The LuLac Edition #4, 827, October 14th, 2022

 

 THE VERY WRONG CASE AGAINST FETTERMAN 

 Fetterman and your blog editor in May before we both got sick. (Photo: LuLac archives)

The stroke John Fetterman endured (I will not use the term suffering) in the spring is being used as a campaign issue against him. Dr. Oz has been starting a whispering campaign about how ineffective he will be as a Senator because according to his speech patterns he has not fully recovered. WRONG!

Fetterman is using what we call as Compensatory strategies. Anyone can roll up into a ball and give up. As an accident survivor twenty three years ago, I walk with a cane. I did not go on disability even though friends have urged it because as long as I can walk I’m not disabled.  Mrs. LuLac had a brain injury in 1995 and had a job coach to help her retain her cognitive abilities after a head injury. She is still working in a multi faced job.

We celebrate people who overcome adversity and that happens all the time in every walk of life EXCEPT in the political wars. But people like FDR (was in a wheel chair from the age of 39 to the day of his death at the age of 62), Dwight Eisenhower had two heart attacks in his time in the White House, Ronald Reagan had two health issues in his eight years (gunshot wound and colon cancer) and closer to home Arlen Specter had three separate bouts of illness in his time.   This is NOT NEW.

In private business, if you are ill, you are entitled to sick leave and return to your job. Three GOP Senators had strokes and no Democrat called for their resignation  after that happened. Fetterman should get that same respect. 

Recently on Twiiter a person close to me wrote this:  

John Fetterman uses compensatory strategies (close captioning) to allow him to complete a task he was able to do unassisted pre stroke. He is still cable but needs a work around. She got 479 likes 5, 180 impressions and 49 retweets.

Don’t listen to the hypocrite GOP LIE machine ramping up to destroy a good man from helping all Pennsylvanians instead of just a few. 

 

BABY TRUMP THROWS FIT AND TANTRUM OVER SUBPOENA

It was predictable. Donald Trump went on a rant when the House Select Committee on January 6^th voted to subpoena him. Here’s what he wrote in a 14 page treatise. 

 Former President Donald J. Trump responded on Friday to a promised subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault with a lengthy, rambling letter that attacked the panel’s work, reiterated false claims of widespread voting fraud and presaged a potentially bruising battle over whether he would be compelled to testify about his role in the riot and his efforts to subvert the 2020 election.

In a 14-page missive that did not address whether he would comply with the subpoena, Mr. Trump perpetuated the same lies that had fueled the attack and boasted about the size of the crowd that amassed to hear him speak before marching to the Capitol and staging a violent siege.

The former president has indicated privately to aides that he would be willing to testify to the House panel but would like to do so live, according to a person close to him, a prospect that would prevent video of him from being clipped or edited in a manner he dislikes. The letter he released on Friday — a conspiracy theory-filled rehash of his many grievances and false assertions — underscored the risks for the committee of giving Mr. Trump an unfettered public platform.  (LuLac, Times)

 

SHAPIRO WOWS LOCAL DEMOCRATS 

Democratic candidate for Governor Josh Shapiro was greeted by over 300 supporters on Sunday Dems in Luzerne County are eergized and reay to work hard for him. Here are a few photos. 

 

A panoramic shot from Mark "Duke from Dallas" Barrett. 

 

Bob Casey giving a great fact filled speech. Casey pointed out that 77% of the GOP Senators DID NOT vote for a military pay raise. 

 

 

When I looked at this photo I saw tweo great loal photographerds, Scott Cannon and Bob Price. Duke apparently just saw me! 

Photos by Mark Barrett  aka "Duke from Dallas".

  

CARTWRIGHT MOST BIPARTISAN DEMOCRAT OVER PAST DECADE

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ANNOUNCES PREPARE ACT, HIS 150TH BIPARTISAN BILL, TO IMPROVE READINESS FOR EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-08) held a press conference at the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority’s new headquarters in Forty Fort to announce The PREPARE Act, (H.R. 4177), legislation he’s introducing this week to improve government readiness for extreme weather disasters.

Co-sponsored by Republican representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), David Rouzer (N.C.), Doug LaMalfa (CA), and Jennifer Gonzalez-Colon (Puerto Rico), The PREPARE Act (Preparedness and Risk management for Extreme weather Patterns Assuring Resilience) also serves as a major milestone in Rep. Cartwright’s service as a U.S. legislator, marking the 150th bipartisan bill he’s introduced, the most of any Democratic member of Congress during his tenure.

“As we experience another potentially busy hurricane season, we must remember that floods, heat waves, wildfires and drought are not just becoming more and more frequent, they’re becoming a regular phenomenon,” said Rep. Cartwright. “To save lives and reduce federal fiscal exposure, I am pleased to be leading the charge for improving our nation’s resilience to extreme weather events with my bipartisan, zero-cost PREPARE Act.”

