The LuLac Edition #5,009, October 21st, 2023

 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS - WILKES-BARRE AREA ANNOUNCES LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATES FORUM

 

The League of Women Voters - Wilkes-Barre Area will host a candidate forum for the Luzerne County Council.  This forum will be moderated by Christine Mellon, Director of Forensics, Faculty of Practice, and Coach for the Wilkes Speech and Debate Teams in the Communication Studies Department at Wilkes University. Questions will be developed by the League. A recording of the Forum will be available later that week on the Luzerne County YouTube channel and the League of Women Voters - Wilkes-Barre website: https://www.lwvwba.org/ 

This event is free and open to the public. No political signs will be allowed during the forum.

When: 7-9:00 pm Thursday, October 26

Where: Luzerne County Community College Educational Conference Center, Large Auditorium (Room 132) 

For more information, contact the League at 570-675-3429 or lwvwba@gmail.com, or visit www.lwvwba.org .

 

 

DAN MEUSER WANTS TO BE SPEAKER? 

 

The news that 10th district Congressman Dan Meuser has thrown his hat into the ring for Speaker of the House  is disturbing. To be sure, Meuser looks the part but how can he be a Speaker of the House when he voted saying the election of 2020 was not valid? He was one of about 145 that said Biden didn't win. He did so on the day of the Insurrection where 1100 people have already been charged and most convicted. 

Meuser and these guys shouldn't even be allowed to be in Congress let alone giving them the chance to run for speaker. 

THEN THERE'S THIS GUY

 

CONGRESSMAN MATT CARTWRIGHT STATEMENT ON HOUSE SPEAKER VOTE

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

Congressman Matt Cartwright released the following statement on the pending election of a new Speaker of the House.

"Right now, we have no clear idea who will be the next U.S. House Speaker, leaving an unprecedented power vacuum in Congress. This severely limits America’s ability to respond to the crisis in Israel, to support Ukraine as it continues to resist Russia’s invasion, or to address any number of other problems right here at home, including a looming federal government shutdown November 17.

What Democrats are looking for is a bipartisan path forward. We need a speaker who leans toward the center instead of bowing to right-wing extremists. The extremists always want government shutdowns. Shutdowns do not save money. They cost taxpayers more. The only way we’re going to keep the lights on will be to choose a Speaker who knows how to stand up to the shutdown crowd.

The American people deserve leadership from Congress that is willing to reach across the aisle and not continue the path of indefinite stalemates that block House legislation from moving forward.

House Republicans need to get their act together. The two declared candidates, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, have yet to demonstrate their capacity to deal with the hardliners who ousted Kevin McCarthy last week.

Barring the emergence of a bipartisan path forward with a Republican consensus builder, I’ll continue backing House Democratic Leader Jeffries."

 

CASEY STATEMENT ON FREEZING IRANIAN ASSETS

 U.S. Senator Bob Casey released the following statement on freezing the $6 billion in Iranian sanctions funding:

“Republican politicians should stop intentionally misleading the American people about this serious matter. None of the sanctions funds have been transferred to Iran. These funds should remain frozen until we can determine whether Iran played a role in the attack and what the appropriate U.S. response should be. Attempts to divide the United States in moments like this only bolsters our enemies. We need to focus our energies on fully supporting Israel in its time of need and preventing further tragedy.”

 

 APPALACHIAN HYDROGEN HUB WILL BRING JOBS, ECONOMIC GROWTH, CLEAN ENERGY TO APPALACHIAN BASIN

NEW REGIONAL HYDROGEN HUB POISED TO IMPACT PA FAMILIES, WORKERS, BUSINESSES

THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT CREATED THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY’S HYDROGEN HUBS PROGRAM

ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCEMENT CONSISTENT WITH CASEY SPEECH ON FUTURE OF AMERICAN WORKERS AND ECONOMY; HYDROGEN HUB FUNDING FOLLOWS OTHER MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN REGIONAL ECONOMY

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is announcing that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding up to $925 million to develop a hydrogen hub spanning four Appalachian states including Pennsylvania.

“The ARCH2 hydrogen hub is an incredible regional opportunity to put Appalachia at the forefront of the 21st century economy,” said Senator Casey. “Southwestern Pennsylvania has a long, proud history of building and powering our Nation, and a hydrogen hub will bring jobs, economic growth, and clean energy innovation to the Appalachian Basin. As the Department of Energy continues to develop this hub, I will keep pushing to maximize Southwestern Pennsylvania’s footprint and ensure that Pennsylvania workers benefit as opportunities arise.”

The Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) Hub will be based in West Virginia in coordination with regional partners in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky. A consortium including EQT Corporation, Battelle, GTI Energy, Allegheny Science & Technology, CNX Resources Corporation, and the State of West Virginia led the ARCH2 application. KeyState in Clinton County, PA is a shining example of the potential of the hydrogen industry to revolutionize the economies of energy communities.

