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.
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
The LuLac Edition #4,339, June 30th, 2020
MAYBE I'M AMAZED
Our :"Maybe I'm Amazed" logo.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…….that the White House briefings started up again after two months. Of course the President was nowhere to be seen and the health professionals warned of a major spike if states and individual did not do what is safe. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…….that wild camels once roamed Arizona’s deserts. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that President Donald Trump on Sunday denied that he had been briefed on reported U.S. intelligence that a Russian military intelligence unit secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing American troops in Afghanistan, and he appeared to minimize the allegations against Moscow. If he was or didn’t see it, he's a lazy pig. If he wasn’t, where the hell was his staff? The bottom line is that Russia is conducting a war on us. This guy who says he loves veterans is having people put a bounty on them! MAYBE I’M AMAZED……the Inca built one of the greatest civilizations and empires in South America but had no concept of money. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…at the continuing ignorance spewing forth on local talk radio. This time, the medical experts were throwing shit about wearing masks saying it made no difference and that this was one big hoax. A clown called Patrick from Wilkes-Barre and a “nurse” Barbara from Kingston readily showed why we still have a long way to go in terms of exhibiting any hint of intelligent like. Kudos to host Nancy Kman for shutting down these losers. MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that American intelligence officials concluded months ago that Russian officials offered rewards for successful attacks on American service-members last year, at a time when the U.S. and Taliban were holding talks to end the long-running war, according to The New York Times. What did old Diaper Don say about this? He called it “fake news”. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…….that a dragonfly has 6 legs but cannot walk. MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that it appears that the NFL may be the last sport to get organized. It is after all a contact sport and the challenges are daunting. MAYBE I’M AMAZED….that in the 1960s the United States government tried to turn a cat into a spy. It wasn’t this guy though.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that the calls for the impeachment of Governor Tom Wolf has subsided now that every county is pretty much in the green. Let’s hope people are smart and stay in it.
Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Negro Leagues. Earlier today, former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter are lending their voices to an important baseball milestone: the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Negro Leagues. The four ex-presidents kicked off the “Tip Your Cap” campaign on Monday, which asks baseball fans to take a photo or short video of themselves tipping their caps in honor of the talented players and civil rights heroes of the Negro Leagues. The Negro Leagues were formed in response to the exclusion of Black players in Major League Baseball. Multiple Black amateur and professional teams had been formed before 1920, but that’s the year the Negro National League formed and began play. A number of baseball’s greatest stars came through the Negro Leagues before making it to Major League Baseball — or before MLB would allow them in. Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Roy Campanella, and Satchel Page all played in the Negro Leagues. The “Tip Your Cap” campaign is being directed by Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. Numerous in-person celebrations had been planned to commemorate the anniversary of the Negro Leagues, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the museum to find a virtual way for people to celebrate such an important baseball anniversary. The campaign is already picking up steam. Michael Jordan, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker, retired four-star general and first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell, women’s sports pioneer Billie Jean King, and broadcaster Bob Costas have all tipped their caps in tribute of the Negro Leagues.
David DeCosmo on ECTV set and the familiar face and voice news consumers have seen and heard for 61 years. (Photo: DeCosmo archives)
Broadcast legend (yes he's blushing as he reads this) has hung up his microphone and camera again. This time it might be for keeps. David DeCosmo, a fixture in broadcasting, has never rested on his laurels. An award winner many times over, DeCosmo was the host of ECTV's recently rebranded "Preview" program. We asked him about his decision but first wanted to know how the show originated.
1. David, how did this Public Affairs show come about? After leaving WYOU/WBRE in 2009 I teamed with former colleague Mark Monahan to shoot a series I called "People, Places, and Things" highlighting area people and, in a few cases, local industry. I was delivering one of those programs to the ECTV studio when I noticed the large window overlooking Wyoming Avenue and watching the people walking by. I told the station Director, Mark Migilore, it looked like the set of the "Today" show on NBC and suggested it would be great to do a show with that background. Mark said "Come up with a show and we'll do it." I enlisted the aid of Judge Tom Munley to do a weekly Live program about upcoming public events. Tom hosted it while I co-hosted and produced it. Our one Live show was also recorded and aired three times daily on ECTV. Eventually Judge Munley left and I took over the main host chair with help from a number of co-hosts. They included Paula Deignan, Barry Finn, Derry Bird, Frank Andrews, and Rusty Fender. Since most broadcasts were shown as recordings I changed the name of the program from ECTV Live to Preview earlier this year.
2. What was your most memorable show?
One of my most recent guests. George Horwatt, presented a strong case for the actual location of Camelot, supported by extensive documentation and some photographs. His story suggests that modern day politics is not limited to the United States and is the reason the amazing story is not being told to the world!
3. You top 5 favorite guests and exclude my appearance please.
Given that we've done some 3600 plus programs since 2010 that's a real tough one. Two that made a very big impression were historian Robert Wolensky and producer Albert Brocca who,along with Brocca's cousin David, produced a wonderful documentary on the Knox Mine Disaster. George Horwatt's research on the real King Authur and Camelot, if even half accurate, amounted to a breaking news story with international interest. But "regulars" such as Jamie Hailstone on Scranton's Saint Patrick's Day Parade, Chris DiMattio on the Italian Festival,Tom Fritz on the Santa Parade, and Joann Arduino on the annual free Nut Cracker Ballet were welcome guests who provided the audience with current information on those events which brought thousands to the Electric City! But to paraphrase Will Rogers, I never met a guest I didn't like. 4. After having a broadcast audience with network affiliates, and doing this very local show, was that any easier or just as challenging at times?