Building off existing mitigation and resilience efforts, The PREPARE Act would create an interagency council charged with developing recommendations for federal agencies to strengthen their planning and preparation for extreme weather incidents. The bill also highlights the responsibilities of state and local governments in resilience planning and directs federal agencies to make best practices and the best available extreme weather data available to assist them.

A coalition of over 50 business and thought leaders supports this legislation, including the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, PennFuture, the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, and the National Wildlife Federation.

“Through the PREPARE Act, the Federal government will assist municipalities and other forms of local governments, like the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority, to better prepare for extreme weather impacts,” said Chris Belleman, executive director of the LCFPA. “By assisting communities with improved planning and communication, we can better protect their residents and infrastructure against future extreme weather events. With extreme weather events occurring more often, this legislation will be beneficial to Northeastern Pennsylvania communities.”

The PREPARE Act will also save taxpayer dollars by requiring agencies to incorporate extreme weather in planning activities and by establishing a regional coordination plan to ensure greater coordination and information sharing to ensure cost-effectiveness.

“We applaud Representative Cartwright and other Congressional leaders, who clearly recognize the need for improving federal response to extreme weather events such as floods, wildfires and droughts. As extreme weather become more frequent, communities need reliable solutions that protect people and property and safeguard river health,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, senior vice president, Advocacy & Regional Conservation at American Rivers.

Last year, the costliest U.S. weather and climate disasters did an estimated US$145 billion in damage and claimed at least 688 lives, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced in January 2022.

Penn State’s most recent Climate Impacts Assessment, in a section devoted to the current and expected climate impact on the Northeast, describes a future where increased flooding and heavier precipitation in Pennsylvania will challenge riverbank communities and overwhelm infrastructure built with an outdated sense of a "normal" climate in mind.

According to the Penn State study, the region already has seen the greatest increase in extreme rain and snow events in recent decades of any area of the country. The amount of precipitation falling in "very heavy events" increased 74 percent in the Northeast over the past 55 years, the report also finds.

 

CASEY, EVANS, CARTWRIGHT DEMAND ANSWERS FOR ONGOING POSTAL SERVICE ISSUES IN PENNSYLVANIA

Senator Bon Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA) sent a letter urging United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to address the ongoing mail service issues for Pennsylvanians. The letter comes on the heels of a Congressional oversight hearing on USPS service issues in the Commonwealth that took place in Philadelphia last month. Casey, Evans and Cartwright demanded that the Postal Service develop and share a plan to improve mail service throughout Pennsylvania.

“We write today to express our deep concerns about the persistent service issues at post offices throughout the state of Pennsylvania,” the members of Congress wrote. “While we recognize the extraordinary circumstances the Postal Service has experienced in recent years and are grateful for the frontline postal workers who served our communities under difficult circumstances, we cannot ignore the reports of systemic problems with the quality of mail service. Quality service—timely, secure, and responsive service—is not optional.”

While Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth have experienced mail service issues, the members of Congress highlighted two post offices where there have been a number of issues: the Germantown post office in Northwest Philadelphia and the White Haven post office in Luzerne County. In their letter, Casey, Evans and Cartwright outlined specific complaints from constituents such as late and inconsistent deliveries, wrongfully delivered mail, lost packages, as well as opened and stolen mail.

Full text of the letter is below.

October 3, 2022

The Honorable Louis DeJoy 

Postmaster General 

United States Postal Service 

475 L’Enfant Plaza SW 

Washington, DC 20260

Dear Postmaster General DeJoy:

We write today to express our deep concerns about the persistent service issues at post offices throughout the state of Pennsylvania. At the recent field hearing of the House Subcommittee on Government Operations in Philadelphia, we joined many of our congressional colleagues in discussing the reports we have heard from constituents about the quality of service in the Commonwealth. While this hearing was a meaningful opportunity to compare and discuss the experiences of our constituents, it must be followed by action. We send this letter today to emphasize our concerns following the hearing, highlight two cases which we feel exemplify the daily issues that Pennsylvanians have lived with for far too long and call for quick and deliberate action to address these problems.

The Postal Service has continued to play an ever-growing role in the distribution of critical goods and services to Pennsylvanians. In addition to the standard deliveries of paychecks, medical supplies and letters from loved ones, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Postal Service was crucial in disbursing economic impact payments to individuals, providing support to small businesses and facilitating vote-by-mail in the 2020 general election. For a wide range of activities, Pennsylvanians relied on the Postal Service and the quality, timely service that they were promised it would provide. While we recognize the extraordinary circumstances the Postal Service has experienced in recent years and are grateful for the frontline postal workers who served our communities under difficult circumstances, we cannot ignore the reports of systemic problems with the quality of mail service. Quality service—timely, secure, and responsive service—is not optional. There are two post offices in Pennsylvania that exemplify the ongoing issues and impacts for our constituents.

