The LuLac Edition #4,518, May 14h, 2021

 

LUZERNE COUNTY 2021 JUDICIAL FORUM REVIEWS 

 

In the last two weeks, candidates running for the office of Luzerne County Judge participated in two forums. For your review, here are the two that were held this month. 

NAACP Wilkes-Barre Branch #2306 Forum May 11th, 7pm 2021

 

Wilkes-Barre Area League Of Women Voters Judicial Forum May 4th, 2021

 

 

DOMESTIC TERRORIST ENABLER MEUSER WHINES ABOUT BEING BEHIND

I received this in my e mail this week. Apparently Dan Meuser is concerned because according to him, shockingly he is behind in fundraising. Take a peek!

Friend,  Aw Danny, I didn’t know you cared!)

We didn't want it to come to this.

Our Mid-Month fundraising deadline is quickly approaching, and we are shockingly behind our goal.

Look, if we fail, it will send a message to Democrats that their Majority isn’t in danger.

Democrats are already working overtime to raise vast amounts of dark money. We need support from loyal conservatives to CLOSE our fundraising gap, RETAKE the House in 2022, and PROTECT our country from the scourge of Socialism.

DARK MONEY? What the **ck does he mean by that? Prove that there is dark money from the Dems when your fellow  un patriots stormed the capitol with money from right wing groups. The scourge of socialism? You mean Medicare? Social Security? Medicaid? Food for children who are on the margins of going hungry? Bailouts and tax cuts for millionaires like you? Is that what you call socialism?

Danny, the reason why your funding is so shockingly low is because critically  thinking people are seeing you and your Trumpanzee party for what they are: grifting, un American domestic terrorist loving cry babies who masquerade as patriots. But you’re not, right Dan? Let’s see, where is that loose change in the couch I can send you.  

 

 BUT AT LEAST MEUSER ISN'T THIS GUY 

This guy is a Congressman from Georgia. His name is Clyde and in this statement he said that January 6th was not an insurrection.   He said that he "folks" were just touring. Hmmm. Then why are there over 600 FBI investigations into those "folks" who were just visiting? Why were there 5 people dead after their visits? Clyde's idea of "company" must be pretty extraordinary. At one point, Clyde says that he and others actually helped clean up the mess. I wonder if that included the human waste "the visitors" left on the floor of the House. My boss asked me yesterday if this was a concentrated effort by the GOP to change the narrative of what really happened on January 6th or was this just plain stupidity. The are certainly trying to shamelessly rewrite history but you have to think there's a little stupid going on in there too.

 

 

FLYNN TOUTS PRIORITIES 

Marty Flynn, State Senate candidate in The Lac (Photo: LuLac archives) 

Marty Flynn has spent eight years as one of the highest-ranked Representatives for constituent service; he has helped his constituents find thousands of dollars from the U.S. Treasury, holds bicycle drives for underprivileged kids, and calls seniors in his district on their birthday to offer assistance with benefits and other state programs.

Marty’s community wins when he’s in Harrisburg fighting for them. As the Chairman of the Northeast Delegation in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Marty has consistently delivered results for the region. He is running for State Senate because he knows that his community needs a public servant with his record of success fighting for them as their State Senator in Harrisburg.

Tax Fairness

Marty has been a consistent advocate for tax fairness to solve the state’s funding issues while managing to prevent higher taxes for the working people— he has been a vocal supporter of closing corporate tax loopholes to lower taxes for working Pennsylvanians. Flynn supports closing the Delaware loophole to make corporations pay their fair share of taxes in Pennsylvania.

Public Education

Funding education is a top priority for Flynn, and he has secured millions in state funding for the Scranton School District. One school board member said “nobody on the state level fought harder [for education] than Marty Flynn.”

Affordable Healthcare

As a state representative, Marty Flynn has always stood up for seniors, families, and the working-class people of his community. He voted to expand Medicaid in Pennsylvania under the Affordable Care Act, and voted to increase prescription drug coverage for thousands of Pennsylvanians.

Legalizing Recreational Marijuana

For too long our criminal justice system has been fixated on incarceration and has paid too little attention to rehabilitation. We need to change that now. Regulating and taxing marijuana sales would help fund our schools and infrastructure, instead of the current system where we rely on higher property taxes for working Pennsylvanians.