The interview part of the program was usually easier because I had a half hour to work with. Additionally, the program was not usually "hard news" in nature but, rather, an "informational " presentation about the event or service we were featuring. The production aspect was often harder because I had to handle everything myself and try to keep it very current. There was also, generally, no hard and fast time considerations such as those faces by local news outlets so that aspect was easier. If is ironic, as I look back, to realize the half hour program, aired three times a day every week day, had me "on the air" more than ever!
5. Tell me the difference in staffing and production?
Other that the co-hosts I've identified, the staff has consisted of Mark Migilore who photographed most of the editions and Chris Bolton who is operating the new ECTV studios in Scranton. I have produced all of the programs. That involves selecting a subject, a guest, and arranging a time when all of those can get together ahead, of course of the event or service we're promoting.
6. Why the decision now to say goodbye?
There are several factors. The most pressing has been the production of weekly programs during the virus pandemic. Remember, the show was designed to promote upcoming events and services. Most events have been cancelled since March. And the stay at home advisory found me producing, shooting, and editing the show myself from home. That generally tied up the better part of a day and I've been a volunteer at this effort from the beginning. I've also recently converted my daily blog (posted on Facebook) to a video format much like the old Paul Harvey offerings on radio or those of the late Andy Rooney on television. The response has been great with one recent blog receiving over 1500 views in a day. I still write a bimonthly Grandparents column for a Scranton Times insert, watch a pre school grandchild part of two days each week and serve as an escort with my wife for Travelworld once touring resumes. Chris Fetchko is giving me my second movie role for his new production with filming to begin asap, and lastly, I'll be 78 in September, am now in my 61st year in broadcasting and doing a weekly show just isn't fun anymore. You know the old baseball quote "When the game isn't fun anymore it's time to quit." Which reminds me, I haven't pitched for about 8 years now! 7. What do you say to the people who tell you "you'll be back? Well I'm told Chris Bolton is already working on a "Man on the street" idea, and I've already told a couple of my regular guests I'll make myself available for any special that might help their cause. So I suspect I'd have to say they're probably right. But NOT on a weekly basis!
WHITE HOUSE ORDERED NIH TO CANCEL CORONAVIRUS RESEARCH FUNDING, FAUCI SAYS
THE RESEARCH WAS THE TARGET OF A CONSPIRACY THEORY ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE NEW CORONAVIRUS.
The scientific community believes that the coronavirus causing COVID-19 jumped from bats to humans likely in Wuhan where the COVID-19 pandemic began. There are now allegations that the current crisis was precipitated by the release from Wuhan Institute of Virology of the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. Given these concerns, we are pursuing suspension of Wuhan Institute of Virology from participation in federal programs. The funding was terminated on April 24. In a termination letter to EcoHealth, the NIH wrote: “At this time, NIH does not believe that the current project outcomes align with the program goals and agency priorities.” Following Dr. Fauci’s revelations Tuesday, EcoHealth President Peter Daszak tweeted that it was an “obvious case of political interference.” “Eventually, we’ll all how the shoddy truth of how a conspiracy theory pushed by this administration led @NIHDirector to block the only US research group still working in China to analyze COVID origins,” he wrote. “Thanks to this China can now do the research, we can’t!” Scientists, meanwhile, have roundly refuted claims that the WIV was the source of the new coronavirus, noting that natural spillover from animals is the most likely source. In an April 18 comment to ScienceInsider, the WIV virologist working with EcoHealth—Shi Zhengli—also disputed the link, saying that “the closest progenitor of COVID-19 virus is still mysterious and it’s definitely not from my lab or any other labs... It’s a shame to make the science so complicated.” Scientists also continue to express dismay at the apparent political interference. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) released a statement Wednesday saying that such orders to cancel funding “will undermine the integrity of science funding and public trust. We urge Congress to use its oversight authority to ensure that the integrity of government science agencies is not compromised.”
TIS THE LAW
The Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets kicked off the 2020 Triple Crown June 20 at the shortened distance of 1 1/8 miles, and Tiz the Law delivered a dominant victory in New York. The late Bruce Phillips was part of the ownership team. Here's an earlier recap of this very special horse owned by a special member of our community.
LOCAL GOP YOUNG REPUBLICANS GATHER
(Photo: Eryn Harvey Facebook page)
The Luzerne County young Republicans are ramping up its support for the President. There is headquarters set up on Public Square and a crew of dedicated volunteers are eagerly working for Mr. Trump. Left front row: Andrea Raffle, Haley Haddle, Kendra Radle, Congressman Dan Meuser, Eryn Harvey Left second row: John Lombardo, Brandon Pernot, Alec Ryncavage
L.A. TARONE GONE @ 3
Three years ago today we lost our buddy L.A. Tarone. With the virus kicking up again, Judge Conahan being released on a furlough this week, Biden in the basement, Trump on stage....baseball back for 60 games, Andrew freakin' Jackson in D.C., I can only imagine the intellectual outrage that we all miss by his absence.