Over the past several years, our offices have received outreach from many constituents regarding mail delays and theft at the Germantown Post Office in Philadelphia. These allegations include mail being delivered weeks or months late, lost packages, opened envelopes with money or gift cards removed and other issues. Our constituents have informed us about the hardship these challenges have caused them, including missed bills and associated late fees or being unable to respond in a timely manner to critical documents like parole paperwork. In March of 2021, our constituents informed the members of Congress who represented Philadelphia that over 2,000 pieces of mail were discovered dumped in bags in a lot near the Germantown post office. These bags of mail were dropped off at a nearby police station, where local authorities alerted the federal government.

It is our understanding that, despite communication with the Philadelphia Postmaster General and other authorities, the reported service issues and theft at the Germantown post office have yet to be addressed. As long as these issues are allowed to persist, they will continue to disrupt the daily lives of our constituents and deny them a critical service necessary for their health, safety and the expression of their constitutional rights. The Postal Service has, to this point, demonstrated extremely limited seriousness about rectifying the abysmal standards of service our constituents have experienced.

In the northeast region of our state, we have heard hundreds of complaints related to more than 30 post offices across the 8th Congressional District in recent years. Residents in White Haven, Pennsylvania have contacted our offices to express their disgust with their mail service. They report that the mail is delivered inconsistently and is frequently delivered to the wrong addresses. Many people have had to bring mail over to their neighbors' homes to ensure that it is received by the appropriate person. There have been many residents who have not received necessary mail pieces like paper bills and much needed medications. While we are told that the Postal Service is making adjustments to their operations in White Haven in response to complaints, the fact that such a situation was allowed to persist for so long does not inspire confidence.

Finally, it is our understanding that, amid these service issues, the Postal Service is undertaking consolidation efforts that may complicate matters further. We also write to request a thorough briefing on how proposed consolidation plans will impact the service provided to Pennsylvanians and the day-to-day lives of the postal workers. It is essential that Congress, postal workers and the American public understand how the planned consolidation of package processing to new regional Sort and Delivery Centers might impact the service provided to Pennsylvanians and the commutes and jobs of workers. While the Postal Service contends that these consolidations will drive efficiency and we applaud steps towards financial sustainability, it essential that the Postal Service better communicate their plans and the potential impact of their plans to all stakeholders involved.

Despite repeated attempts by community members to resolve issues with senior postal service officials, the reports of serious service issues throughout the state have persisted. We understand that problems will arise, and the expectation is not perfection. However, Pennsylvanians rely on the postal service to communicate with loved ones, engage in business, and receive critical documents and medical supplies. To that end, we request the following:

That the concerns of Germantown residents be swiftly addressed in order to preserve their access to postal services;

That consistent and reliable service be achieved and sustained for the residents of White Haven as soon as possible; and

That postal officials offer full briefings to key stakeholders on the details of their consolidation plans and that USPS explain the reasons for and its planned response to the sustained service issues throughout the Commonwealth.

That the Postal Service develop and share with our offices a new plan to address the broader pattern of significant service issues throughout the Commonwealth.

Earlier this year, we were all proud to vote in favor of H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. This legislation extended a financial lifeline to the Postal Service, helping reduce the agency’s financial burdens and creating additional accountability mechanisms. We will continue to be supportive of the Postal Service in hopes that Pennsylvanians will receive this critical service for years to come. We believe the Postal Service can provide the quality of service the American public deserves, and we look forward to the opportunity to support the Postal Service as it seeks to improve service quality and restore the public’s trust.

If there is any way that our offices can assist you in these efforts, please contact our offices. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

 

GOV. WOLF AWARDS $287,895 TO INCREASE ELECTRICAL WORKER APPRENTICES IN PENNSYLVANIA

Governor Tom Wolf (Photo: LuLac archives)

Governor Tom Wolf is continuing his commitment to the commonwealth’s workforce with the announcement of $287,895 in new funding through Pennsylvania’s Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program for IBEW Local 743 to provide training for more than 30 electrical industry apprentices in Pennsylvania.

“It’s vitally important to recruit and train the next generation of workers in the electrical industry,” said Gov. Wolf. “Apprenticeship programs like this one give trainees both the classroom work and the on-the-job experience to ensure there will be a continuous pipeline of talent to bolster the industry.”

IBEW Local 743, in partnership with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter, will prepare 30-36 individuals from Berks, Chester, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Schuylkill counties to become Qualified Electrical Workers through a five-year apprenticeship program. The program includes 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 1000 hours of classroom-related instruction.

