinkevich from United Neighborhood Centers' food pantry. 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 local organ donation advocate Tony Harding about the need for organ donors, and about his personal experience of being an organ recipient.
Magic 93's Frankie in the Morning speaks with Dolly Woody and Jill Eidenberg about the annual Race for the Cure, coming up on Saturday September 16th in downtown Scranton.
And an encore of Brian's interview with John Kotula and Kerry Kearney about the Jamie Kotula Foundation Soccer Tournament, coming up next weekend at Marywood University.
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 LIVE
ECTV Live hosts Fusty Fender, David DeCosmo, and Director Mark Migilore welcome Chris DiMattio to the program during the week of August 28th to unveil plans for La Festa Italiana in Scranton over Labor Day Weekend!
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
SUNDAY NIGHTS!!!!
1977
Our 1977 logo.
Voyager program: The United States launches the Voyager 2 spacecraft...The National Assembly of Quebec passes the Charter of the French Language (Law 101, La charte de la langue française) making French the official language of the Canadian province of Quebec……Governor Shapp denies the fact that his Justice Department might be under investigation……in Luzerne County the political campaign kicks off with light races for county wide races and forty years ago the number one song in LuLac land and America was “You & Me” by Alice Cooper.
Mrs. FB caught the headline the other day in the Letters to The Editor section of the Citizen’s Voice. The headline which you will see in this edition was something I have been thinking about for a while. It turns out that the article was written by our good friend Bob Caruso. He asks the pointed question if the local Republican party in Luzerne County will own up to Trump or in the case of his siding with white supremacists, will they defend him. It is interesting because GOP events that are public have included members of the party leadership team but we’ve seen hide nor hare of Congressman Barletta, Marino or Puny Pat Toomey. The local GOP has done NOTHING to capitalize on the win of Mr. Trump. Maybe because they can't. The largest GOP gathering was a type of fundraiser and testimonial for two party committee people of the Back Mountain. Other GOP candidates will have events and will be attended by the faithful but the events organized by the local party have fallen flat. Now the local GOP Vice Chair is on FB every other day defending Trump and interestingly enough the only comments she gets are from me calling her out. But is there anyone in the local GOP who will step away from the Kool Aid and disengage from Trump's behavior? Trump carried the state by 44,000 votes. Luzerne County made up 26,000 of those votes. Essentially Luzerne County gave the state to Trump. Now some came from ingrate Democrats (one a contemporary of Mr. Caruso when he was on the State Committee) but the GOP pulled him through. Could the silence be guilt? Shame? Or "Holy Crap, is this what I bargained for?" Here are Caruso’s thoughts.
Where is the local GOP outcry on Trump actions?
Editor: I, like many others, are interested in knowing why local Republican public officials are silent in their condemnations of Trump’s reprehensible statements, and his continuing cowardice in his inability to condemn both Valdimir Putin, our country’s most dangerous enemy, and his white supremacist supporters. We have been in a dangerous death spiral recently starting with that disgusting performance where he attempted to poison the minds of 30,000 Boy Scouts by attacking democracy and government in the worst speech that I have ever heard in my life. Trump’s advocating police brutality, speaking to Long Island police officers. Trump’s crazy statements encouraging North Korea to test his red line ultimatum. Trump has clearly demonstrated that he is unaware of “The Guns Of August.” Is this death spiral America’s or Trump’s? I have not heard or read any criticism by local Republican public officials of Trump’s misogyny; insults to Megyn Kelly and that filthy Access Hollywood episode where he advocated sexual assault, intolerance; hatred of Muslims, immigrants, and minorities; embracing science denial, “I love the under educated,” “climate change is a hoax,” and opposed to supporting women’s health care issues, and his contempt to tax payers by his own tax evasions and non-disclosures. The absolute nadir was his refusal to condemn his white supremacist supporters in Charlottesville. He claims “... many sides, many sides.” It was his side that had right-wing nuts with automatic weapons and full body armor, chanting anti-semetic and racist slogans in their Nazi-like torchlight parade, intimidating peaceful Americans meeting in a church. Trump is eager to attack Attorney Gen. Sessions and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell but not the neo-ConfedeRATS, the Klu Klux Klowns, and the neopanzies. The United States of America lost 407,000 brave heroes defeating the Nazis and their allies, and 364,000 brave heroes defeating the traitors of the Confederacy. Our enemies are reborn and Trump embraces them. Since 9/11, domestic right-wing terrorists have killed many more Americans than foreign terrorists. Congressman Barletta, Sen. Baker, Rep. Tohill, Rep. Bobeck, and Rep. Kaufer, I know some of you well. I know you to be good people. Where do you stand? Is it America first or Trump first? Is it the great party of Lincoln or the cult of personality party of Trump? I offer high praise to our American hero, Sen. John McCain, for putting America first. Isn’t it disgusting that everybody, regardless of party, loves and respects Sen. McCain, except Trump. Bob Caruso WILKES-BARRE TWP.