Senator Casey is fighting to bring jobs and economic investment back to Pennsylvania. Casey recently announced $10 million for Pittsburgh-based Catalyst Connection to help small manufacturers in the region to expand and succeed in the clean energy and green technology sectors. He advocated for DOE’s major investment in Eos Energy Enterprises to support the construction and production of next-generation American-made battery systems, which will create jobs and stimulate growth in the Mon Valley. Additionally, he secured $62.7 million for the Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative to strengthen and expand the Collaborative’s trailblazing work promoting economic development through the region’s robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors.

In 2021, Casey worked to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring billions of dollars to Pennsylvania to build out clean energy infrastructure, improve roads and bridges, expand high-speed internet access, and more—all while creating good-paying jobs. Passed in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act also made major investments in clean energy manufacturing, including solar panels, wind turbines, and clean battery systems. Casey fought to include strict domestic content standards to ensure projects use 100% American-made steel and iron. . The law includes Casey’s provision to incentivize clean energy deployment and manufacturing in “energy communities,” areas whose economies and jobs are or were dependent on the coal, oil or natural gas energy sectors. Casey pushed the Biden Administration to release guidance on eligible communities throughout 2023. All of Southwestern PA and a majority of the Commonwealth is eligible for Casey’s tax credit.

In June, Senator Casey delivered a rousing speech to union workers and business leaders in Pittsburgh to outline his vision for the United States to take control of its economic future by investing in American workers and manufacturing, as well as stopping investments in national security sectors from going to countries of concern, including China. In July, the Senate overwhelmingly passed Senator Casey’s legislation to screen those investments by a vote of 91-6. Building on Casey’s efforts, the Biden Administration issued an executive order addressing the issue weeks later.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act created DOE’s Hydrogen Hubs program, which will create networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to advance the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier that can deliver or store significant amounts of energy. The ARCH2 hub will be critical to reducing emissions and combating the climate crisis while growing our economy and creating good-paying jobs.

 

 GOVERNOR JOSH SHAPIRO: PENNSYLVANIA THE ONLY STATE TO SECURE TWO REGIONAL CLEAN HYDROGEN HUB PROJECTS

TRANSFORMATIONAL FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF OVER $2 BILLION WILL CREATE THOUSANDS OF GOOD-PAYING, UNION ENERGY JOBS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH, HARNESS PENNSYLVANIA’S POSITION AS AN ENERGY LEADER, AND MAKE THE COMMONWEALTH THE CENTER OF A GROWING INDUSTRY

 

Governor Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives)

Governor Josh Shapiro and the Shapiro Administration have helped Pennsylvania become the only state in the country to secure two regional clean hydrogen hub projects, funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program, which will create more than 41,000 total good-paying jobs between them and ensure Pennsylvania continues to be an energy leader for decades to come. As part of this announcement, Governor Shapiro will join President Biden and DOE Secretary Granholm in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon.

The federal government will invest $750 million to build the renewable Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) in Philadelphia and the surrounding region, which will create over 20,000 jobs – with a particular focus on union jobs. The Biden Administration also selected the ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub based in West Virginia, which will create 21,000 jobs for the Appalachian region, including in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

“Today, Pennsylvania is positioning itself as the leader of our country’s clean energy future and creating thousands of new, good-paying union jobs,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Since my campaign for Governor, I have been a strong supporter of this investment in our Commonwealth and my Administration has worked closely with organized labor, industry partners, and our neighboring states to make Pennsylvania the only state in the country to secure two regional clean hydrogen hubs. I thank President Biden for his belief in Pennsylvania and Senators Casey and Fetterman for their leadership in securing this win for our Commonwealth.”

The Shapiro Administration provided significant financial support to enable the preparation of the successful application of the MACH2 hub, coordinated the regional congressional delegation in support of the proposal, and engaged with the Department of Energy throughout the application process to voice support and help secure these hubs. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Rich Negrin was part of the team that presented the proposal to the Department of Energy in July, with a particular focus on the environmental justice emphasis of the MACH2 application’s community benefit plan.

MACH2 and ARCH2 were two of just seven funded hubs announced today by the Department of Energy through the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program (H2Hubs), and will include hydrogen production, transportation infrastructure, and end-use sites across Pennsylvania, as well as West Virginia, Ohio, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey.

Combined, these investments will generate clean and zero-emission hydrogen while mitigating harmful emissions and reusing existing energy infrastructure. It will also help to create and retain more than 41,000 good-paying jobs in the construction and energy sectors, provide economic opportunity for Pennsylvanians, and improve health outcomes for historically underserved communities by reducing pollution.

Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2)

The Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub will help unlock hydrogen-driven decarbonization in the Mid-Atlantic while repurposing historic energy infrastructure and using existing rights-of-way. It plans to develop clean hydrogen production facilities from renewable and nuclear electricity using both established and innovative electrolyzer technologies, where it can help reduce costs and drive further technology adoption. As part of its labor and workforce commitments to the community, the Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub plans to negotiate Project Labor Agreements for all projects and provide close to $14 million for regional Workforce Development Boards that will serve as partners for community college training and pre-apprenticeships. This Hydrogen Hub anticipates creating 20,800 direct jobs – 14,400 in construction jobs and 6,400 permanent jobs. (Amount: up to $750 million)

Appalachian Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2)

The Appalachian Hydrogen Hub will leverage the region’s ample access to low-cost natural gas to produce low-cost clean hydrogen and permanently and safely store the associated carbon emissions. The strategic location of this Hydrogen Hub and the development of hydrogen pipelines, multiple hydrogen fueling stations, and permanent CO2 storage also have the potential to drive down the cost of hydrogen distribution and storage. The Appalachian Hydrogen Hub is anticipated to bring quality job opportunities to workers in coal communities and create more than 21,000 direct jobs—including more than 18,000 in construction and more than 3,000 permanent jobs, helping ensure the Appalachian community benefits from the development and operation of the Hub. (Amount: up to $925 million)

 

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN TV 

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 WP SUNDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP 

 

 

1954

Our 1954 logo

The civil administration of North Vietnam is transferred to the Việt Minh, and Hồ Chí Minh is appointed Prime Minister of North Vietnam……….Hurricane Hazel crosses Haiti, destroying villages and causing considerable damage to major cities. An estimated 1,000 people are killed. Hazel also destroys about 40% of the coffee trees and 50% of the cacao crop, affecting the country's economy for several years…….: George Welch, 36, US test pilot and World War II flying ace, killed in the crash of a North American F-100A Super Sabre during a test flight; the incident results in the grounding of all F-100A aircraft. Welch swas a World War II flying ace, a Medal of Honor nominee, and an experimental aircraft pilot after the war. Welch is best known for having been one of the few United States Army Air Corps fighter pilots able to get airborne to engage Japanese forces in the attack on Pearl Harbor and for his work as a test pilot. Welch resigned from the United States Army Air Forces as a major in 1944, and became a test pilot for North American Aviation.  After the war, Welch returned to flight testing; this time in the F-100 Super Sabre, with Yeager flying the chase plane. Welch became the first man to break the sound barrier in level flight with this type of aircraft on May 25, 1953. Stability problems were encountered in the flight test program, and on Columbus Day, October 12, 1954, Welch's F-100A-1-NA Super Sabre, AF Ser. No. 52-5764, disintegrated during a 7-G pullout at Mach 1.55 from 45,000 ft (13,500 m) and crashed in Rosamond Lake in the Mojave Desert about 45 miles (72 km) north of Los Angeles.[17] When he was found, Welch was still in the ejection seat, critically injured. He was evacuated by helicopter but was pronounced dead on arrival at the United States Air Force Plant 42 hospital. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery…..Hurricane Hazel makes U.S. landfall; it is the only recorded Category 4 hurricane to strike as far north as North Carolina…….Elvis Presley makes his first radio broadcast, on a show in Shreveport, Louisiana, called Louisiana Hayride…….Texas Instruments announces the development of the first commercial transistor radio. The Regency TR-1 goes on sale the following month…..The comic strip Hi and Lois, by Mort Walker and Dik Browne, is launched.  The Flagstons first appeared in Walker's Beetle Bailey. They spun off into their own strip, written by Walker and drawn by Browne. Lois Flagston (née Bailey) is Beetle Bailey's sister and the two strips make occasional crossovers. One of these occurred on the strip's 40th anniversary in 1994, when Beetle visited his sister Lois and her family. Chip resembles his Uncle Beetle in attitude and appearance, especially the eyes. The Best of Hi and Lois (1986) was reprinted in 2005. The strip made efforts to keep up with the times, such as housewife Lois Flagston taking a career in real estate in 1980. In previous decades, the strip was acclaimed; in 1962, it earned Browne a Reuben Award from the National Cartoonists Society……The strip faced some controversy given the changes in content restrictions since its debut in the 1950s. Once, editors insisted that belly buttons could not appear; in protest, Browne included a box of dimpled navel oranges……Now produced by the sons of the original creative team, the strip is written by Brid Greg Walker and drawn by Robert "Chance" Browne and Eric Reaves. As of 2016, Hi and Lois appears in 1,000 newspapers around the world and this week in 1954 the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Fly Me To the Moon” by Kaye Ballard.