The LuLac Edition #5, 210, November 29th, 2024

 

POST THANKSGIVING MEMORIES

With three football games to entertain us as we celebrate the great American holiday, I was struck by the way (after a divided election) two things brought us together. Pro football and good food. The foundation of the two was community. People celebrated in huge numbers, manageable ones or small intimate numbers consisting of 1 to 3 people. Whatever was done yesterday was achieved through a recognition that it was our day.

However I realized that like many things in my lifetime, there were changes. But those changes that gave us three rather insular forms of entertainment were preceded by the ultimate community Thanksgiving event, the high sc hiool rivalry games.

They are gone but net forgotten.

Our friend and Hawaiian LuLac contributor, Dr. Joe Leonardi  shares his thoughts on something he wrote a few years back. It still resonates.

THANKSGIVING DAYS OF YORE

This year, for the first time since I graduated way, way back in 1982, I began attending high school football games. My first impression was that of surprise at how few people were in the stands. Today, the bulk of the support comes via the students, district employees, cheerleaders, spirit band, pep squad and families of those involved.

Gone are the days when the marching band, drill team, color guard and majorettes blanketed the field from sideline to sideline and goal line to goal line. It is all much smaller today, however the school spirit is no less intense.

The preparation put in by the students, instructors, parents and coaches is tireless and their efforts are rewarded by incredible performances. I am proud of my alma mater, yet … something is missing.

In the October 18, 1924 edition of the New York Herald Tribune Grantland Rice wrote: “Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These are only aliases. Their real names are: Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowley and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below.”

To this day, besides wishing I wrote it, the above quote sends a shiver down my spine. The words meld together and right in front of my eyes a gridiron visage unfolds. The vision I see is not one of Notre Dame and Army. No, my mind transports me to my childhood.

The day: Thanksgiving.

The names: Jimmy Castellino, Dave Bachkosky, Tommy O’Malley and of course, Jimmy Cefalo.

They may not have been the South Bend cyclone, but they were more than likely the most imposing foursome to ever, at the same time, don the Patriot red, white and blue.

For many years, Thanksgiving football was a Greater Pittston tradition. Some claim that the Pilgrims and Native Americans played football on the very spot where Albert West Park now stands. Okay, perhaps I am exaggerating ---- just a bit, but for most of my formative years, Thanksgiving Day and high school football went hand in hand. Rivalries existed in many communities and some even changed over the years; however, with the mergers that created Pittston and Wyoming Area, the Susquehanna separated schools traditional turkey day tussles were not to be missed.

The entire week before "The Game" was one of intense preparation.

Throughout the east side of the watery divide, homes of players’ families and non were decorated with signs of support and almost totally immersed in red, white and blue. Of course, on the other side of the river green and gold adorned just as many houses. Everywhere you went, there was only one topic of conversation.

In almost every residence, dinners were planned around the big game.

When Turkey Thursday finally arrived, husbands and sons would help get the house set for the waist widening feast and then anxiously depart for kickoff. Once gone, minus male meddling, mom and grandma were free to prepare the turkey and all the trimmings. My first Thanksgiving Day football game is ingrained in my memory. My dad and uncle took me to a packed Charlie Trippi Stadium. Bleachers on both sides were teeming with people and the fence surrounding the field had nary a spot to stand. The assembled masses consisted of those with and without children involved in the game. Greater Pittstonians arrived, participated and watched as a singular family.

On the PA side the fans were in unison shouting "GO! GO! GO!." Each "GO" was accentuated with heavy foot stomps and clanging cowbells. Those wooden bleachers nearly buckled under the fearsome force of the podiatric pounding.

Nestled next to my father for warmth, I was mesmerized at the activity surrounding us. Even today I can still feel the shaking of the bleachers, I can hear the roars of the crowd, I can recall the resonance of the cowbells, I can see the cold breath exiting my mouth and I am, for a moment, a kid again.

I attended the PA-WA game this year. It was played as intensely on the field as ever. The cheerleaders, spirit band, painted pep squad, students and family members in attendance were as loud and as forceful as days gone by.

Unfortunately, gone was the sense of community surrounding the holiday contest. The discussions around town did not center on the game. Only a few homes were decorated. The stands on both sides were not packed full and the fence had too many open spots.

Thanksgiving Day football no longer exists. It became extinct when the PIAA opted to institute a play-off system. While the cross-river rivalry remains intact and is as important to the students as it was in days of yore, the communal feel, the bringing together of Greater Pittston for one glorious event --- those days, they are sadly, eternally lost.

 

 

 

 

The LuLac Edition #5, 209, November 28th, 2024

  

THANKSGIVING 

2024

 

I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. In a year of tumult, we find peace in the fact that are individual roots are strong bonds of our survival. I thank all of those who made my life and me better.