CARTWRIGHT ANNOUNCES OVER $6 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE WRIGHT CENTER
Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)
U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced that The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education received $6,054,730 from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Payment Program. “The Wright Center has a long history of training doctors and meeting the health care needs of our vulnerable citizens,” said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Now more than ever, we need strong community partners like them to have what they need so they can continue offering accessible, affordable and quality medical care provided by a well-trained, compassionate work force. When we invest in high-quality education for physicians, and when we work to expand access to health care, we all benefit.” While many medical residency programs base training in hospitals, the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program trains residents in community-based primary care settings. For the 2018-2019 academic year, the THCGME program supported 728 residents in 56 primary care residency programs in 23 states. The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education has been at the forefront of community-based graduate medical education for over forty years, proudly educating over 800 physicians. “The Wright Center remains a grateful steward of mission-critical funding bestowed by the HRSA and shepherded home to Northeastern Pennsylvania by Congressman Cartwright,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, President of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education and CEO of The Wright Center for Community Health. “We are very grateful to HRSA and thank Congressman Cartwright for his past and future support of the Teaching Health Center legislation that enables us to train the next generation of physicians while providing comprehensive primary care services to our region’s most vulnerable populations.” HRSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides health care to people who are geographically isolated, and/or economically or medically vulnerable. The Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Payment Program is a multi-year grant program that provides funds to support the teaching of residents in community-based primary care centers, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
SENATOR BOB CASEY CALLS FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNIZE JUNETEENTH AS A HOLIDAY
Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)
U.S. Senator Bob Casey released a statement calling for the federal government to recognize Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in America, as a national holiday. In his statement, Sen. Casey says: On Juneteenth, we commemorate President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on the day—June 19, 1865—when news of emancipation reached people in the deepest parts of the former Confederacy in Galveston, Texas. This day came two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, a gap which represents a delay in justice that persists to this day. Slavery was officially abolished across the Nation several months later in December of 1865 with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment. Juneteenth is a celebration and an inspiration for this generation and future generations to come. It is a day to celebrate Black culture and history across our Commonwealth and our Nation. And it is a day for allies like myself to pledge to lift up Black Americans year-round. As we celebrate Juneteenth in the midst of cries for justice, we are called to listen, learn and take action to create change. It is not enough to recognize one important date in history. Once we spend this day in reflection and celebration, we must act. We must propel our Nation forward toward progress. I’m proud that Pennsylvania is one of 47 states which recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday, and I believe our Nation should recognize this important day in American history as a federal holiday. But commemorating Juneteenth is not a substitute for taking decisive action to protect the lives of Black Americans. Recent events in our Nation highlight that we have yet to overcome all the vestiges of slavery. Black Americans continue to be disproportionate victims of hate crimes and police brutality, and the recent murders of George Floyd and others underscore the inadequacy of passivity and the cruel impact that slavery, and much of its aftermath, has had on our country and its citizenry. Though Juneteenth celebrations may look different this year, the significance of the day is not diminished. Let us celebrate and elevate our Black communities, and let us use this day to reflect on the work that remains to conquer racism in America. We cannot accept a system—informed by centuries-old prejudices and racial bias—that turns a blind eye to injustice and disregards the value of Black life. It is past time for our federal government to formally recognize the day when Major General Gordon Granger proclaimed that Americans who had been enslaved in the Confederacy were now emancipated. June 19, 1865 was the dawn of a new era, a jubilant day which has come to represent the strength and resilience of Black Americans. 155 years later, I see this strength and resilience in Black Pennsylvanians. And on this Juneteenth, I am thinking critically about the ways our government has failed Black communities since that fateful day in Galveston, when those who were enslaved were promised freedom and equality. Now, we must not only strive toward better, fairer policies, but we must work every day to pass them into law. Our entire Nation will be stronger for it. This Juneteenth, and every day, Black Lives Matter.
MEDIA MATTERS
WALN TV
BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM
This week's guest will be Bob Durkin, President/CEO of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on The Mothership 1340/1400 am, 100.7 and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on The River 105 and 103.5.
ECTV PREVIEW
Check out our interview this Saturday with ECTV’s David DeCosmo who did his final show last week.
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!
1980
Our 1980 logo.
Augusta AVA becomes the first federally recognized American Viticultural Area…. The United States Supreme Court ruled in Diamond v. Chakrabarty, 5 to 4 that genetically modified organisms can be patented. Chemist Ananda Chakrabarty had developed a bacterium for cleanup of oil spills that could "eat crude oil more quickly and efficiently than natural bacteria" while he was employed at the General Electric A bomb exploded at a political rally for Grenada's Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, shortly before he was scheduled to give an address. Although Bishop was unhurt, a woman and two children were killed, and 25 other people were wounded. Although the explosive had been placed directly beneath the floor of the pavilion where Bishop and the Cuban Ambassador to Grenada were sitting, its force spread sideways into the crowd, rather than directly above. Police killed the person suspected of planting the bomb, former Grenadan Army Sergeant John Phillips, in a shootout Company in 1972….. A 75-day long heat wave began in the United States, as a high-pressure system stalled over Texas. The temperature in Dallas moved from a morning low of 75°F and then rose to 104°. For 42 consecutive days, temperatures in Dallas and most of Texas reached "triple digits", rising above 100 °F (38 °C) every day for the rest of the month, and then through all 31 days of July, before abating on August 3. The hottest day of the heat wave was June 28, when the thermometer went no lower than 92 °F (33 °C) and then climbed to 112 °F (44 °C). Before it abated on September 6, the heat wave claimed 1,700 lives….. Sanjay Gandhi, the 33-year old eldest son of India's Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and an upwardly-mobile politician, was killed in a plane crash. Sanjay, considered the likely successor of his mother, had taken off from New Delhi with his flight instructor, Subhash Saxena, in a Pitts Special SA-2 biplane and was reportedly performing aerial acrobatics, including loops, when the plane's engine stalled and the aircraft went into a spin and struck trees near Sanjay's home… The Muslim Brotherhood failed in an assassination attempt against Syria's President Hafez al-Assad. The Syrian leader, who was hosting the visiting President of Niger, was slightly injured by a bomb explosion as he stepped out of his limousine. Assad retaliated by sending the Syrian Army on an unsuccessful mission to destroy the Muslim Brotherhood. France's President Valery Giscard d'Estaing announced that his nation had successfully developed its own neutron bomb, designed "to destroy living beings with short-lived radiation emissions, while avoiding major blast and heat effects." The Olympic committees of 13 Western European nations announced jointly that, although they would participate in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, they would not participate in the opening or closing ceremonies and would use the International Olympic Committee flag rather than their own flags at medal ceremonies. Nations participating were Andorra, Belgium, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The U.S. Supreme Court decided United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians, by an 8–1 vote, affirming a decision of the U.S. Court of Claims and upholding compensation of $105,000,000 to the Sioux Nation in return for the U.S. seizure of seven million acres (11,000 square miles (28,000 km2)) of the Black Hills of South Dakota. he British rock band Queen released its best-selling studio album The Game, which included "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love".
and forty years ago the number one song in LuLac land and America was “The Biggest Part of Me” by Ambrosia.
