The LuLac Edition #5, 081, March 15th. 2024

TRUMP SAYS MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL MIGRANTS VOTED AND WILL VOTE AGAIN 

Old Diaper Don (always lying and full of shit once more posits the illogical and people believe it. Millions of illegals voting, coached by Democrats? 

This jerk wad and his army of believers need to make up their lies correctly. They bitch that the people here can’t speak English and God damn it they better! But if they can’t speak English, HOW THE HELL CAN THEY VOTE? 

Again……I quote the fictional former President Art Hockstader from one of my favorite movies “The Best Man” who said, Y'know, it's not that I object to your being a bastard, don't get me wrong there. It's your being such a stupid bastard that I object to.”

 

BOBBY KENNEDY JUNIOR MUSES ABOUT RUNNING MATE 

Word is out that Bobby Kennedy Junior is thinking about having Jets Quarterback and former Green Bay diva as his running mate. It is astounding to me that this country took a chance on one inexperienced dumbass to be President in 2016, and now we want to take a chance on two inexperienced political dumbasses this cycle? 

 

CARTWRIGHT CO-LEADS BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS NATIONAL EDUCATOR WORKFORCE SHORTAGES

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives) 

 

U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) and Zach Nunn (R-IA-03) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced bicameral and bipartisan legislation to collect demographic data on public school teachers and principals to improve the accuracy of educator workforce data. The Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act would establish a permanent, national mechanism to collect teacher and principal data at the school district-level to assist in recruitment and retention of educators.

The legislation stems from research showing that all students benefit from a high-quality, diverse educator workforce, and that students of color with at least one same-race teacher often have improved academic performance, attendance, graduation rates, and aspiration to attend college. 

Current solutions to address both educator workforce shortages and diversity gaps use incomplete data that is not easily accessible. Without a national dataset, legislators cannot identify which schools need the most help, nor can they evaluate the effectiveness of federal investments in recruitment and retention programs like the Teacher Quality Partnership and the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence.  Access to educator workforce data is necessary to track the impact of federal dollars in schools, as well as boost efforts to increase educator diversity.

 “Research shows that a good teacher matters more to student achievement than any other school-related factor,” said Rep. Cartwright. “That is why we must take steps to address our nationwide teacher shortage. The Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act would direct the Department of Education to collect and centralize educator data to help policymakers and stakeholders produce data-informed policies to address nationwide teacher shortages, and strengthen the educator workforce, to better serve our nation’s students.”

"As a dedicated teacher, the Strengthening Workforce Data Act will provide legislators with the knowledge and data needed to create meaningful change within our classrooms and communities. We are seeing a desperate need to increase the educator workforce in Pennsylvania and this bill ensures that legislators and the needs of teachers are heard and respected in shaping the future of education," said Laura Sosik, Teach Plus Senior National Policy Advisory Board Member and 2nd-grade educator at Isaac Tripp Elementary School in Scranton.

Specifically, the Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act would direct the Department of Education (Department) to collect the following data from public schools, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and sex:

      · The number of full-time principals employed and the median years of experience across the full-time principals employed, disaggregated by years of experience;

     · The number of full-time preschool and K-12 teachers employed, disaggregated by years of experience; and

     · The number of full-time teachers who hold State certificates, licenses, or endorsements in mathematics, science, English as a second language, and special education—all hard to staff subject areas.

This data would then be published through the Department’s Civil Rights Data Collection and made publicly available. The bill would ensure privacy is protected, and individually identifiable information about teachers and principals would remain confidential.

Accurate and accessible data will help to produce data-informed policies to address nationwide teacher shortages, which will allow stakeholders and policymakers to better serve students by strengthening and diversifying the educator workforce. Currently, at least 30 states and the District of Columbia publish race or ethnicity demographics of their teacher workforce, and 36 states have funded or established initiatives to support educator retention.       

“Our students, particularly students of color, perform better when taught and cared for by a diverse range of educators and administrators,” said Senator Durbin. “As our country faces educator workforce shortages, it is essential that we reach out to, recruit, and retain educators that share the background of their students.  With the bicameral, bipartisan Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act, we can take a step forward in this process by examining the demographics of our current workforce so we can invest in effective recruitment and retention programs.”