“The electrical industry has created a significant demand for Qualified Electrical Workers in our five-county area, and with the support of the DCED, our Apprenticeship Program will expand enrollment,” said Ed Bernitsky, Training Director, IBEW 743. “In an ever-changing industry, we can provide the most state-of-the-art training while our apprentices earn a fair wage and benefits.”

Located in Reading, IBEW 743 was chartered in 1918 and has been representing electricians in Pennsylvania for over 100 years. IBEW 743 also represents communication workers, technicians, installers and public works employees.

Under Gov. Wolf, 86 pre-apprentice and apprenticeship programs have been supported and more than $13.5 million has been invested through Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program.

The program works to increase apprenticeship availability to Pennsylvania employers to assist them with their talent recruitment and development. Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Program funding is provided to eligible applicants for the purpose of reaching the goal of increasing apprenticeship accessibility across the state. Eligible uses of funds include expenses related to instruction that complements on-the-job learning.

For more information about the Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program and other economic development programs, visit DCED’s website.

Gov. Wolf has served for two terms as a leader consistently at work for the people of Pennsylvania. Learn more about how his Priorities for Pennsylvania have fueled the commonwealth’s comeback, leaving Pennsylvania in a much better place than when he arrived.

 

MEDIA MATTERS 

 

FERN LEARD ON NIKKI STONE

120^th district candidate Fern Leard will be on the Niki Stone show on Monday at 4:30 PM on WILK. Leard is a Democrat running against Aaron Kaufer.  

 

WALN TV 

 

BOB CORDARO’S LEFT WING PSYCHOSIS

The other day The Midday Mussolini was screaming about how the GOP saved Bill Clinton from being a bad President. If Jesus was a Democrat (and he was more “christian than Cordaro will EVER BE!) the Rush Limbaugh wannabe would call the good Lord “crazed”, “socialist”, “addled” and “bad for the country”.

Like most Republicans, ACCUSATION IS CONFESSION.   

 

 

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM 

 

 You'll hear the program Sunday at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400 am The Mothership and 7:30 am on 105 The River.

 

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SUNDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP

 

1975

Our 1975 logo.

Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau said in a nationally televised speech that he would establish mandatory wage and price controls in order to bring inflation under control, and that an Anti-Inflation Board would enforce the new rules….The bicentennial American dollar coin was placed into circulation by the United States Treasury. For the first time, the dollar coin had no silver content; the 1974 coins had 40 percent silver. The dollar still had the image of President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the obverse, with "1776–1976" beneath, but the reverse featured a new image, showing the Liberty Bell and the Moon…….Swede Risberg, 81, last surviving member of the eight baseball players banned for life for the Black Sox Scandal passes  away….The Justices of the United States Supreme Court voted 7–1 to not assign any decisions to the ailing Justice William O. Douglas, and to postpone resolution of any cases where his vote would be important, after the ailing Douglas had been observed falling to sleep during arguments. Douglas did not participate in the vote, and Byron R. White, who wrote a protest to his brethren on the Court, was the only dissenting vote. Douglas was hospitalized again two weeks later and retired from the Court….Pope Paul VI, leader of the Roman Catholic Church, criticized the Protestant Reformation that had been led in the 16th century by Martin Luther. In a speech in favor of European unity, the Pope said that "The Reformation, it is a historical fact, has contributed to a dispersion." ….Al Lettieri, 47, American movie actor (The Godfather) died of a heart attack. During the 1960s and 70s, he commonly portrayed villainous characters. He achieved recognition for his performance as mobster Virgil Sollozzo in the crime film The Godfather (1972) and appeared in several other productions alongside Hollywood's biggest screen stars……The last games of the World Football League were played. The largest crowd of the season (35,000) turned out in Birmingham to watch the two best teams (the 8-3-0 Birmingham Vulcans and the 7-4-0 Memphis Southmen) play; Birmingham won 21–0. In other games, the Shreveport Steamer defeated the visiting San Antonio Wings 41-31, the Portland Thunder won at home against the Jacksonville Express 30-13, and, in the last WFL game ever played, the Southern California Sun beat The Hawaiians, 26-7, in Honolulu. The WFL folded three days later…..The last exhibition game between an American Basketball Association team and an NBA team took place in Salt Lake City, where the Utah Stars of the ABA defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 106-101. The Utah Stars would go out of business in December, and the ABA would fold at the end of the 1975–76 season…..The U.S. and the U.S.S.R. entered into a five-year agreement for the sale of at least 6,000,000 tons of American grain to the Soviets each year….and this week in 1975 the number one song in LuLac land and America was “They Just Can't Stop It (The Games People Play) byThe Spinners.