You know who you are!

 

 

THANKSGIVING SANS ALICE

I was George Graham's newsman during Watergate. Here we are at his induction into the Luzerne County Entertainment Hall of Fame.  

And here of course is Alice Brock.

When I worked at WVIA FM, I came away with many fond memories. But one I’ll always remember was a warm May day in 12973 when on my second day of work, I sat in a studio with other young people bring taught the board operations by George Graham. The subject turned to music and the work of Arlo Guthrie's came up. Graham, for those unfamiliar with the piece, (after our training) pulled "Alice’s Restaurant” out and played it for us. It was odd to hear it before Memorial Day but we insisted and he put that needle on the turntable and let it fly. 

On his “Mixed Bag” program it became a holiday tradition one which I’m sure will be enduring  in this year too. But it will be without Alice. The real Alice passed away a few days ago.

Even though Arlo Guthrie’s epic 18-minute Vietnam War protest song, “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” better known as “Alice’s Restaurant,” has improbably become a Thanksgiving standard, many listeners don’t realize that the titular Alice was a real person: restaurant owner Alice Brock, who over the years owned several eateries in Massachusetts.

Brock was a librarian at Stockbridge School in Massachusetts when she first met Guthrie, who was a student there at the time. Both had an interest in left-wing politics. She opened her first restaurant location, called The Back Room, in 1965, closing a little over a year later. The stories told in Guthrie’s song originated in that location, resulting in the composition – much of which, Brock said, had no basis in reality – and the 1969 film of the same name. 

She earned enough from the film and the sale of an accompanying book, “The Alice’s Restaurant Cookbook,” to open a new restaurant in the early 1970s. Originally called Alice’s Take-Out, its name was changed to match the song in 1973. Her third and final establishment, Alice’s at Avaloch, followed in 1976.

Brock never loved the restaurant business, however, preferring art. She pursued art while working as a cook in the 1980s, and also penned two other books: a 1976 autobiography, “My Life as a Restaurant,” and a children’s book, “How to Massage Your Cat,” as well as doing illustrations on another children’s book, “Mooses Come Walking,” written by Guthrie. She retired as her art sales slowed and health worsened by the late 2010s.

 

The LuLac Edition #5, 208, Nlovember 27th, 2024

 

WHAT TARIFFS MEAN TO THE AVERAGE CONSUMER

On this Thanksgiving week holiday, it is imperative that people who voted for Trump know the impact that is going to have on their daily lives. As the world's largest importer, imported goods hold significant influence over the U.S. economy and lives of everyday Americans. In 2023, the total value of international U.S. imports of goods and services amounted to 3.83 trillion U.S. dollars, marking one of the highest figures observed since the turn of the millennium. While this substantial number of imports helps to keep consumer costs low, there is a long-standing debate in the U.S. around free-trade.

That’s 3.83 TRILLION U.S. dollars. The imports include food, liquor, autos, appliances and manufacturing parts that U.S. factories use to make things. It’s everything from a widget to an item someone buys at Wal-Mart. That tariff tax if you will is not subsidized by the government nor the manufacturer or importer. The cost is passed on to YOU, the consumer.

To those who were bitching about the high cost of goods under Biden…………….strap in because it’s going to be a train wreck. And your boy, Donald, DID IT?

And you LET HIM!

 

GAZA CEASE FIRE??

It is extremely ironic that the powers that be in the Mideast are now prepared to begin a cease fire. The Biden administration has been working on this for more than a year. I have two questions.

What took so long, and will this delay single a bad deal for the Gaza Palestine people? 

And where were those college protesters coming after Democrats Harris, Casey and Cartwright in the fall? Were they hiding like scared little pups? Did they lose their will? Did someone stop paying them? Or did these short attention span interrupters just get bored? 

The bottom line here is if the case fire holds, it will be because of the hard work of the Biden diplomatic corps. Another thing that Trump will be handed on a silver platter and he;'ll take credit for.

 

 

PENNSYLVANIA BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OPENS $1.16 BILLION BROADBAND EQUITY, ACCESS, AND DEPLOYMENT (BEAD) PROGRAM FOR APPLICATIONS TO CONNECT EVERY PENNSYLVANIAN TO THE INTERNET

THE PBDA WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING THE FIRST ROUND OF APPLICATIONS TODAY – MAKING PENNSYLVANIA AMONG ONE OF THE FIRST STATES TO DO SO

Governor Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives)

y, Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) Executive Director Brandon Carson announced the Commonwealth’s $1.16 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment(opens in a new tab) (BEAD) Program will accept the first round of applications from November 22, 2024, through January 21, 2025. BEAD is a federal grant program that provides states with funding to deploy broadband infrastructure and connect residents to the internet.

