The LuLac Edition #5, 415. August 15th, 2025

 

TRUMP TAKES OVER KENNEDY CENTER

Since returning to office in January, the Republican leader has declared war on what he calls "woke" viewpoints espoused in the nation's cultural institutions, including a fresh probe of content at several Smithsonian museums.

The Kennedy Center, a living monument to the late John F. Kennedy that opened in 1971, has long enjoyed bipartisan support but has been in the president's crosshairs, and he appointed himself board chairman in February.

Seems Trump is picking the nominees, chairing the board and will even host. Reminds of this cartoon of the 60s,  “Little Johnnie aka Donny Everything”

 

THE KING AND THE HILLBILLY

J.D.  Vance has been mocked over the "ridiculous" scale of his motorcade during a holiday in the English countryside, by a former aide to Tony Blair.

Vance and his family—including his wife, Usha, 39, and children, Ewan, 8, Vivek, 5, and Mirabel, 3—pitched up this week at a manor house in the Cotswolds with a full entourage.

Why It Matters

And the scale of the security operation appears to have caught off guard some local residents who are used to King Charles III's more discrete team when he visits his home in the area, on Highgrove Estate.

As we discuss on @RestIsPolitics today when the King goes to Highgrove he has a couple of cars and maybe a motor bike outrider or two. This guy comes for a holiday and has 23 cars and a bike squad traipsing around, and the same again at his next port of call. It’s about status.Alistair Campbell on X. 

 

CROCOMO RETAINED

 

LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL PLANS TO VOTE TUESDAY TO GIVE COUNTY MANAGER ROMILDA CROCAMO A FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT THAT WOULD START JAN. 1, 2026.

 

The Times Leader reports that the resolution on Tuesday’s agenda says the offer comes “after two years of impeccable service.” Under the proposed agreement, Crocamo would receive an annual salary of $181,501 — $1 more than the salary of prior county manager Randy Robertson, who served as county manager for less than six months before resigning in 2022.

Council hired Crocamo with a salary of $160,000 in May 2023. Her pay has since increased to $175,000 a year.

Under the county home-rule charter, council can only hire and fire the county manager with a vote from a majority plus one more member.

Crocamo served as acting county manager from July 2021 to May 2022 and was passed over for the permanent job in March 2022 when Robertson got six votes to Crocamo’s five. Seven votes were required to meet the charter requirement, and the deadlock ended after Crocamo withdrew from consideration. 

 

 IKE & JACK 

 

BRESNAHAN WELCOMES 

CHAIRWOMAN MCCLAIN 

TO NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA

 

U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) welcomed House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (MI-10) to local manufacturing plant i2M as part of her One Big Beautiful Tour.

Based in Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, i2M is a premier U.S. manufacturer specializing in the design, production, and printing of advanced flexible plastic films. They are dedicated to innovation, quality, and sustainability, with products proudly made in the USA.

 “It was an honor to welcome Chairwoman McClain to the district to showcase some of the best American manufacturing right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “We are fighting every day for policies that benefit American manufacturers and the American people. By protecting jobs, boosting wages, and supporting companies like i2M, we are continuing to invest in our people and the future of our region.” 

“The message we’re hearing on the shop floor is clear: the One Big Beautiful Bill delivers generational investments in our workers and manufacturers, ensuring companies like i2M can continue to provide high-quality, American-made products while investing in their employees and community,” said Chairwoman McClain. “Congressman Bresnahan and House Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill to protect 12,000 jobs, $1 billion in wages, and $2 billion in GDP across Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District.”

The bill is a pivotal step toward securing the United States’ position as a global leader in manufacturing. The provisions included in the legislation provide local businesses with the resources and tax cuts need to reinvest in their employees and stay ahead in an industry driven by constant evolving technology.

“Manufacturers are innovators. By restoring immediate R&D expensing for manufacturers across America, Congress has empowered manufacturers like i2M to innovate and create,” said i2M Founder Chris Hackett. “That’s how we keep our competitive edge, not just as a company—but as a country.”

“Manufacturers thank Chairwoman McClain and Rep. Bresnahan for helping to secure historic tax legislation,” said Executive Vice President of NAM Erin Streeter. “This Manufacturing Law provides the certainty manufacturers need to hire, invest, innovate and grow—protecting 6 million American jobs nationwide, including 12,000 jobs and $1 billion in wages in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District. Our visit to i2M underscores the vital role a strong manufacturing sector plays in driving prosperity in communities across America.”

 

ALL THAT STATED

REMEMBER THIS…..

 

GOVERNOR SHAPIRO VISITS SEPTA HQ, CALLS ON STATE SENATE TO ACT AND DELIVER CRITICAL RECURRING REVENUE FOR SEPTA AND MASS TRANSIT ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

Governor Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives)

Governor Josh Shapiro visited Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Headquarters where he met with SEPTA leadership, including General Manager Scott Sauer, and riders to discuss how public transit serves as a lifeline for many Pennsylvanians and powers the Commonwealth's economy. Following that meeting, Governor Shapiro once again called on the state Senate to pass critical recurring revenue for SEPTA and mass transit agencies across the Commonwealth so that Pennsylvanians can get to work, students can get to school, and we can continue to grow our economy.

Simultaneously, Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis met with Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) to highlight the urgent need for more funding to keep mass transit running in Western Pennsylvania. Like SEPTA, PRT has warned of significant service cuts and fare increases if the state Senate fails to pass the proposed Shapiro-Davis budget.