This week we give you an opinion on the renaming of military bases in the country from Times Shamrock.
IT'S TIME TO RENAME MILITARY BASES
George Floyd’s murder while in Minneapolis police custody has ignited a national movement for police reforms and long overdue national introspection of the nation’s racist history and culture. In many Southern cities, public officials finally are removing monuments to Confederate figure who attempted to expand slavery, killing hundreds of thousands of U.S. soldiers. The Navy and Marine Corps have announced that Confederate battle flags and other paraphernalia glorifying the Confederacy no longer will be allowed on bases and ships. The Army, however, has said it has no plans to rename 10 Southern posts that were named for Confederate generals, invoking the fantasy that the names are in the cause of reconciliation. How does the naming of a Virginia National Guard base for Confederate Gen. George Pickett — who lost more than half of his soldiers at Gettysburg and hanged 22 Union soldiers in North Carolina — constitute reconciliation? The base namings were part of a broad movement after the failure of Reconstruction and the dominance of the Jim Crow era to glorify the Confederacy and its warped values. Today, 17% of male military personnel and 30% of women are African-Americans; another 17.3% of men and 20.5% of women in the military are Hispanic. Assigning minority members to bases named for Confederate traitors is bizarre and demeaning. Congress shouldn’t wait for the Army. It should mandate renaming Fort Pickett and: n Fort Bragg, North Carolina, home of Airborne and special operations forces and one of the world’s largest military bases; named for Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg. Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, a training base named for Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill. Fort Lee, Virginia, named for Robert E. Lee, whose name also should be removed from Lee Barracks at West Point. Fort Gordon, Georgia, home of the Army Cyber Command and Signal Corps, named for Confederate Gen. John Brown Gordon. Fort Benning, Georgia, named for Confederate Gen. Henry Benning. Fort Rucker, Alabama, named for Confederate Col. Edmund Rucker. Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, named for Confederate Gen. Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. Fort Polk, Louisiana, named for Confederate Gen. Leonidas Polk. Fort Hood, Texas, the Army’s largest base for armored units, named for Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..at this! Imagine if you were one of those people in Tulsa who showed up Monday, a week ago yesterday to get a good seat at that Trump rally on Saturday. Then you saw all those empty seats. Sucks to be them, right? MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that vanilla is used to make chocolate. And I love chocolate. My go to brand is Hershey. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that when states opened up too quickly after the people kept screaming to go back to their pre-covid lives, cases are on the rise. Too bad the leaders in those states didn’t have the backbone of our Governor Tom Wolf. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that 85% of people only breath out of one nostril. I really haven’t got close enough to anyone recently to verify this. MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that while trashing Joe Biden’s health in that Tulsa speech, Trump spent 15 minutes talking about his gait and own health that night. Me thinks he is transferring too much. MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that the Capitol building in Washington D.C. has 365 steps in it to represent the 365 days of the year. MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that during that speech Trump never mentioned the name of George Floyd once. He must be slipping because he went into covert racism instead of being out front like he usually is with that subject. MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that raindrops can fall as fast as 20 miles per hour. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that our Junior Senator Pat Toomey has been pretty much silent on everything. But par for the course I guess. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..speaking of golf, it can be a redemptive sport. Take the case of one Russell Henley who was the eventual winner. A previous one-time winner on the PGA TOUR., Henley was playing in front of Rory McIIroy and looked like anything but a winner when he enlarged the wreckage pileup at the corner of the bear tray by depositing his pellet into the watery blue on the 15th hole. MAYBE I’M AMAZED….in only 7.6 billion years, the sun will reach its maximum size and will still shine 1,000 times brighter.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that the Sunrays were the creation of the Beach Boys Manager Murray Wilson. Wilson was having creative differences with his son Brian and managed this one hit wonder band in a fit of pique. It was a total rip off of the Beach Boys right down to the shirts.
MAYBE I'M AMAZED......that I know that many people set this picture to music. I don't know if anyone thought of this one, but let me weigh in on the music I'd use.
MAYBE I'M AMAZED.....that Reese's Peanut Butter has trademarked this color and shade of orange.
Today is Father’s Day and to me it’s like any other day in my life. I celebrate his memory, wish he were here and miss him every day. But he is still with me and here are a few of his (Stephen "Jake" Yonki's) favorite quotes: TIME AND DYING: “Time is always running out. Don’t waste it. When you die, it's a long, long sleep. Try to stay awake as long as you can.” MY EDUCATION: “Your teachers know more than you. Shut up and listen”. HIS EDUCATION: “If I finished high school., I’d be a Philadelphia lawyer”. RELIGION AND GOD: “If anyone tells you how much they love God, put your hand on your wallet fast”. WOMEN: “Be careful. With your personality, they’ll kill ya!” FOOD: “Enjoy it. You never know when you won’t be able to. Don’t waste it either”. POLITICS: “Vote for those who help, not hurt”. GARDENING AND TOOLS: “Don’t touch them. Let your sister do that stuff”. WORK: “Work with your mind, not your hands”, (See Gardening and Tools) LOYALTY: “Never forget where you came from. The worst thing you can ever be is an ingrate”. ON FATHER’S DAY GIFTS: “All I want is for you is to just be good”. I’m trying dad! Trying as hard as I can.