In June 2023, Governor Josh Shapiro and PBDA Executive Director Carson announced(opens in a new tab) the Commonwealth’s historic BEAD program funding to expand broadband in unserved and underserved areas to make sure high-speed internet is available to every Pennsylvanian by the end of the decade. Since then, Pennsylvania has moved quickly and pushed the federal government to drive out this funding as soon as possible. This week, Pennsylvania will become just the 10th state in the nation to begin accepting applications for this funding.

“My Administration is moving quickly to solicit applications and drive out this historic funding so we can extend access to high-speed, affordable internet all across our Commonwealth by the end of this decade,” said Governor Shapiro. “Ensuring every Pennsylvanian can connect to the internet is critical for students who want to learn, patients in rural communities who want to see their doctor, and small business owners who want to find new customers and succeed in Pennsylvania. We’re committed to closing the digital divide in the Commonwealth, and this is another significant step forward in creating real opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.”

Per federal guidelines, the BEAD program will consist of two, 60-day application periods for eligible entities to apply for funds to construct high-speed internet networks to areas that lack service(opens in a new tab).

“We’ve worked closely with local government leaders, state and federal officials, industry representatives, and other stakeholders to design this program and we’re excited to launch it,” said PBDA Executive Director Carson. “For far too long communities lacking internet access have had to make difficult decisions about how to educate their children, where they’re able to work, or how to get their medical care. We have the funding needed and are ready to invest in a variety of technologies and networks of all sizes to provide high-speed internet to all corners of the Commonwealth.”

Dates for the second application period in 2025 will be announced. Following both application periods, the PBDA will evaluate the applications and provide a final proposal outlining each of the selected recipients and projects. This final proposal will be open for public comment for 30 days prior to its submission to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). PBDA will announce the final awards later next year after they are accepted by the NTIA.

“Congratulations to Executive Director Carson and the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority for reaching this important milestone,” said Evan Feinman, Director of NTIA’s BEAD Program. “The people of Pennsylvania deserve access to affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service. Starting the selection of the providers that will build those networks brings the Commonwealth one step closer to making it a reality.”

Eligible BEAD applicants include cooperative organizations; not-for-profit organizations; public-private partnerships; private companies; public or private utility companies; public utility districts; municipalities or units of local government; and internet service providers registered through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Funds can be used for physical improvements; long-term leases; multi-family residential deployment; planning, design, and engineering; personnel costs; network software upgrades; and workforce development. There is no minimum or maximum grant amount for any project — projects require a minimum 25 percent share of the total project cost in matching funds.

The BEAD program, established in accordance with the NTIA’s Notice of Funding Opportunity(opens in a new tab) and Act 96 of 2021(opens in a new tab), utilizes funds allocated to Pennsylvania through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

In addition to $1.16 billion in BEAD funding, the PBDA recently approved(opens in a new tab) $45 million in Multi-Purpose Community Facilities grant funding to 49 projects in 26 counties across Pennsylvania. The grants will support key projects in local communities and help connect Pennsylvanians to the internet in public places like schools, local libraries, and community health centers.

The Commonwealth has also received $204.1 million through the federal Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP) for projects to bring high-speed internet to over 100,000 Pennsylvanians in 42 counties across the Commonwealth that currently have no service or struggle with poor service and $20 million to provide technology devices such as laptops for distribution to schools, libraries, municipalities, workforce training organizations, and other non-profits who can make them available to individuals that lack the technology needed to access the internet.

Resources for applying to the BEAD program, including webinars and FAQs, can be found on the PBDA’s BEAD Program Page(opens in a new tab).

Visit the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority’s website(opens in a new tab) to learn more about its work to close the digital divide in the Commonwealth. 

 

 

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN

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

 

STEVE CORBETT’S SCRANTON CITY NEWS

Here's the link: News – The Outlaw Steve Corbett (theoutlawcorbett.com)

 

BEATLE EDD’S FAB FOUR MUSIC HOUR

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.

William Schroeder is second person to receive Jarvik-7 artificial heart……. After 518 goals & 14 years with Montreal Canadiens, Guy LaFleur retires abruptly….John W Mercom Jr announces New Orleans Saints are up for sale for $75 million….Over 250 years after their deaths, William Penn and his wife Hannah Callowhill Penn are made Honorary Citizens of the United States….. 28 Hans Speidel, German army officer (WWI, WWII), involved in the 20 July Plot to kill Adolf Hitler (19440, and NATO-supreme commander (1957-64), dies at 87….and the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Desert Moon” by Dennis DeYoung.