Republican candidate arc Dixon will have an event Thursday evening August 24th from 6 to 9PM at the Cafe, An American Bistro on Route 315 in Wilkes Barre. Time 6pm to 9, suggested donation $25.00.
COMININSKY FOR COUNTY COUNCIL
Please join us for an old fashioned cook out and meet Wendy Cominsky and help us support her run for Luzerne County Council.
6-8pm West Side Playground Association 389 West Grand Street, Nanticoke, Pa Music by 20 lb Head! Activities for the kids! Burgers, Hot Dogs, Beers and Soda included! $20 Donation for Adults, Kids are free! You can reserve a spot through paypal or purchase from the committee.
CARTWRIGHT FOR CONGRESS
This is the Congressman's 6th annual picnic. Come and meet and greet the only sane Congressman we have in this section of the state. You'll see regular folks who have been with Matt for years, the members of the political class and maybe some ingrates who turned on their roots and party by voting for Trump last year. Ticket is $25.00. Bring a friend, buy two, the REPUBLICAN LIE MACHINE is gearing up to smear this good man. They got nothing but to some voters that doesn't matter.
MATT VOUGH EVENT
Meet Matt Vough on Wednesday Sept 13th at the Red Mill. This is a great place that recently hosted my high school class reunion. Cost is $25.00 and the event goes from 7 to 9pm.
LUZERNE COUNTY GOP HOLDS SUMMER PICNIC
The GOP of Luzerne County broke bread this past Saturday in Pittston Township. A good time was had by all. The GOP Chair even invited me but I had Knights of Columbus Tomato Festival activities in the morning and then a Class Reunion later on. Here's a photo from their FB page.
Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the beaning of Red Sox star Tony Conigliaro. As a baseball fan in 1967, the beaning of Tony Conigliaro was stunning. I had heard about Ray Chapman of The Indians getting killed by a pitched ball but that was in 1920. To a 13 year old that was light years away. When my friends had heard about the way Tony C went down, we had no idea how bad this was. It gave us pause and even at that young age we reflected on how sports can be a fragile undertaking.