SUPREME COURT BLOCKS TRUMP’S BID TO END DACA, A WIN FOR UNDOCUMENTED ‘DREAMERS’
John Roberts, Supreme Court Justice (Photo: LuLac archives)
The Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's attempt to dismantle the program protecting undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children, a reprieve for nearly 650,000 recipients known as “dreamers. ” The 5 to 4 decision was written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and joined by the court’s four liberals. It was the second, stunning defeat this week for the Trump administration, as the Supreme Court begins to unveil its decisions in marquee cases. It will likely elevate the issue of immigration in the presidential campaign, although public opinion polls have shown sympathy for those who were brought here as children and have lived their lives in this country. Congress repeatedly has failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform. President Trump responded to the decision by tweeting his displeasure and turning it into a call for his reelection, with a specific focus on gun-rights supporters: “These horrible & politically charged decisions coming out of the Supreme Court are shotgun blasts into the face of people that are proud to call themselves Republicans or Conservatives. We need more Justices or we will lose our 2nd. Amendment & everything else. Vote Trump 2020!” Oh man, old Diaper Don is LOSING IT. He is now saying that just because he lost on this Supreme Court decision, they’re coming for your guns. Diaper Don put TWO people on the Court giving him a majority. Horrible and politically charged decisions? Spoken by an ignorant, lazy intellectual slob who would be hard pressed to tell you what happened with Bush Vs. Gore. Bottom line here, Trump is against DACA because he is a racist and hates people of color. Kudos to John Roberts for being on the right side of history and human decency.
REPUBLICANS LYING ABOUT CARTWRIGHT
Politicians lie. People accepted that until Hillary Clinton ran for President. Even though 7 investigations into Benghazi found no crime, the Trump-ites not only said she lied, they wanted to lock her up. On her e mails, same thing. She lied. Then when Diaper Don ran for President and lied 19,000 times, silence. Unlike politicians of old who lied or misspoke, there was always a clarification. Now when politicians are caught in lies, even when they on video, they try to tell you they didn't lie. The Republicans in the last twenty years have taken this to an art form. They not only lie and tell you it's not, but they make their own brand of fiction up and pass it off as truth. They did it last week when they said outright that Congressman Matt Cartwright said that it was okay to "defund" police departments and supported it. This spread like wildfire on social media and the comments started. Here's the deal: THIS WAS A TOTAL LIE AND FICTION ON THE PART OF THE GOP ATTACK MACHINE. I was on a Conference Call on Wednesday night, 10th with the Congressman and members of the NAACP of Wilkes-Barre, the Poconos and others. The word "defund" came up and Cartwright was asked about it. He said that he did not support that as did a majority of members of the House and Senate. He said that "defund" would never be included in the language of the bill but said surely there needed to be some reform in departments nd the criminal justice system regarding people of color. He said this about 7pm. So when people say that Cartwright said he wanted to "defund" police departments, KNOW IT IS A LIE BY AN IMPOTENT REPUBLICAN PARTY WHO LIES AND MAKES SHIT UP.
TRUMP ON CORONAVIRUS: 'IF WE STOP TESTING RIGHT NOW, WE'D HAVE VERY FEW CASES, IF ANY.' WHY HE'S DANGEROUSLY WRONG.
As coronavirus cases continue to climb in more than 20 states, raising fears of a second wave of hospitalizations and deaths, some politicians have taken to waving away the worrisome news with a rudimentary, reassuring explanation. taken to waving away the worrisome news with a rudimentary, reassuring explanation. Of course the number of COVID-19 cases is going up, they say. That’s what happens when you test more people: You find more infections. On Monday, President Trump added his voice to this soothing chorus. “Our testing is so much bigger and more advanced than any other country (we have done a great job on this!) that it shows more cases,” Trump tweeted in the morning. “Without testing, or weak testing, we would be showing almost no cases. Testing is a double edged sword - Makes us look bad, but good to have!!!” Our testing is so much bigger and more advanced than any other country (we have done a great job on this!) that it shows more cases,” Trump tweeted in the morning. “Without testing, or weak testing, we would be showing almost no cases. Testing is a double edged sword - Makes us look bad, but good to have!!!” “If we stop testing right now,” the president added during an event for seniors at the White House, “we’d have very few cases, if any.” And according to a report in the New York Times, Vice President Mike Pence echoed Trump’s argument during a call Monday with governors, urging them “to continue to explain to your citizens the magnitude of the increase in testing” in order to “encourage people with the news that we’re safely reopening the country.
