The LuLac Edition #4, 591, September 30th, 2021

LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL FORUM THIS MONDAY VIA ZOOM 

 

Candidates running for Luzerne County Council will be part of a forum this Monday October 4th at 7pm via zoom. Our friend Daryl Lewis is putting this on. Here are the links to attend and join in. 

 Register to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sceihqTIjGt2nhH_RRkOHYSOiUJ4MU97C

 And/Or follow on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/23FGcH97T

 

PELOSI LEAVES ROOM TO DELAY INFRASTRUCTURE VOTE

Speaker Nancy Pelosi Wednesday said the stonewalling by Senate centrists has "completely" disrupted the Democrats' timeline for moving President Biden's domestic agenda, leaving open the possibility that the House will punt once again on an infrastructure vote scheduled for later Thursday. But as usual West Virginia so called Senator Joe Manchin shot down Pelosi’s thoughts on legislative action. Pelosi told reporters earlier Wednesday that Democrats need to "have agreement in legislative language" before a vote on a bipartisan Senate-passed infrastructure bill, which is still expected to get a vote on the House floor on Thursday.

Manchin, asked about the timeline, told reporters: "That won't happen." "We haven't been negotiating yet in a good faith. No one has been negotiating along those lines."

Negotiating? Manchin hasn’t even given the Progressives and the moderates a number. “It’s too much money” he cries like the little cry baby he is being. What does he want to cut from the bill? Climate, child care, education? HE WON’T SAY because he is a coward.

Manchin's comments come after he warned reporters earlier this week that it was unlikely Democrats would even be able to reach a "framework" for the social spending bill, including a top-line price tag, which Democratic leadership had hoped to be able to offer to progressives to get them to vote for the Senate-passed bipartisan bill.

Progressives have been pushing for months for Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) to give them a reassurance that they'll support a massive spending bill of up to $3.5 trillion. Democrats need every senator in their party to back the plan with Republicans unanimously opposed to it.

But neither have committed to supporting a larger bill. They've both warned they can't support a $3.5 trillion price tag, forcing Democrats to recalibrate on the size of the bill. Biden urged moderates to give him a top-line figure they could live with during a closed-door meeting last week, but Manchin reiterated on Wednesday that "we haven't talked about figures at all."

Pelosi upped the stakes of the standoff between moderates and progressives, and the House and Senate, on Wednesday, telling reporters that a promise from the Senate centrists to support the larger "family" package won't be enough to spur the House to act. Instead, she wants legislative text to be drafted on that broader piece of Biden's agenda.

"We come to a place where we have agreement in legislative language - not just principle, in legislative language - that the president supports," she said. "It has to be his standard."

Pelosi cut a deal with moderates earlier this year to have a vote on the Senate-passed roughly $1 trillion infrastructure bill by Sept. 27, though she delayed that vote until Thursday to try to defuse a progressive threat to vote against the bill.

Though progressives aren't backing down in their threat to sink the infrastructure bill, delaying it would also risk alienating moderate Democrats who are trying to get the Senate legislation passed quickly.

Manchin, speaking to reporters, pushed for the House to pass the bipartisan bill and then for Democrats to keep negotiating on the reconciliation bill.

 

REP. CARTWRIGHT BILL TO CLOSE UNFAIR PAY GAP AT TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT AGAIN PASSES HOUSE THROUGH ANNUAL DEFENSE BILL

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright  voted to pass the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in the U.S. House. For the second year in a row, the annual defense bill that Congress needs to pass each year includes Rep. Cartwright’s Locality Pay Equity Act, which would increase wages for approximately 1,800 hourly employees at the Tobyhanna Army Depot. Following a vote of 316-113, the bill advances to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

“The momentum behind closing the unfair pay gap among workers at the Tobyhanna Army Depot and federal employees across the U.S. is growing every year,” said Rep. Cartwright. “In Northeastern Pennsylvania, Tobyhanna workers are at the forefront of preparing our military with state-of-the-art equipment for their missions, and they all deserve to be paid fairly for their work – whether they are paid a salary or by the hour. I will be keeping pressure on my Senate colleagues to also pass an NDAA with Locality Pay Equity Act provisions included.”

Under the current federal pay system, the locality boundaries for salaried workers are based on metropolitan markets, while the boundaries for hourly workers are still based on 1950s era military installation placements. This has led to a significant pay gap at the Tobyhanna Army Depot. Hourly employees at Tobyhanna are included in the Scranton wage area, which is part of a locality pay area called “Rest of U.S.” (RUS). Salaried employees at Tobyhanna, however, have been placed in the New York City region. As a result, salaried employees earn 25 percent more than their wage-earning counterparts, although many of them do similar jobs.

The Locality Pay Equity Act would close this gap by applying the pay boundaries for salaried employees to hourly workers. This would only raise the wages of hourly employees; it would not affect the salaried employees in any way.

This legislation also passed the U.S. House in the previous Congress as part of the annual fiscal year 2021 defense bill but was removed from the final bill after negotiations with the Senate.

