The LuLac Edition #4,153, October 31st, 2019

NAACP FREEDOM FUND BANQUET DRAWS BIG CROWD

Over 180 people attended the NAACP Wilkes-Barre branch’s Freedom Fund Banquet. The event was well attended by the community, the Judiciary of Luzerne County, Law Enforcement and Education Leaders.
Highlights of the evening were the presentation of the President’s Award to long time Secretary Toni Mathis and Treasurer and former President Larry Singleton.
Charlotte Ledbetter of Scranton received the Diversity Leadership Award and was thrilled to speak to the crowd. All three recipients were both gracious and inspiring in their remarks.
The Keynote Speaker Brandon Flood told his tale of redemption from a life of crime to being the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons. Flood’s speech was a roadmap for anyone, despite their environmental situation on how to persevere and succeed.
First Vice President David Yonki urged common sense and civility in dealing with the political climate.
Banquet Chairperson Peggy Felton gave remarks as well as Youth Leaders, Jimel Calliste First Vi e President from the NAACP State Conference of Youth and College, and Latisha Jenkins from the NAACP Wilkes Barre Youth Council  #28AM. 

Morris Jackson from Prudential Insurance gave the audience a preview of the four seminars on financial wellness coming up in 2019 and 2020. 
Ron Felton gave a rousing call to action at the end of the program. Reverend Shawn Walker gave the Invocation and Benediction.
The Toast Master was Tonyehn Verkitus and music was by Moodswing.
Here are the links from the newspapers that covered the event.

https://www.timesleader.com/news/760011/naacp-keynote-speaker-highlights-importance-of-pardon-system#
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/state-s-pardons-chief-shares-his-redemption-story-at-naacp-banquet-1.2550877

Here is Diversity Leadership Award Winner Charlotte Ledbetyter at te podium thanking the NAACP branch for her recognition. (Photo: Joe Milcavge) 

 Here we see Brandon J. Flood from the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons giving the keynote speech. (Photo: Joe Milcavage) 

From left right, your blog editor,  NAACP Secretary Flora Jenkins, Peg Felton Ron Felton President, Brandon J. Flood, Keynote speaker, Melissa Rivers Third Vice President and Dr. Rhonda Rabbitt, Executive Committee member. (Photo: Joe Milcavage)

 First Vice President David Yonki, Morrss Jackson from Prudential and President Ronald Felton at the dinner. (Photo: Joe Milcavage) 


  LINK TO THE EVENT

Here’s the You Tube link to see the entire dinner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE8qXY0XS7M&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0b_7pyNl5efFNhEMYl-eWe_2XT8NBrwGfK8XkXfU4cmRHLy8zFkR_X8mk

LUZERNE COUNTY DEMOCRATS OUT TO ELECT ALL COUNCIL CANDIDATES

The Luzerne County Democrats are really fired up and want to elect their entire team of Democrats to the Luzerne County Council. Joe Sebastenelli, Pat Bilbow, Jane Waitjkus, Bob Snee, Tim McGinley as well as newcomer Anup Patel are waging an effort to win all those seats. Wednesday night over 150 people attended a big event at The Amber Palace in Parson to show their support. No less a figure than State Senator John Yudichak was on hand to cheer on the Dems.

 

Here’s our friend Ben Hoon (center) with Cameron Edward and Mr. Patel.

Then these three guys, P.J. Biscontini, fellow Knights of Columbus member Steve McGough and the ubiquitous Tim McGinley are seen here at the event.

CASEY, SENATE DEMOCRATS URGE CMS TO INCREASE CHILDHOOD LEAD SCREENINGS

SENATORS DEMAND CMS ADDRESS GAPS IN KEY DATA USED TO INFORM PREVENTION

U.S.Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

Following National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week last week, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined a group of Democrats in urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to do more to address prevention, screening and treatment of children affected by lead exposure. In a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma, Casey and his colleagues demanded an update on the steps CMS will take to address demonstrated gaps in data pertaining to blood lead level screenings and urged CMS to renew its commitment to ensuring appropriate lead screening for children at risk of lead exposure.