BOLTON’S BOGUS BOOK
John Bolton (Photo: AP)
The Trump administration asked a federal judge on Tuesday to order former national security adviser John Bolton to stop the publication of his upcoming book on his White House tenure, arguing in a lawsuit that Bolton had breached a contract and was risking the exposure of classified information. The suit, filed in Washington, DC, federal court, alleges that Bolton's 500-plus page manuscript was "rife with classified information," and prosecutors say that Bolton backed out of an ongoing White House vetting process for the book that he'd been obligated to do as a result of agreements he'd signed. "(Bolton) struck a bargain with the United States as a condition of his employment in one of the most sensitive and important national security positions in the United States Government and now wants to renege on that bargain by unilaterally deciding that the prepublication review process is complete and deciding for himself whether classified information should be made public," prosecutors write. Here's the thing about Bolten's book. He has become a man without a country in this sense. The Trump administrations wants to squash it because they know he has the goods on old Diaper Don. Independents, moderates, people who believe in the Justice system aren't going to buy it because he wussed out for a big book advance instead of being a patriotic American he claims to be. If anything, John Bolten has done one thing no one ever imagined in this political climate and election year.He put both fans and critics of Donald Trump on the same page. As Groucho once sang, "They're agsinst it!" (aol news, LuLac)
CASEY-REQUESTED WATCHDOG REPORT SHOWS ADMINISTRATION MISSPENT FUNDS FOR VULNERABLE MIGRANT CHILDREN
FOLLOWING REQUEST, GAO PRODUCES STUDY SHOWING MISUSE OF FEDERAL FUNDS MEANT FOR MEDICAL SUPPLIES, NUTRITION NEEDS
Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)
Following a request from U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) for the federal Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Comptroller General to examine conditions for all children detained by the Customs and Border Patrol Agency (CBP), the GAO has produced a report showing that CBP misused federal funds meant for vulnerable migrants, including children. GAO found, in the course of their investigation pursuant to Senator Casey’s request, that funds intended for medical and nutrition needs were used for improper and unrelated purposes, including for facility upgrades, janitorial services, canine programs and transportation, such as purchasing ATVs. Senator Casey had requested the investigation after the deaths of Jakelin Caal and Felipe Alonzo-Gomez that occurred while in the agency’s custody. “These findings demonstrate an appalling disregard for the lives of migrant children by the Customs and Border Patrol Agency and an abdication of responsibility for the vulnerable young people in our Nation’s care,” said Senator Casey. “It is critical that any funding for the Department of Homeland Security include clear directives and restrictions. I will be fighting for increased transparency from DHS and will continue to hold the Trump Administration responsible for implementing the law as Congress directs.” Senator Casey led a letter to GAO with U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and 20 of their Democratic colleagues in January 2019 requesting a report on the care of migrants in CBP custody, and outlining a number of questions that need to be addressed to prevent future tragedies from happening.
CARTWRIGHT ANNOUNCES THREE PA-08 STUDENTS ACCEPTED INTO U.S. SERVICE ACADEMIES
Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)
Eighth Congressional Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced that three Eighth Congressional District students have been accepted to U.S. Service Academies for the 2020-21 academic year: Jakob Quanbeck of Lackawanna County will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York; Stephen Postupak of Luzerne County will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Gavin Brazanskas of Pike County will attend the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Rep. Cartwright proudly nominated each of them to apply. “Each year, I have the distinct honor of nominating students from the Eighth Congressional District to our nation’s service academies,” said Rep. Cartwright. “To be nominated, students must not only excel academically, but also show a passion for service and leadership. Jakob, Stephen and Gavin are well-rounded, bright young men and role models for their peers; I am so proud of their hard work, perseverance, and acceptance into our esteemed service academies.” In order to attend one of the military academies, students must receive a nomination from their Member of Congress. Students may apply to the U.S. Military Academy, the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy. Accepted students receive a full scholarship and upon graduation, must complete the military service requirement for each school. Rep. Cartwright added, “Throughout our nation’s history, U.S. Service Academies have played an important role in preparing young people for service to our country. As a Pennsylvanian with the utmost respect for the veterans of this area, I am proud of our patriotic young men and women who are willing to step forward and answer the call of duty. It is an honor to play a role in preparing our next generation of leaders.” Jakob Quanbeck is the son of Glenn and Lisa Quanbeck. He graduated this spring as an honor roll student from Abington Heights High School, where he was a member of the marching and jazz bands, the robotics team, and the soccer and track and field teams. He is a member of the National Honor Society. He placed first in the SVS American Chemical Society High School Chemistry Examination. Quanbeck volunteers with the Clarks Summit Volunteer Fire Company, Night to Shine and Keystone Boys State. He attended West Point’s Leader Experience and the Naval Academy’s Summer Seminar. Stephen Postupak is the son of Kathleen and Carl Postupak. He is a 2019 graduate of Scranton Preparatory School, and he recently completed his freshman year at St. Joseph’s University where he participated in Air Force ROTC. While in high school, Postupak received a gold medal in Spanish 1 and a silver medal in religion and was inducted as a member of the National Honor Society. He participated in Habitat for Humanity service trips to Galveston, Texas, and Panama City, Florida. Postupak also earned the rank of Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts of America and was a member of the two-time state championship winning Scranton Prep cross country team. Gavin Brazanskas is the son of Cynthia and Stephen Brazanskas and a graduating senior at Delaware Valley High School. He served this year as vice president of the Future Business Leaders of America Region 22, and he received the Big 33 Community Service Award from the organization. He is a member of the National Honor Society, National Math Honor Society and National Social Studies Honor Society. Brazanskas was also a marching band and jazz band section leader, and he was on the varsity wrestling team. Brazanskas is an active participant in his community as an American Legion Boys State representative and Boys Scouts of America Life Scout and senior patrol leader. He attended West Point’s Summer Leader Experience and the Naval Academy’s Summer Seminar.