“Schools across the country, including in Iowa, are having difficulty finding and retaining qualified teachers,” said Rep. Nunn. “We must address the nationwide teacher shortage to ensure every child has access to a quality education, no matter their zip code. The Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act is a commonsense approach to strengthen the workforce and provide better opportunities for all students.” 

"The country is facing an alarming rate of educator shortages. Stakeholders, school districts and policymakers across the country are racing to create policy solutions to target these complex issues,” said Kira Orange Jones, CEO of Teach Plus. “However, without comprehensive, uniform data on educators across the country, we cannot make decisions that are efficient, effective and responsible. The bicameral, bipartisan Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act will allow policymakers at all levels of government to use this data to make informed decisions on how to best support students, teachers, and schools across the country.”

Co-sponsors in the U.S. House are U.S. Reps. Gwen Moore (WI-04), Joe Morelle (NY-25), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), David Trone (MD-06), Jill Tokuda (HI-02).

The Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act has also earned support from Teach Plus, American Federation of Teachers, National Council on Teacher Quality, The Education Trust, National Association of Elementary School Principals, The New Teacher Project, New Leaders, National Center for Learning Disabilities, Educators for Excellence, National Center for Teacher Residencies, Center for Black Educator Development, Latinos for Education, The Sikh Coalition, EDGE Consulting Partners, Leading Educators, and Opportunity Culture @ Public Impact

 

 CASEY DELIVERS MAJOR WINS FOR PENNSYLVANIANS IN FIRST HALF OF 2024 GOVERNMENT SPENDING BILLS

IN FIRST WAVE OF FY24 GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILLS, PA SENIOR SENATOR ADVANCES NUTRITION ASSISTANCE, ANTI-FENTANYL PROGRAMS, INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING, VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE

ADDITIONALLY, CASEY SECURES $172.5 MILLION FOR 142 PENNSYLVANIA COMMUNITY PROJECTS

BILL HEADS TO PRESIDENT’S DESK TO BECOME LAW

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives) 

, U.S. Senator Bob Casey  announced that several provisions he advocated for have advanced through the Senate as part of the first wave of government funding bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. These include anti-fentanyl initiatives and substance abuse treatment programs, infrastructure and economic development funding, veterans’ health programs, and child nutrition funding. Additionally, Senator Casey fought to secure funding directly for 142 community projects in Pennsylvania, totaling $172,496,965.

“I’m fighting to ensure that when Pennsylvanians send their tax dollars to Washington, Congress invests it right back into their communities,” said Senator Casey. “Through this bill, I’ve worked to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing Pennsylvanians—from stopping the flow of fentanyl into our Commonwealth, to investing in better roads, bridges, and waterways to spur job creation, to ensuring our veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned.”

The spending package, passed 75-22, includes six of the 12 funding appropriations bills needed to pass to fully fund the government and continue critical programs. The legislation includes numerous priorities important to Pennsylvania in the following categories: transportation and infrastructure, public safety and security, economy and community development, trade, veterans’ issues, nutrition, and more. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Wednesday. Now that it has cleared the Senate, it heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

Direct Community Project Funding across Pennsylvania

Senator Casey secured $172.4 million for 142 projects across Pennsylvania. The projects include community revitalization, infrastructure construction and restoration, health facility expansion in the Commonwealth. A full list of the 142 projects can be found HERE. Examples of projects include:

Building Homes for Lower Income Veterans in Westmoreland County: Senator Casey secured $1 million for the Allegheny Valley Habitat for Humanity Veterans Village Housing project in Westmoreland County. The project will build new homes for lower income veterans in New Kensington. The new homes would be built sustainably and provide affordable homeownership with a zero percent interest rate.

Upgrading the Allentown Police Department’s Vehicles and Drug Detection Technology: Senator Casey worked in partnership with Senator Fetterman and Representative Wild to secure $963,000 to support the Allentown Police Department purchasing new police cruisers, as well as new technology to reduce the risk of officer injuries when testing and processing illegal drugs, and other technology to assist with photographing and processing crime scenes.

