The LuLac Edition #5, 228, December 30th, 2024

 

TOP TEN LOCAL  STORIES

1.      ELECTION 2024 THE PRESIDENCY: Donald Trump for the third time carries Luzerne County, this time with a larger percentage than before.

2.       CANDIDATE AND SURROGATE VISITS: Both Trump and Vice President Harris visit LuLac land holding enthusiastic and crowded rallies. Additionally both candidates had surrogates like the candidate’s spouses on the Democratic side coming to town.

3.      TWO MAJOR LOSSES: The defeat of Senator Casey and 8^th District Congressman Matt Cartwright reflect the red wave in the area. The loss of government revenue by these two veteran legislators will be felt in this region for decades.

4.      GAZA PROTESTORS: Every time a Democratic candidate spoke in public they were shouted down by Gaza protestors. Never mind the fact that this war started when more than 1,000 Israeli concert goers were attacked minding their own business. One has to ponder why these “activists” didn’t go after Rob Bresnehan or David McCormick. The joke on these people is they’ll have a “God knows what” policy to deal with in the next 4 years.

5.      COMMONWEALTH HEALTH SALE FALLS THROUGH: A consequential story this year   was the termination of Woodbridge’s acquisition of Commonwealth Health hospitals in both Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. This will leave the health care system weakened in the region.

 

6.      TAXES: No new taxes in the city of Wilkes-Barre or Luzerne County but up in The Lac, the new County Commissioners have raised taxes by 33% to cover the sin of past administrations.

 

7.      BUILD BACK…. Several construction projects began around Luzerne County this year, from highway expansions and bridge repairs to levee rehabilitation projects.

 

8.      WB TOWNSHIP TURNS 250: Wilkes-Barre Township, the home of the Wyoming Valley Mall, Wilkes-Barre Commons, “Three-O-Nina” the brown cow, and the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza, held a semiquincentennial event at the arena in August. Turning 250 years old was a great accomplishment for the municipality,

 

9.      HOME RULE STUDY COMMISSION ORDERED:Primary voters selected seven citizens to serve on the county’s Government Study Commission: Cindy Malkemes (treasurer), Vito Malacari (vice chair), Mark Shaffer, Stephen J. Urban, Ted Ritsick (secretary), Timothy McGinley (chair) and Matt Mitchell.

10.      NEW BUSINESS: Both Luzerne and Lackwanna County welcomed new businesses like WaWa to their respective areas.