The LuLac Edition #5, 446, September 19th, 2025

  

A NIGHT WITH THE MAYOR.....

 

Mayor George Brown had a meet and greet Wednesday night at Margarita Azul in the Rolling Mill Hill section of Wilkes-Barre. Here's my wing man Pat Fadden along with me and the Mayor.

One of my favorite people is Attorney Kim Borland, a heritage lawyer and great community volunteer. He and his wife Ruth founded The Valley Santa Charity. 

Great to see two wonderful friends, Attorney Cheryl Sobeski Reedy,  and Daryl Lewis 

 Great to see two wonderful friends, Attorney Cheryl Sobeski Reedy,  and Daryl Lewis 

 

the best boss in the world, Hank Radulski 

and a Facebook fan Joey Czapla.

The Mayor gave a brief speech out-ling his plans for the future success of the city. Attorney Neil O'Donnell  gave a pep talk that had people energized. County Council candidates and Judicial and Controller candidates were in attendance at the packed venue.  

 

 

McCormick NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

DAVE, REALLY?

The missing Senator who tookforever to get his ass back to NEPA and an office staffed as a Senator a few short months ago now tells us he’s not running for President.  That was a report from POLITICO.

I mean he has barely accomplished anything, has been to our region maybe twice, has cut Medicaid and Public Media, voted to enrich himself with huge billionaire tax cuts and THINKS the people in now purple Pennsylvania and the rest of the country will vote for HIM!

Wow! I envy the lack of understanding he has in his own limitations.

 

STRANGE DINNER MATES

When King Charles’ people made out the guest list for President Trump’s visit, there should have been more vetting by his staff for the event.

As President Donald Trump entered St. George’s Hall for the grand finale of his state visit at Windsor Castle last  night, someone he is suing will be in the vicinity  at the end of the dinner table: Rupert Murdoch.

Murdoch, a familiar face at state dinners in the past, is currently locked in a major legal battle with Trump, who is suing the powerful owner of the Wall Street Journal after it reported on a suggestive birthday letter given to Jeffrey Epstein bearing Trump’s name. Trump has denied that it’s his signature and said at the time of the report that he personally warned Murdoch he’d sue if the newspaper published it.

The Journal did so anyway, and Trump subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking $20 billion in damages and Murdoch’s testimony.

Despite that, according to a preview of the dinner given to reporters, Murdoch and his fifth wife Elena were present at Windsor Castle. They were part of an intimate guest list that includes only about 160 guests, according to royal officials, and was compiled by the Royal Family and the White House.

 

TO LUZERNE COUNTY GOP:

Dumb!

YOU’RE BLOWING IT

The recent condemnation of signs saying that If you’re still a Democrat you’re a terrorist” isn’t turning out to be enough. To be honest I had been hearing opinions from Independents and even a few Dems that there were viable Republican candidates they were going to vote for. Guys like John Lombardo and Greg Wolovich were being considered because of their even-tempered way of governing and the way they have made their way to community events. Brian Thornton has been given a second look by some Indys because of his presence in the political season.

But after the placement of signs in key area in Luzerne County, these voters who are primarily disenchanted with the Trump administration are no going straight Democratic.

The normal Republican party has been infected with MAGA supporters that think every Democrat is either a terrorist, pedophile or Communist. Try to have a conversation with one of these people and you’ll see how blind they are to their faulty logic.

I get that every party has a fringe but the difference between the GOP and Democrats here is that the GOP just is totally outlandish in its attacks. As a Dem I’m not crazy about this Balls and Beer event being held by a segment of the party but they’re not holding up signs blaming EVERYTHING on Republicans.

I don’t know how you channel the crazies from the conservatives.  Who knows, by disassociating themselves from these ugly and untruthful signs, the MAGAs will still line up behind the party. But with the Democrats are very united this time around, why take the chance.

 

IN THE LAC….

THE COMMISSIONER

FARCE CONTINUES

WVIA News’ Borys Krawczeniuk tries to explain it all.