Cleaning Up Blighted Land in Erie: Senator Casey secured $1,000,000 for the City of Erie’s Love Your Block initiative which offers grants for projects that revitalize the city’s neighborhoods, from repurposing vacant and blighted lots to cleaning up litter and illegal dumping.

Rehabilitating the Johnstown Flood Museum: Senator Casey secured $500,000 for the Johnstown Area Heritage Association’s Flood Museum Infrastructure Modernization Project. The project will rehabilitate the aging Johnstown Flood Museum and support future planned collections and exhibitions upgrades by restoring exterior features and upgrading HVAC and electrical equipment. 

Economy, Jobs, Manufacturing, and Community Development

 Investing in Appalachia, Energy Communities, and Local Economies: The bill provides $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission, including millions in dedicated funding for Pennsylvania’s Appalachian communities which Senator Casey protected. The bill also includes dedicated funding to support economic growth in energy communities, including $75 million for Assistance to Coal Communities and $5 million for the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization.

Investing in American Innovation and Economic Hubs: The bill appropriates over $400 million dollars to the Economic Development Administration to support economic growth throughout the country, including $41 million for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program, which previously provided a $400,000 grant to further develop the manufacturing sector in North Central Pennsylvania and designated Southeastern Pennsylvania as a hub for life sciences.

Investing in Manufacturing and Supply Chains: Senator Casey secured $175 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program to boost manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania by helping manufacturers, from advanced medical devices to steel products, optimize their production and distribution by identifying potential suppliers and new markets. Since the MEP began, the program has helped more than 150,000 manufacturers create and retain over 1.5 million jobs nationwide and generate more than $144.4 billion in sales.

Sustaining Support for Community Development: The bill appropriates significant funding for the Community Development Block Grant formula program, which provides annual grants to states, cities, and counties to support community development, develop affordable housing, and expand opportunity for low- and moderate-income families.

Public Safety and Security

Combatting the Fentanyl & Drug Crisis: The bill funds the COPS anti-heroin task force program at $35 million and the COPS anti-methamphetamine task force program at $16 million. It also provides $420 million to fund the Anti-Opioid and Substance Abuse Initiative, including specialized court programs like drug, mental health, and veteran treatment courts and substance abuse treatment programs administered by state and local correctional facilities.

Supporting Law Enforcement: This bill funds the COPS Hiring Program at $256 million, which will hire more than 2,000 additional police officers across American communities. It also includes $32 million for body-worn cameras, $30 million for bulletproof vests, and $7 million for rural law enforcement needs.

 Violence Prevention: This bill provides $50 million for the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI). This funding follows the $350 million for CVIPI programs appropriated from the previous two appropriations bills and the Casey-backed Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Veterans 

Honoring Our PACT Act: The legislation fully funds the Toxic Exposures Fund for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The fund was created by the Casey-backed PACT Act to cover the cost of health care related to toxic exposures.

VA Medical Care: The bill provides $121 billion for VA medical care, a $2.3 billion increase over the previous fiscal year, to provide essential health services for more than 9.1 million veterans. The funding includes $343 million for rural health, $2.4 billion for caregivers, $990 million for women’s health, $16.2 billion for mental health, and $23 million for child care while veterans attend medical appointments.

Commitments to Veterans with Disabilities: Senator Casey specifically secured report language that recognizes the need to better serve veterans and employees with disabilities and strongly encourages the VA to take steps to do so. The language also requires the VA to complete a report on the feasibility of creating an Advisory Committee on Equal Access to ensure compliance with disability laws.

Benefits Administration: The bill appropriates $3.9 billion, a $36 million increase over fiscal year 2023, to administer benefits—including disability compensation benefits—to 6.6 million veterans and their survivors. These funds will support the VA’s efforts to increase the number and scope of claims while decreasing the claims backlog. This is supported by additional funding previously appropriated to the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund to enhance VA’s ability to process veteran claims related to toxic exposures.

Veteran Homelessness: The bill provides $3.1 billion to tackle veteran homelessness.