“Tobyhanna’s hourly employees are rightfully frustrated that this legislation hasn’t yet crossed the finish line. Advancing this bill has been an uphill battle from the start, but I’ve never stopped fighting for this pay gap fix because it is what they deserve,” continued Rep. Cartwright. “I’m proud that we have gotten it through the House once again, and I hope we can count on the Senate to do the right thing this year.”

 

CASEY, COLLINS INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO PROTECT AMERICANS FROM GUARDIANSHIP ABUSE

Senator Bob Casey (LuLac archives) 

In a continuation of their efforts to protect seniors and people with disabilities from abusive guardians, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), the current and former Chairs of the Senate Aging Committee, introduced the Guardianship Accountability Act.  This legislation addresses many of the recommendations in the Aging Committee’s report, “Ensuring Trust: Strengthening State Efforts to Overhaul the Guardianship Process and Protect Older Americans,” that was released at a November 2018 hearing they led following their year-long investigation.

“The high-profile case of Britney Spears shined a spotlight on an issue impacting millions of older adults and people with disabilities living under guardianships or conservatorships. While many people under guardianships may need help managing certain aspects of their lives, lacking oversight and support make it hard for those experiencing abuse to speak out and seek help. Unfortunately, we don’t know much about how many guardianships are occurring, how they’re managed or how much fraud or abuse is happening. This bill would help provide accountability and oversight into guardianships, promote best practices and provide funding and training to spot abuse,” said Senator Casey.

“Guardians are entrusted to take care of those who are unable to make important decisions about their finances and well-being. In some heartbreaking cases, however, Americans have been ruthlessly exploited by caretakers who have taken advantage of the guardianship system,” said Senator Collins.  “Preventing guardianship abuse requires law enforcement and social service agencies at all levels of government to work together, and the Guardianship Accountability Act promotes this kind of collaboration.  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation Guardians are supposed to provide support for individuals, ensuring a full life directed, wherever possible, by the person’s own choices and preferences. Without proper oversight, however, unscrupulous guardians can abuse these legal relationships and exploit the individuals they are supposed to protect. State courts are tasked with monitoring guardianships in order to protect individuals subject to guardianship from abuse, neglect and exploitation.  Despite this responsibility, few states are able to provide courts with adequate resources to monitor guardianships effectively and hold guardians accountable.”

Numerous reported instances of fraud and abuse underscore the vulnerabilities created by guardianships and the need for diligent oversight.  Recent examples of exploitation include a professional guardian and her colleagues in Nevada who were indicted on more than 200 felony counts after they allegedly used the guardianship process to take advantage of and financially exploit over 150 individuals.  In another case, two individuals from North Carolina lost hundreds of thousands of dollars through exploitation by a family member who served as their guardians.  Pop star Britney Spears’ high-profile fight to end her years-long, court-ordered conservatorship has heightened the attention on guardianships.

The Guardianship Accountability Act would help ensure individuals under the care of guardians are not at risk of abuse or neglect by expanding the availability of federal demonstration grants to be used for developing state guardianship databases to assist with the collection of information on guardians, training of court visitors, and sharing of background check and other information with appropriate entities.  It would also establish a National Resource Center on Guardianship, which would be tasked with:

Collecting and publishing information relevant to guardianship for use by guardians, individuals subject to guardianship, as well as courts, states, local governments, and community organizations;

Publishing model legislation and best practices developed pursuant to the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act;

Compiling and publishing training materials for guardians;

Promoting the use of less restrictive alternatives such as supported decision-making;

Sharing research related to guardianship; and

Maintaining a database on state laws regarding guardianship, and the use of less restrictive alternatives, and the restoration of rights.

 

 

GOVERNOR WOLF VISITS MOBILE COVID-19 VACCINE CLINIC, HIGHLIGHTS GRASSROOTS EFFORTS TO GET VULNERABLE PENNSYLVANIANS VACCINATED

Governor Tom Wolf (Photo: LuLac archives)

Governor Tom Wolf today visited Montgomery County Department of Public Safety’s Mobile Integrated Health Team to highlight their grassroots efforts to get vulnerable Pennsylvanians vaccinated.

“Montgomery County leaders are doing an outstanding job of proactively reaching out to get Pennsylvanians, especially vulnerable populations, vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Gov. Wolf. “From the beginning of our vaccination efforts, my administration has been focused on an equitable vaccine distribution. We know that this deadly virus doesn’t discriminate so we must ensure adequate vaccine access for people who are experiencing hardships like insecure housing, unpredictable work schedules and limited mobility. That’s why it’s so important to take vaccine clinics into communities and places Pennsylvanians go every day.”

Gov. Wolf was joined by Montgomery County Commissioners Val Arkoosh and Ken Lawrence and Dr. Alvin Wang, chief medical officer for the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety.