AUGUST 18, 1967: TONY CONIGLIARO'S CAREER, AND LIFE, THREATENED BY BEANING
by David Mendonca
The sickening sound—a sharp crack—could be heard above the din of the 31,027 fans who filled Fenway Park that Friday night. On August 18, 1967, in the midst of what would become to be known as the Boston Red Sox’ “Impossible Dream” year, a brilliant career was derailed and a life nearly taken when favorite son Tony Conigliaro was unable to escape a wayward fastball thrown by the California Angels’ Jack Hamilton. The Red Sox, who had not won an American League pennant since 1946, entered that night in fourth place, but just 3½ games behind the first-place Minnesota Twins. Hamilton, the Angels’ starter, was a hard-throwing right-hander who had beaten the Red Sox 2-1 in Anaheim the weekend before, outdueling Boston righty Gary Bell, who was again his opposite number in this game. After Bell set the Angels down in order in the top of the first, Hamilton, who entered the game with an 8-2 record and a 2.77 earned-run average, walked Boston leadoff batter Mike Andrews but retired the next three batters in order—including a strikeout of Carl Yastrzemski, who would win the American League Triple Crown that year. In the bottom of the second the Red Sox got their first hit off Hamilton, a one-out single to center by Conigliaro, who had been mired in a 1-for-23 slump that had dropped his batting average from .302 to .284. It was only his second career hit off Hamilton in eight at-bats.Nothing came of the hit, and the two pitchers continued to put up zeroes. George Scott opened the Boston half of the fourth with a single to center, but was gunned down trying to stretch it into a double. Reggie Smith followed with a fly out. That’s when Conigliaro stepped into the batter’s box for the second time that nightand the last time for more than a year. Conigliaro was just 22 years old but had already hit 104 big-league home runs; on July 23 he had become the youngest American Leaguerat 22 years, 197 days,to reach 100 round-trippers when he homered off Cleveland’s John O’Donoghue. Two years earlier, at 20, he was the youngest player to lead the AL in homers for a season, belting 32. And the season before that, at 19, he had set a record for teenagers with 24 circuit blasts, a mark that still stood at this writing in 2016. As much as those of any player who had not yet turned 23, Conigliaro’s achievements seemed to portend even greater things to come. But all of his potential for greatness was lost in the blink of an eye. Before Hamilton could pitch to Conigliaro, someone in the stands hurled a smoke bomb onto the field, and the resulting cloud of black smoke delayed the game for nearly 10 minutes.1When play resumed, a thought briefly crossed Conigliaro’s mind. “Just before he made his first pitch,” Conigliaro recalled years later, “I wondered if the delay had caused his arm to stiffen. It was the last thought I had before he hit me.” Hamilton, who had a reputation for doctoring the ball,3 fired a fastball that suddenly started to break toward Conigliaro’s head. “The ball came sailing right toward my chin,” said Conigliaro. “Normally a hitter can jerk his head back a fraction and the ball will buzz by. But this pitch seemed to follow me in. I know I didn’t freeze. I definitely made a move to get out of the way of the ball.” To no avail. The ball smashed into Conigliaro’s left cheekbone, dislocating his jaw and damaging the retina in his left eye. “When the ball was about four feet from my head I knew it would get me. And I knew it would hurt because Hamilton was such a hard thrower,” Conigliaro said. “I was frightened. I threw my hands up in front of my face and saw the ball follow me back and hit me square in the left side of the head. As soon as it crushed into me, it felt as if the ball would go in one side of my head and come out the other; my legs gave way and I went down like a sack of potatoes. Just before everything went dark I saw the ball bounce straight down on home plate. It was the last thing I saw for several days.” “If it had been two inches higher, he would have been dead,” said the Red Sox team physician, Thomas Tierney. “I’ve not hit anyone all year,” said Hamilton after the game. “I certainly wasn’t throwing (at him). I was trying to get the ball over.” “The sound that it made, when it hit him, it was a pretty distinct sound that you don’t hear very often, but when you hear it, you know that it’s serious,” said Red Sox pitcher Jim Lonborg.8 “I remember the hush,” Boston Globe sportswriter Bob Ryan wrote years later. “The sound of silence from 31,027 people is an eerie sensation.” Present in the crowd that night were Conigliaro’s mother, father, and brothers Billy and Richie. “The ball crashed into the side of his face with a sharp crack that I swear could have been heard clearly all over that noisy ballpark,” Red Sox shortstop Rico Petrocelli remembered. “It sounded like the ball hit his helmet, so my immediate reaction was relief that the ball had struck plastic instead of flesh. But the sound was probably his cheekbone breaking.” “I was never knocked out but I wish I had been,” said Conigliaro. “I rolled on the ground trying to stop the pain in my head with my hands. The impact of the ball made both my eyes slam shut and I felt a tremendous swelling in my mouth. I couldn’t see. I remember thinking, ‘I’m blind, I can’t see.’ Then I heard Rico Petrocelli’s voice saying, ‘Take it easy, Tony. You’re gonna be all right.’” “The swelling was so bad inside my mouth that I was worried about breathing,” Conigliaro recalled. “My mouth was filling up fast with fluid—I thought it was blood but it wasn’t. I had only a small opening that I could breathe through, and then the thought started running through my mind: Suppose this thing closes up? I won’t be able to breathe. I thought, ‘Oh, Jesus, if this thing closes up on me I’m gone.’ That’s when I asked God to keep me alive.” Conigliaro was lifted onto a stretcher by teammates Lonborg, Joe Foy, and Mike Ryan and taken into the locker room, where Dr. Tierney began to attend to him.“It hurts like hell,” Conigliaro told Tierney. “I heard a hissing sound, and that was all.” An ambulance took Conigliaro to Sancta Maria Hospital in Cambridge. His season was over. At Fenway Park, the game resumed with outfielder Jose Tartabull pinch-running for Conigliaro. Petrocelli drilled a triple to center off the rattled Hamilton, driving in Tartabull with the first run of the game and scoring himself when Angels’ shortstop Jim Fregosi threw wild on the relay to third. In the sixth Boston expanded its lead to 3-0 when Bill Kelso, who had relieved Hamilton, walked Tartabull and Petrocelli and gave up a run-scoring single to Bell. Jimmie Hall hit solo home runs in the seventh and ninth for California. But Bell finished off a strong complete-game effort by retiring Don Mincher on a liner back to the mound for the final out. The Red Sox right-hander, who had been acquired from the Cleveland Indians in a trade on June 4, ended the game with a four-hitter for his eighth win of the season in 18 decisions, the victory moving Boston to within three games of first place. Hamilton took the loss, slipping to 8-3. The Aftermath Conigliaro was never again the same player. Nor, for that matter, was Hamilton. Conigliaro, who had earned his first American League All-Star selection that season, missed the remainder of the 1967 season as the Red Sox, led by Yastrzemski, won their first pennant since 1946 and came within one game of their first World Series title since 1918. He missed the 1968 season as well, but made a miraculous recovery at the age of 24 and was the American League Comeback Player of the Year14 in 1969 when he batted .255 with 20 home runs and 82 RBIs. A year later, when he was still only 25, Conigliaro had career highs of 36 home runs and 116 RBIs. In 1971, after he had been traded to California,Conigliaro’s eyesight suddenly deteriorated and he was forced to retire at the age of 26. He made a brief comeback attempt in 1975 as a 30-year-old designated hitter with the Red Sox, but retired again after just 21 games while hitting .123 with 2 homers. Conigliaro had 166 career home runs, 516 RBIs, and a .264 batting average. On January 9, 1982, Conigliaro suffered a heart attack, then a stroke that left him in a coma. He died on February 24, 1990, at the age of 45. Jack Hamilton pitched in 61 more gamesduring the remainder of his major-league career, which ended in 1969, and never hit another batter. In eight seasons he hit just 13 batters. In 1968 with the Angels and 1969 with the Indians and White Sox, Hamilton was 3-6 withan ERA that exceeded his 4.53 career mark. “I think [hitting Conigliaro] did have a lasting effect on him,” said catcher Buck Rodgers, who was Hamilton’s batterymate that night in Boston. “Jack Hamilton had to pitch inside, and after that he never would come inside hard anymore.” For the rest of the 1967 season the Red Sox used four right fielders in Conigliaro’s absence— Jose Tartabull, George Thomas, Jim Landis, and Ken Harrelson. Collectively they hit .197 in 178 at-bats, with 4 homers and 17 RBIs. In the World Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, Landis was gone from the roster and Harrelson, Tartabull, and Thomas were ineffective at the plate, leaving Red Sox fans to forever wonder what might have been but for Jack Hamilton’s errant fastball on August 18, 1967.
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".