Nutrition 

Improving Child Nutrition: This spending bill fully funds the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) at $7.03 billion, $1.03 billion more than the previous fiscal year’s funding. This will help nearly 7 million women, infants, and children access the healthy food they need. Senator Casey and a bipartisan group of senators and representatives urged congressional leadership to fully fund the critical program. Additionally, the bill funds child nutrition programs, like the National School Lunch Program, school breakfast program, Summer EBT, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program, as well as SNAP at $122.4 billion with no new restrictions on eligibility.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Investing in Safety and Emergency Response after Train Derailments: The bill includes a $27.3 million increase for the Federal Railroad Administration’s safety and operations budget, which will fund more rail safety inspectors to help ensure no community has to suffer through the aftermath of a dangerous derailment. The bill also includes funding to support emergency planning and training as well as requires new safety research into the systems and protocols that were involved with the 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment.

Investing in Pennsylvania’s Waterways and Economic Growth: In a step towards the realization of his WATERWAYS Act, Senator Casey secured language in the bill directing the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization to convene stakeholders to discuss waterway freight diversification and economic development in the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela River Corridor. This task force will help connect riverfront communities with federal resources from laws like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Defending Against Devastating Cuts to Passenger Rail: The bill appropriates over $2 billion for Amtrak to sustain operations, a clear rejection of House proposed cuts that would have devastated passenger rail service throughout the country.

 

 SHAPIRO ADMINISTRATION PLUGS 200TH ORPHANED AND ABANDONED WELL, SURPASSING TOTAL FROM PREVIOUS 9 YEARS COMBINED AND CONTINUING HISTORIC PROGRESS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND CREATE JOBS

UNDER GOVERNOR SHAPIRO’S LEADERSHIP, DEP HAS MADE HISTORIC PROGRESS BY PLUGGING 200 WELLS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH – REDUCING METHANE EMISSIONS, IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH, AND CREATING JOBS IN THE PROCESS – MORE WELLS IN JUST THE FIRST 14 MONTHS THAN IN THE PREVIOUS 9 YEARS COMBINED.

THE SHAPIRO ADMINISTRATION IS RAMPING UP ITS EFFORTS TO PLUG WELLS, PLUGGING THE LAST 100 WELLS IN ABOUT HALF THE TIME IT TOOK TO PLUG THE FIRST 100 WELLS.

Governor Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives) 

Governor Josh Shapiro, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Interim Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley, and local legislative and environmental leaders joined the Penn Mechanical Group crew in Butler County to plug the 200th orphaned or abandoned well under the Shapiro Administration.

 This is the latest milestone under Governor Shapiro’s leadership to protect public health and create thousands of good-paying jobs by plugging orphaned and abandoned wells across the Commonwealth. The 200th well plugged today by the Shapiro Administration surpasses the total of the last 9 years combined after just 14 months in office – and represents a continued increase in the pace of well plugging efforts. The Shapiro Administration celebrated the 100th well plugging nine months after taking office – and the Administration has plugged an additional 100 wells in less than five months since then.

“When I took office, I directed the Department of Environmental Protection to move aggressively to draw down as much federal funding as possible to make a meaningful impact plugging orphaned and abandoned wells. And so today – thanks to federal investments and the good work of the folks at DEP and contractors like Penn Mechanical – I’m proud to announce that this well will be the 200th well plugged during my time as Governor,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “By plugging orphaned and abandoned wells, we’re tackling a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and creating thousands of good-paying jobs in the process. This is a smart, commonsense way to combat climate change, promote public health, and create jobs. In the coming days, I’ll be announcing a commonsense energy policy that further protects the public, creates energy jobs, and grows our energy economy so that we can lower costs for consumers and build on our Commonwealth’s legacy of energy leadership.”

Governor Shapiro has directed DEP to draw down as much federal funding as possible to cap and plug orphaned and abandoned wells to improve public health, reduce planet-warming methane emissions, and create good-paying jobs. The Governor’s 2024-25 budget also proposes $11 million to continue to support this historic progress of identifying and plugging as many orphaned and abandoned wells as possible.

It’s estimated that there are more than 350,000 orphaned and abandoned wells across our Commonwealth – and they make up nearly 8% of our total methane emissions. Methane is particularly dangerous because it is up to 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide – warming our planet and contributing to air pollution that damages our lungs and our hearts.