In March 2021, Montgomery County’s Office of Public Safety launched a mobile vaccine clinic to reach elderly individuals unable to attend county mass vaccination clinics and has now adapted to reach other vulnerable populations in the county. On Wednesdays, the ​ county Department of Public Safety’s Mobile Integrated Health Team can be found at the Norristown Transportation Center, local food pantries, and visiting encampments in the community educating individuals on the benefits of getting vaccinated and ultimately administering COVID-19 vaccines to community members. 

“On behalf of the Department of Public Safety and our Mobile Integrated Health Team, I’d like to thank Governor Wolf for his support of our COVID-19 vaccination efforts here in Montgomery County,” said Dr. Alvin Wang, Chief Medical Officer for the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety. “Our goals are to eliminate barriers to vaccination for underserved populations and to bring the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine to individuals at a time and place that is convenient for them. By ensuring equitable access to the vaccine, we can prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths among our most vulnerable residents.”

“Working together with partners across our community to provide factual information about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine and to make it convenient to obtain, I am extremely proud to report that more than 81% of Montgomery County residents aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine,” said Dr. Valerie A. Arkoosh, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “While this is excellent progress, we still have a ways to go to fully protect our community. Given the large number of children who are not eligible to be vaccinated, we need as many of those who are 12 years of age and older as possible to get vaccinated. Receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is quick, easy, and is offered at no cost to our residents. We encourage anyone who is eligible to get vaccinated today.”

“From the beginning of the vaccine rollout, we held clinics at local churches, supported vaccination efforts with the Community College, and today we are here to highlight the efforts of the Mobile Integrated Health Team to reach people who are unhoused or homebound,” said Kenneth E. Lawrence, Jr., Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners “We would not have been able to achieve such a high vaccination rate in our County if it weren’t for the partnerships we have forged on the ground with community-based organizations, I thank them for their continued partnership.”

“Getting every eligible Pennsylvanian vaccinated is our goal,” said Gov. Wolf. “It’s innovative work and partnerships like this that are helping us reach that goal, one step at a time. I encourage all Pennsylvanians who haven’t been vaccinated to take advantage of these local vaccination opportunities or visit a local vaccine provider near you. By getting vaccinated, you can save lives.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently announced that, since January 2021, 97 percent of COVID-19-related deaths and 95 percent of reported hospitalizations due to COVID-19 were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people.

 

MEDIA MATTERS 

 

WILK’S TWO FORMER DEMOCRATS

A little reflection on Bob Cordaro and Frank Andrews two former Democrats. Cordaro was a Dem for many years until it became convenient to attain  office as a Republican. I tuned him in a2:55pm Wednesday and he was whining that traffic on 81 was backed up all the way to Wilkes-Barre because of a Biden sign on the highway. “I’ll never vote for any Democrat ever again cried little Bobby stomping his feet and saying all Democrats were terrible..except the ones he knew. They weren’t terrible just bad. I laughed out loud because here is a guy who embraces history and is pissed because a President who was born here gets recognition.

Meanwhile Frank Andrews was talking about rail service and was wondering why people in this area were opposing rail service from Scranton to New York. Well Frank, here’s why. The same people opposing the rail service are the same losers who enjoy their misery and didn’t want:

Pocono Downs

Public TV and Radio

The FM Kirby Center

The Arena

Mohegan Sun Casino

The Hotel Room Tax

Triple A baseball

Triple A hockey

The Steamtown Mall

Pocono Raceway

Montage Mountain Business Park

And vaccines.

There is a jealous element of people here who want NEPA to remain miserable and twenty steps behind the curve. They’re the dumbasses who were always with us and then bred more dumbasses.  

 

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

 This week's guests are Nicole Shapiro and Rocco Genovese from the Lackawanna County Environmental Center, discussing tire recycling and West Nile Virus.  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,.'s DOO WOP SOCK HOP                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

1987 

 

Our 1987 logo

The Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement is reached but still requires ratification. This agreement would be a precursor to NAFTA……….. Sikh nationalists declares the independence of Khalistan from India….. "Roza" opens at Royale Theater NYC for 12 performances……6 killed by an earthquake measuring 6.1 in LA….. Fiji's constitution is suspended……The Whittier Narrows earthquake shook the San Gabriel Valley, registering as a magnitude 5.9……. San Diego catcher Benito Santiago's MLB rookie record 34-game hitting streak ends as Padres snap 9-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory v LA Dodgers……. Michael Pruffer of France skis 135.26 MPH at Portillo, Chile….. USSR performs underground nuclear test……..First "Scab Sunday" of NFL football with replacement players as a result of players strike; chiefly related to the expiration of 1982 Collective Bargaining Agreement; players returned October 15……..Winnipeg CFL defensive back James Jefferson scores 2 TDs on interception returns without making an interception; scores both on laterals in Blue Bombers' 47-14 win v Hamilton Tiger-Cats and in 12987 the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Can’t We Try” by  Dan Hill & Vonda Shepard.