Raising the Minimum Wage

Nobody who works full-time should have to live in poverty. It's way past time for Pennsylvania to raise the minimum wage — a matter of simple fairness that Marty has long supported.

 

100 REPUBLICAN EX-OFFICIALS PREPARE TO DEFECT FROM GOP OVER TRUMPISM

More than 100 Republican former officials, including some who worked in the Trump administration, are preparing to leave the GOP they view as being too firmly in the grip of former President Donald Trump and are ready, barring a sudden change in direction, to support a third party.

More than 100 Republican former officials, including some who worked in the Trump administration, are preparing to leave the GOP they view as being too firmly in the grip of former President Donald Trump and are ready, barring a sudden change in direction, to support a third party.

This band of impending defectors is putting together a letter, expected to be released on Thursday, which will come one day after a vote by House Republicans to boot Rep. Liz Cheney, a vocal Trump critic who voted to impeach him earlier this year, as conference chairwoman.

“I’m one of those in the group that feels very strongly that if we can’t get the GOP back to a rational party that supports free minds, free markets, and free people, I’m out, and a lot of people are coming with me," said Miles Taylor, an organizer behind the effort.

Taylor, the former Trump administration official who claimed to be a part of an internal government "resistance" through his work as "Anonymous," added that he still considers himself a Republican but "hanging on by the skin of [his] teeth."

Other signatories of the letter, headlined A Call For American Renewal, include former ambassadors, governors, congressional members, and Cabinet secretaries. Among them are former Bush-era Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, ex-Reps. Charlie Dent, Barbara Comstock, Reid Ribble, and Mickey Edwards, as well as former Govs. Tom Ridge and Christine Todd Whitman.

 

REP. CARTWRIGHT HIGHLIGHTS FEDERAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITIES IN LACKAWANNA COUNTY

Congressman  Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright  encouraged Lackawanna County residents struggling to afford housing to consider applying for federal assistance through the Lackawanna County Housing Authority or the Scranton Housing Authority.

Both agencies have opened a Housing Choice Voucher Program Section 8 application period, which is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly and the disabled to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market.

“A decent place to call home is critical in every stage of life, from raising happy and healthy children to ensuring a secure retirement,” said Rep. Cartwright. “This important federal assistance program offers a helping hand to families and seniors who struggle to keep a roof over their heads.”

How to apply through the Lackawanna County Housing Authority: The application can be accessed online at http://hacl.org/ or at their office located at 2019 West Pine Street, Dunmore, PA 18512. Applications must be postmarked by May 14, 2021. They can be reached by phone at 570-342-7629.

How to apply through the Scranton Housing Authority: Applications are available at their office located at 400 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510. Applicants must have photo ID, proof of income and Social Security card. For family members under 18, a birth certificate and Social Security card is required. A deadline for this application has not yet been set, but those interested are encouraged to act quickly. They can be reached by phone at 570-348-4400.

Applications do not guarantee housing immediately; however, accepted applicants are placed on a waiting list, which is an essential first step.

Eligibility

Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined by local public housing agencies (PHAs) based on the total annual gross income and family size and is limited to U.S. citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. In general, the family's income may not exceed 50 percent of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which the family chooses to live. By law, a PHA must provide 75 percent of its voucher to applicants whose incomes do not exceed 30 percent of the area median income. Median income levels are published by HUD and vary by location. Our PHAs can provide the income limits for this area and family size.

During the application process, the PHA will collect information on family income, assets, and family composition. The PHA will verify this information with other local agencies, your employer and bank, and will use the information to determine program eligibility and the amount of the housing assistance payment.

If the PHA determines that your family is eligible, the PHA will put your name on a waiting list, unless it is able to assist you immediately. Once your name is reached on the waiting list, the PHA will contact you and issue to you a housing voucher.