“For centuries, our coal mines and oil fields have made Pennsylvania an energy and economic leader around the world. Pennsylvania is embracing that leadership role while addressing the threat these wells pose,” said DEP Interim Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells represent over a billion-dollar liability for the Commonwealth that DEP is tackling head on – and the Shapiro Administration is approaching this moment as a major opportunity to create jobs and improve public health and the environment, and we are going to continue to build on this success.”

Through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), DEP has completed an unprecedented number of well plugging projects with a goal to plug the most wells and eliminate the worst environmental and public health and safety hazards. With approximately $28 million in plugging projects contracted by the Shapiro Administration to date, small businesses like the contractor for this project – Penn Mechanical Group – can hire more staff, purchase equipment, and project their business operations into the future. Penn Mechanical, a family-owned and operated business headquartered in Indiana, PA, employs 150 Pennsylvania workers. The Milton W. Campbell 6 well is one of 24 wells in this IIJA plugging contract.

 “Plugging abandoned and orphaned wells across the Commonwealth has been a priority for the Shapiro Administration,” said Tyler Shank, Vice President of Penn Mechanical Group. “As a local business providing a wide variety of industry services, Penn Mechanical Group and all of our valued employees are grateful to participate in this program and be a part of this significant milestone.”

In October 2023, the Shapiro Administration reached the milestone of 100 capped and plugged wells at Hillman State Park under an emergency contract with Yost Drilling after DEP followed up on reports from local residents concerned about the risks abandoned wells pose to public health and safety.

DEP is aggressively going after operators who are walking away from wells and stepping in with emergency plugging contracts where needed to protect public health. Through IIJA funding and existing state funding for DEP, the Commonwealth is moving aggressively to tackle this massive contributor of greenhouse gasses. “This event reflects the tireless work of the Department of Environmental Protection and Governor Shapiro’s administration to maximize federal investment and help address Pennsylvania’s pollution legacies,” said PEC president Tom Gilbert. “The scale of orphaned wells across our Commonwealth serves as a reminder that there is enormous opportunity to create jobs and improve public health and safety while reducing harmful emissions. We are pleased to have the strong partnership of the governor as we all work toward these goals.”

“I would like to welcome Governor Shapiro to Butler County and thank him for his strong support for plugging orphaned and abandoned wells throughout the Commonwealth. The Governor’s support of this program is critical in addressing environmental concerns as well as creating thousands of good paying jobs in this sector,” said Representative Tim Bonner. “Good stewardship of our natural resources will continue Pennsylvania’s leadership in the energy sector, strengthen and grow our skilled work force and result in a cleaner, safer and healthier environment for our land and our people now and for generations to come.”

 

 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 WOP SUNDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP 

 

BEATLE EDD’S FAB FOUR HOUR ON ROCK 107

Tune in every week to the Home of Rock and Roll for a jam packed, unpredictable hour starting at 9am Sundays. Host Edd Raineri gives you facts and great music from the immortal Fab Four on ROCK 107.

 

1984 

Our 1984 logo 

Iran offensive against Iraq fails…..NY Islanders score their most goals (11) vs Tor Maple Leafs (6)………Peter Ueberroth elected baseball commissioner (Effective Oct 1)…… Pee Wee Reese & Rick Ferrell elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame…..Tennis legend Martina Navratilova retains her WTA Tour Championship in NYC; beats Chris Evert 6–3, 7–5, 6–1 for her 5th overall Championship title….The Supreme Court (5-4): city of Pawtucket may use public money for Nativity scene…..US accuse Iraq of using poison gas…..Twelve-month-long strike in British coal industry begins……The United States attacks San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua…..-5°F ties lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland, Ohio (first set in 1948)…….on March 9th John Lennon’s  single "Borrowed Time" is released posthumously…he United States Central Intelligence Agency station chief in Beirut, William Francis Buckley, is kidnapped by the Islamic Jihad Organization and later dies in captivity….. He was held hostage and tortured by psychiatrist Aziz al-Abub. Hezbollah later claimed they executed him in October 1985, but another American hostage disputed that, believing that he died five months prior, in June.He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery and is commemorated with a star on the Memorial Wall at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia….and the number one song in LuLac land and America this week was “Jump” by Van Halen.