MEUSER AND CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS INTRODUCE INNOVATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PLAN
9th District Congressman Dan Meuser (Photo: LuLac archives)
Congressmen Dan Meuser, Daniel Webster (FL-11), Tom Reed (NY-23), and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) recently introduced H.R. 7231, the Infrastructure Bank for America Act of 2020, a bill to support wholesale lending to infrastructure projects through state and local governments, state infrastructure banks, and private entities. “America’s infrastructure is in critical need of modernization,” said Rep. Meuser. “Although there is bipartisan consensus on this issue, the sheer magnitude of needed investment exceeds the budget and borrowing capacity of states and the federal government. The Infrastructure Bank for America would serve as a significant supplement to existing funding sources through private investment that would increase access to capital for worthy infrastructure projects across the nation, without putting the burden on taxpayers. This new mechanism will help to safely rebuild America and strengthen our economic competitiveness with the rest of the world.” “America’s infrastructure is long overdue for critical repairs and needed advancements,” said Rep. Webster. “This bank will work with state and local partners to facilitate private infrastructure investment, creating a needed mechanism for states and municipalities to access necessary funding.” As a Government-sponsored Enterprise (GSE), the Infrastructure Bank for America (IBA) would have access to lower cost of funds, a benefit passed to state and municipal borrowers, used to support all infrastructure projects including a minimum of 7 percent for necessary rural project investment. "The IBA serves as a compliment, not a replacement, for existing programs and encourages states and municipalities to pursue all available funding sources,” Webster added. “While federal infrastructure investment is critical, the current level of resources from the federal government will not address America’s current infrastructure needs on its own. The Infrastructure Bank for America will work with state and local governments to identify priority projects and infuse private capital to address our critical infrastructure needs.” “We care about supporting communities across the country who have long lacked access to the capital needed to upgrade aging infrastructure. By facilitating unique public/private partnerships at the state and local level, the Infrastructure Bank for American will unlock a wave of investments in critical projects that will boost economic growth and improve livelihoods,” said Rep. Reed. “Crumbling roads, lack of broadband connectivity, and weak electrical grids are issues that Northern Californians deal with daily,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “Despite dozens of grants and loan programs, the Federal government can’t fund every infrastructure upgrade across the country. At the same time, American pension funds and investments have flowed into places like China. While leaders in Sacramento and Washington continue in that direction, my colleagues and I are proposing the creation of the Infrastructure Bank for America. This bank will provide a safe financial return for Americans by putting their funds back into their own neighborhoods. We need to focus our efforts on our own infrastructure, because it’s what our citizens care about. It’s an improvement in quality of life for us and future generations.”
MEDIA MATTERS
WALN TV
BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM
Bold Gold Forum is on hiatus. But when they come back after the Coronavirus situation, 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 PREVIEW IS DAVID DeCOSMO'S LAST
The annual ceremony at the Wyoming Monument is the latest victim of the virus pandemic. But local historian Bill Lewis joins host David DeCosmo on ECTV's PREVIEW during the week of June 22nd to tell the story of both the battle of
Wyoming and the unique story behind the monument itself. PREVIEW runs several times daily on Comcast channel 19 and on the electric city television YouTube page.
On a related note DeCosmo announced that the weekly show he has produced and anchored for the past 10 years will conclude with the June 22nd edition. The veteran local newsman says he will continue to produce or anchor specials for the local public access station on occasion. He retired from WYOU/WBRE in 2009 and has volunteered at ECTV since that time.He plans to spend more time on his new video Facebook Blog and continue working as a tour escort with Travelworld. PREVIEW is seen 3 times daily on Comcast channel 19 and on the electric city television YouTube page.
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!
1980
Our 1980 logo
Steve Ballmer joined the fledgling company Microsoft as its 30th employee in return for a salary of $50,000 per year and five percent ownership of the company, with stock options to purchase an additional 5%. At Microsoft incorporated on June 25, 1981, Ballmer would own eight percent and would later succeed Bill Gates as Chief Executive Officer on January 13, 2000. With the increase of his stock ownership, Ballmer now has a net worth of over 65 billion dollars Universities in Iran were shut down as part of the Iranian Cultural Revolution, with all higher education systems ceasing for over a year for a complete overhaul, by order of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. The Ayatollah Khomeini declared that "All schools and universities established under the reign of the Shah must be placed in direct control in order to protect their students from the dangers of contamination by ideas contrary to the value of Islamrs…A jury in Chicago awarded MCI Communications $1,800,000,000 to be paid by AT&T for attempting to maintain its control over long-distance telephone calls, in violation of federal antitrust law The jury found $600 million in damages and the amount was trebled under the antitrust law. After 15 of the 21 charges were reversed on appeal, the case was remanded for a new trial on the issue of calculation of damages. On May 28, 1985, another jury found $37.8 million in damages which was trebled to $113,400,000.
U.S. Representative John W. Jenrette, Jr. (D-South Carolina) was indicted by a grand jury on charges of bribery after being identified in the FBI's Abscam operation. Jenrette had been videotaped on December 6, 1979, accepting a $50,000 bribe from an undercover agent in return for promising to introduce legislation to allow an Arab businessman to remain in the U.S.Eleven days later, Jenrette won a runoff election for the Democratic primary election for his seat. The Abscam people tried to bribe newly elected Congressman Ray Musto but Ray turned them down...........Viktor Nekipelov was sentenced to seven years in labor camps and five years' internal exile for "anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda" he was released in 1987 and moved to France, dying two years later.....An Iranian student, in the United States on a visa, was arrested at a Kroger supermarket in Montgomery, West Virginia and charged with shoplifting, after the store manager witnessed Seyedashraf Mirhadi eat a single grape. The case took on national attention because Mirhadi, a student at the West Virginia University Institute of Technology was subject to deportation back to Iran if convicted of a "crime of moral turpitude". On July 24, a municipal court judge found Mirhadi not guilty. Judge Carl Harris wrote, "In some instances the partaking of a single fruit may constitute shoplifting— but this defendant I find a s a factual matter to have lacked the elusive mental state which divides the criminal from the careless." Mirhadi's defense was that he was sampling the grape to see if the bunch was sweet or sour. In the hearing, the store manager testified that grapes were priced at $1.39 per pound, but conceded that he could not quantify the value of a single grape…..Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark and 10 other people returned from a two-week trip to Iran, in defiance of a presidential executive order banning U.S. citizens from traveling to the Islamic republic. Before leaving, Clark had been warned by incumbent Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti that he could be prosecuted for violating Carter's invocation of the travel ban, made under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carried penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment and a $50,000 fine. During his visit, Clark attended the "Crimes of America" conference in Tehran at the invitation of Iranian Foreign Minister Sadegh Ghotbzadeh….Jack Nicklaus won the U.S. Open golf tournament..