Right now, federal law requires blood lead screening “as appropriate for age and risk factors” for all children enrolled in Medicaid, including lead screenings at 12 months and 24 months of age. However, because the data is incomplete, CMS is impeding its own ability to address lead poisoning prevention. Lead exposure can lead to serious health consequences, including a lifetime of disease and behavioral challenges. Even as rates of lead poisoning are falling nationwide, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that children in at least four million households across the United States are currently exposed to high levels of lead – whether from paint, contaminated soil, water, toys or other household items.
“Childhood lead exposure remains a serious public health challenge for communities across the country. With Medicaid serving as an essential health coverage source for the nation’s children, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plays a critical role in the prevention, screening, and treatment of children affected by lead exposure. Accordingly, as we enter National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, we write to receive an update on the steps CMS is taking to address demonstrated gaps in data pertaining to blood lead level screenings and urge CMS to renew its commitment to ensuring appropriate lead screening for children at risk of lead exposure,” the Senators wrote.
Under the Obama Administration in 2016, CMS took a number of actions aimed at improving blood lead screening and testing for Medicaid-eligible children, including the collection of data to try and help ensure the delivery of blood lead screening. However, data on statutorily mandated blood lead screenings remains incomplete. As a result, it is unclear how many children at risk of lead exposure are actually receiving required and needed blood lead screenings in accordance with federal requirements and CMS policy.
The Senators are asking Administrator Verma to do more to increase screening rates, emphasize prevention, and facilitate early intervention.
The letter was signed by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Angus King (I-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

This week's guests will be Meghan Loftus and Linda Robeson from Friends of the Poor in Scranton.
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.

ECTV LIVE

ECTV Live host David DeCosmo welcomes Michele Wheeler to the program during the week of November 4th. Michelle represents the Lackawanna College Environmental Center which will be holding an Open House to highlight some of the special training programs available at this rural campus. ECTV Live is seen on Comcast Channel 19 and is also available on the electric city television YouTube Page!
ECTV Live is seen 3 times daily on Comcast channel 19 and is shared on the electric city television YouTube page or viewing on your laptop or tablet.

BUDDY RUMCHEK

Want to hear some great parodies on the news? Tune in to WILK Radio at 6:20 and 8:20 AM on Mondays. As Ralph Cramden used to say, “It’s a laugh riot!”

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP

SUNDAY NIGHTS!

1969

Our 1969 logo.

U.S. President Richard Nixon addressed the nation on television and radio at 9:30 p.m., Washington time, to announce his plans to American involvement in the Vietnam War. Nixon gave his reasons for rejecting immediately removing all troops, framing that option as the "first defeat in our Nation's history" that "would result in a collapse of confidence in American leadership, not only in Asia but throughout the world." Nixon instead reiterated his plan for Vietnamization, "the complete withdrawal of all U.S. combat ground forces, and their replacement by South Vietnamese forces on an orderly scheduled timetable" but added that he did not intend to announce details of the timetable. In closing, he described the people who would support his plan for a drawdown as "the great silent majority of my fellow Americans", in contrast to a "vocal minority" of protesters which, if their will prevailed "over reason and the will of the majority", would mean that the United States would have "no future as a free society…..

The era of transatlantic ocean voyages by ship came to an end as the luxury liner SS United States docked at the New York harbor after its final tour of Europe. The empty liner then moved into drydock, arriving at Norfolk, Virginia, on November 7, ostensibly in preparation for its next scheduled voyage on December 19. A week later, United States Lines announced the cancellation of its three scheduled trips because of increasing financial losses…At least 65 gold miners near Klerksdorp, South Africa, were killed by an underground dynamite explosion at the Buffelsfontein mine [10]. The blast happened a few minutes before their shift had been scheduled to end, and about half an hour after their employer had lowered 11 cases of dynamite into the mine shaft where they were working. Most of the dead were black Africans from the neighboring kingdom of Lesotho……in Scranton Eugene Peters defeats incumbent Mayor James walsh to become the city of Scranon’s Mayor and fifty years ago this week the number one song in America and LuLac land was “Baby It's You" by  Smith.