 

CASEY INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN POLICE REFORMS TO PREVENT VIOLENCE TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

LEAD INITIATIVE WOULD ENHANCE STATE AND REGIONAL 2-1-1 AND 9-8-8 CALL SYSTEMS, DIVERT NON-EMERGENCY CALLS TO HUMAN SERVICES AND MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

Senator Bob Casey  will introduce two bipartisan policing reform bills to address the high incidence rate of violence involving people with disabilities. The Law Enforcement Education and Accountability for People with Disabilities (LEAD) Initiative is comprised of two bills: the Human-services Emergency Logistics Program (HELP) Act and the Safe Interactions Act. Among other reforms, the LEAD Initiative would enhance state and regional 2-1-1 and 9-8-8 call systems, diverting some non-criminal emergency calls away from 9-1-1 and toward human services and mental health support agencies. U.S. Representatives Susan Wild (D-PA-7) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) are introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

“As lawmakers, we must do everything in our power to prevent tomorrow’s tragedies. The Pennsylvania families of Walter Wallace, Jr., Ricardo Muñoz and Osaze Osagie needed mental health crisis support and they didn’t get it. It is time to take action,” said Senator Casey. “The LEAD Initiative would connect people and police with the resources they need, reduce demands on police and provide law enforcement with the knowledge and skills necessary in a crisis situation.”

“We must do more to ensure that interactions between law enforcement and people experiencing a mental health crisis or living with a disability are rooted in best practices for the safety and wellbeing of all parties,” said Rep. Wild. “That is why I am leading the bipartisan Safe Interactions Act alongside Senator Casey and Representative Fitzpatrick to provide comprehensive training for law enforcement officers and increase our collective ability to help prevent miscommunication between vulnerable populations and law enforcement officers trying to keep us safe.”

“Without sufficient training, it can be difficult for a law enforcement officer to identify someone who has a disability and know how to interact with that person to avoid any miscommunication. The Safe Interactions Act will help provide officers access to such training, which will be developed in partnership with those who do have disabilities, in order to create safer communities,” Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police.

“United Way and the 211 network are grateful to Senator Casey for introducing the HELP Act,” said Suzanne McCormick, U.S. President, United Way Worldwide. “211 is a vital resource supporting over 95 percent of communities in the U.S. and this expansion of coverage means that more people can get the help they need, particularly those with mental health and other challenges. United Way looks forward to working with Senator Casey to expand mental health and other critical services to the American people during these difficult times.”

The Washington Post database of police shootings estimates that at least 25 percent of shootings involve a person with a mental health disability. A 2016 Ruderman Foundation report estimated that between one-third and half of 2015 shootings involving a law enforcement officer included a person with a disability.

The HELP Act would divert non-criminal, non-fire and non-medical emergency calls from 9-1-1 systems to state and regional 2-1-1 and 9-8-8 systems, while providing resources and funding to improve 2-1-1 and 9-8-8 referral systems. The bill would create an oversight system for the 2-1-1 and 9-8-8 networks comprised of community members who represent older adults, people with disabilities, ethnic and racial community members, Tribal and Native Peoples and LGBTQ+ people. The HELP Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).

The Safe Interactions Act would provide grants to enable non-profit disability organizations to develop training programs that support safe interactions between law enforcement officers and people with disabilities. The training would be directed to both new and veteran officers and would include people with disabilities in the training as instructors. It would also establish an advisory council, chaired by a person with a disability, to oversee the training program development and implementation. The Safe Interactions Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

 

MEDIA MATTERS

 

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM 

 

This week's guest will be Marie Onukiavage from NAMI NEPA, discussing National Mental Health Awareness Month.  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. 

 

BOBBY V’ DOO WOP SUNDAY NIGHT

 

1987 

 

Our 1987 logo

Wrestler Jerry Lawler sues WWF & Harley Race for trademark name "king"…..a Military coup in Fiji under Lt. Col Sitivani Rabuka……Xignals PC Board BBS begins in Alabama….30 people were killed in a Texas tornado………Indianapolis 500: 47 year-old, now part-time driver Al Unser Snr wins his record-tying 4th Indy title in a huge upset…….Cecilia Bolocco, 22, of Chile, crowned 36th Miss Universe…….Great offensive against Tamil-rebellion in Jaffra Sri Lanka……US Supreme Court ruled dangerous defendants could be held without bail……William H. Webster replaces Robert M. Gates as 14th director of CIA…..and this week in 1987 the number one song in LuLac land and America was"With Or Without You" by U2.