e Wall Street Final, an attempt by publisher Michael Goldstein to create an afternoon business newspaper in New York City to compete against The Wall Street Journal, published its first issue a day late, after breakdowns of production equipment caused the 16-page tabloid to miss its Monday afternoon launch date.Although the Final had the advantage of reporting the prices after the close of trading on the stock exchanges at 5:00, it would last for only two months before folding on August 18….By a margin of five votes, the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution failed in the Illinois House of Representatives. Although the vote was 102 in favor and 71 against, the rules of the Illinois legislature required a three-fifths majority of the 178 members on constitutional amendments.[92] In the first five years of its submission to the 50 American state legislatures for consideration, 35 of the necessary 38 states had ratified the proposed 27th Amendment (although five states later vote to rescind their ratifications). After 1977, no other state ratified the ERA prior to the deadline of June 30, 1982….In a bout for the WBC world welterweight boxing championship, billed as "The Brawl in Montreal", former WBC lightweight champion Roberto Durán of Panama upset previously unbeaten (27 wins, no losses) Sugar Ray Leonard at Montreal's Olympic Stadium to capture the welterweight division…..Forty years ago on June 21st I went to Yankee Stadium to cover the old Timer’s Game for the Pittston Sunday Dispatch. It was the first Old Timer’s event after the death of Thurman Munson. I also met Mr. Frank Martin of Scranton when his bus broke down and after lengthy conversations, we became great friends and forty years ago the number one song in LuLac land and America was “The Rose”by Bette Midler.
This additional Write On feature is all about perception and reality. There are many issues that are perceived one way in this horrid and contentious political climate but the reality, well as Ray Parker Junior sang in 1979, "You Can't Change That". Joe Leonardi breaks it all down for us today in this edition of LuLac.
PERCEPTION VS. REALITY
Despite what snake oil salespeople, self -help bullshit artists and proudly ignorant ostriches proclaim....
"PERCEPTION" is NOT "REALITY"
PERCEPTION - if we do less testing, there are less cases of COVID-19, so we can RUSH back to normal. REALITY - The disease is still here, more people are contracting and passing it along, and people are having long term health consequences, oh and by the way... PEOPLE ARE STILL NEEDLESSLY DYING!!!!!!!! PERCEPTION - less than 1% of those with COVID-19 are dying. REALITY - less than 1% of the overall population is dying from COVID-19, the mortality rate of diagnosed COVID-19 patients conservatively remains around 5%. PERCEPTION - Wearing a mask can cause worse problems than helping prevent the spread of COVID-19. REALITY - Most people's use of a mask is limited. They need only wear it when they are in situations where social distancing is not possible. The buildup of CO2 and other perceived drawbacks are highly unlikely and the benefit to all exponentially outweighs the risk to the one. PERCEPTION - It is all the media's fault. Turn off the news and it will all miraculously go away. REALITY - It was the media who sounded the initial alarm, an alarm WILLFULLY IGNORED by those elected and charged with protecting the public. The media covering it didn't make it worse, and when the media changed focus to another topic, COVID-19 did NOT go away or improve. PERCEPTION - Dr. Fauci is a "deep state" (just typing those two words dropped my I.Q. by 130 points) medical expert trying to make the current administration look bad. REALITY - Dr. Fauci is a dedicated public health servant who was instrumental in developing treatments and cures for previously fatal illnesses. He has helped guide not only our nation, but the world, through some of the most feared and deadly pandemics and potential pandemics in recent decades. He did this regardless of the political affiliation of the administration in power. PERCEPTION - Dr. Fauci is stirring fear and angst for his own monetary gain. REALITY - Dr. Fauci could have parlayed any of his previous achievements, especially his contributions for developing a cure for polyarteritis nodosa and/or his work that has helped lead to a potential vaccine for HIV, into a multi-million dollar annual income at any pharmaceutical company; yet he stayed at NIH and continued to use his education, experience and expertise to help others -- including you and me. PERCEPTION - A vaccine is a New World Order plot to reduce the population. REALITY - The advent of modern vaccines, although not completely without risk, has saved countless lives and reduced the numbers of children's graves populating U.S. cemeteries by tens, if not hundreds, of thousands over the last half century. PERCEPTION - The CDC, NIH, FDA and WHO are incompetent agencies full of political appointees and bureaucrats with self-serving agendas. REALITY - If you are a cancer, myocardial infarction, cerebral-vascular accident, etc. survivor - there is a good chance you have the existence of these agencies to thank. PERCEPTION - Social Media has made us more informed. REALITY - Social Media has allowed for the rapid dissemination of misinformation and has eroded confidence in accomplished experts in favor of other less credible and less accomplished individuals simply because they RANT loudly, while the accomplished experts are busy actually working. PERCEPTION - It was on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.. so it must be true. REALITY - I can't even dignify that one with a response. Contrary to PERCEPTION this isn't some fucking Aesopian fable or the conjuring of a dystopic science fiction writer. The REALITY is it can't be fixed by disc jockeys turned talk show hosts who never bothered getting an education, or by applying the Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field, or by passing around a Facebook meme or a YouTube video by discredited hucksters. Just because people no longer PERCEIVE it to be, does not make it still a very REAL crisis.
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".