Since taking office, the Governor has delivered over $380 million in new funding for roads and bridges, improving over 12,000 miles of roads and leading the nation in repairing poor-condition bridges. For two years in a row, the Governor has proposed the first significant increase in state support for transit in over a decade - and his 2025-26 budget proposal includes $292 million in new mass transit funding, growing to $1.5 billion over five years.

Governor Shapiro Visits SEPTA HQ, Calls on State Senate to Act and Deliver Critical Recurring Revenue for SEPTA and Mass Transit Across the Commonwealth

Governor Josh Shapiro visited Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Headquarters where he met with SEPTA leadership, including General Manager Scott Sauer, and riders to discuss how public transit serves as a lifeline for many Pennsylvanians and powers the Commonwealth's economy. Following that meeting, Governor Shapiro once again called on the state Senate to pass critical recurring revenue for SEPTA and mass transit agencies across the Commonwealth so that Pennsylvanians can get to work, students can get to school, and we can continue to grow our economy.

Simultaneously, Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis met with Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) to highlight the urgent need for more funding to keep mass transit running in Western Pennsylvania. Like SEPTA, PRT has warned of significant service cuts and fare increases if the state Senate fails to pass the proposed Shapiro-Davis budget.

Since taking office, the Governor has delivered over $380 million in new funding for roads and bridges, improving over 12,000 miles of roads and leading the nation in repairing poor-condition bridges. For two years in a row, the Governor has proposed the first significant increase in state support for transit in over a decade - and his 2025-26 budget proposal includes $292 million in new mass transit funding, growing to $1.5 billion over five years.

 

 

MEDIA MATTERS

WVIA PUBLIC MEDIA

HOME AGAIN:

They say you can't go home again but in this  case of WVIA TV and FM they did. After more than 15 months in the Benco Dental offices, WVIA is back on WVIA Way in Jenkins Township. Through the support of some incredible local advocates the station facility has been reborn to better serve its vast audience. 

The station is poised now to do  the community outreach, both rural and city to its recipients.

It was a homecoming for me personally because as a college student, I worked at the station in every possible shift (including an overnight shift of classical music) and as the first development person at WVIA FM.

I was so honored to be with those on air staffers so familiar to listeners. From left to right Erika Funke, George Graham (I was his newsman during Watergate on Mixed Bag) Paul Lazar a production genius, and Lisa Mazzerella. Lisa and Erika get me to 1pm in my job now with great shows.

Representative Jim Haddock is here with Attorney Myers discussing the state budget, Jim also consulted with Erika Funke and Joe Glynn, 

 

The Representative and I got the summer suit memo this morning as we met with CEO Carla McCabe. 

Attorney Neil O'Donnell also spoke with the venerable supporter of Public Media as he and his wife Attorney  Kathy O'Donnell made their way through the crowd of supporters, and of course I met with up Chief Development  officer Kate Sickora  and Major Gifts officer Alecia Panuski who are instrumental in their work to keep WVIA growing. Both were resplendent in their attire this evening. It was also great to see Andrew Sordsoni there along with his wife Dr. Susan who chairs the Wilkes-Barre City Health Department board.

Anyone interested in helping Public Media grow, here's their link and message me if you want information on The Insider Society.

 https://www.wvia.org/  

 

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.

 

THE LAURIE CADDEN SHOW

Tune in every Saturday morning at 9am for The Laurie Cadden Show on WILK FM 103.1 and AM 980 and 910. Laurie’s program has been a northeastern Pennsylvania mainstay every Saturday. Tune in to hear her insights and take on local issues as well as entertaining and informative interviews.

 

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SUNDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP

 

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.

 

THE LULAC TIME MACHINE

August 1968

RUSSIA INVADES

CZECHOSLOVAKIA

On 20–21 August 1968, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was jointly invaded by four fellow Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, the Polish People's Republic, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and the Hungarian People's Republic. The invasion stopped Alexander Dubček's Prague Spring liberalisation reforms and strengthened the authoritarian wing of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ).

About 250,000 Warsaw Pact troops (afterwards rising to about 500,000), supported by thousands of tanks and hundreds of aircraft, participated in the overnight operation, which was code-named Operation Danube. The Socialist Republic of Romania and the People's Republic of Albania refused to participate.[16] East German forces, except for a small number of specialists, were ordered by Moscow not to cross the Czechoslovak border just hours before the invasion, because of fears of greater resistance if German troops were involved, due to public perception of the previous German occupation three decades earlier. 137 Czechoslovaks were killed and 500 seriously wounded during the occupation.

Public reaction to the invasion was widespread and divided, including within the communist world. Although the majority of the Warsaw Pact supported the invasion along with several other communist parties worldwide, Western nations, along with socialist countries such as Romania, and particularly the People's Republic of China and People's Republic of Albania condemned the attack. Many other communist parties also lost influence, denounced the USSR, or split up or dissolved due to conflicting opinions. The invasion started a series of events that would ultimately pressure Brezhnev to establish a state of détente with U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1972 just months after the latter's historic visit to the PRC. It should be stated that Nixon would prove to be a more focused and diligent opponent to Soviet domination that our current President will this weekend and this week in 1968 the number one song in LuLac land and America was “People Got To Be Free” by the Rascals.