Lackawanna County Democrats again seek to block special election for county commissioner 

 

BRESNAHAN VOTES FOR BIPARTISAN FEMA REFORM

 

Comgresman Rob Bresnehan (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 4669, the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025, during a markup held last week by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

“Northeastern Pennsylvania knows all too well our fair share of natural disasters,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “When our communities suffer from these disasters, they need to know that help is on the way and not stuck in the middle of an unnecessarily difficult bureaucratic process. The FEMA Act brings needed reforms to FEMA to put states in the driver’s seat for mitigation and response efforts.”

Among many improvements and reforms to FEMA are provisions from Rep. Bresnahan’s bipartisan legislation, H.R. 4426, the Studying Mitigation and Reporting Transparently (SMART) Act, which would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to study and report on the cost-benefit of their mitigation activities.

“Investing in disaster mitigation saves lives and taxpayer dollars,” continued Rep. Bresnahan. “I am proud my bipartisan legislation to direct FEMA to conduct studies on the cost-savings and effectiveness of their mitigation efforts was included in this bill. This will bring greater transparency and accountability to FEMA and ensure we see a real return on our investments. I will continue to fight to make FEMA work for NEPA families before, during, and after natural disasters.”

Pennsylvania’s Eighth Congressional District has experienced numerous flooding events over the last two decades. In May 2025, the Borough of Honesdale was hit with flash flooding. In September 2023, Luzerne County was hit by floods that caused $25 Million in damages and destroyed 459 properties. During storms in September 2011, the Susquehanna River crested at a record 42.66 feet and nearly breeched the levees in Wilkes Barre. Additionally, in 1972, Hurricane Agnes brought record rainfall and flooding to Northeastern Pennsylvania. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses suffered an estimated $2 billion in damage from Hurricane Agnes.

Specifically, the FEMA Act of 2025:

Restores FEMA’s original status as an independent agency, reporting directly to the President and overseen by its own inspector general.

This structure mirrors the Stafford Act, which authorizes the President to direct federal disaster response efforts through the Disaster Relief Fund.

Returning FEMA to a Cabinet-level agency will empower the Administrator to lead a coordinated, government-wide response to disasters.

FEMA will become more agile and focused on helping Americans – not bogged down by having its resources and personnel diverted to support non-Stafford Act disasters.

Puts disaster-impacted states in the driver’s seat, helps dollars reach communities faster, injects common sense, and cuts red tape that can drag out disaster recovery for decades.

By replacing the slow and bureaucratic rebuilding process with faster, project-based grants, states will be able to set the pace of recovery, reduce their dependence on costly consultants, and prioritize the highest need projects, without having to take out expensive loans or wait years for reimbursement.

For the first time, states are incentivized to make their own investments in mitigation, robust state rainy day funds, and private insurance policies.

This legislation also makes critical reforms to federal permitting and procurement processes to speed up rebuilding projects and eliminate unnecessary delays.

In addition, the FEMA Act of 2025 establishes a Recovery Task Force charged with closing out more than 1,000 lingering disaster declarations dating back to Hurricane Katrina and directs FEMA to improve coordination across all federal agencies involved in disaster recovery.

Makes commonsense changes to help disaster aid work better for survivors, while saving taxpayer dollars.

Disaster survivors will complete a single, streamlined application when applying for assistance, significantly reducing the paperwork burden.

FEMA must provide clear, understandable notices to disaster survivors, ending the confusion caused by complex and jargon-filled denial letters.

It directs the FEMA Administrator to apply practical, survivor-focused solutions that both speed assistance to disaster victims and reduce overall costs to taxpayers.

The FEMA Act of 2025 removes disincentives that have discouraged donations from charities, religious organizations, and the public, ensuring more non-federal support is available for disaster survivors.

States are given more flexibility to determine the best emergency housing solution for a particular disaster.

Strengthens efforts to protect communities before a disaster occurs.

The FEMA Act of 2025 overhauls FEMA’s existing mitigation framework to accelerate project timelines, reduce long-term disaster costs, and ensure greater coordination across federal funding streams, so states can more effectively leverage resources.

States can pre-vet mitigation projects through a peer-review process to speed up funding when disaster strikes and combine funds from federal programs to expedite the completion of critical projects.

The FEMA Act of 2025 clarifies building code requirements, ensuring states retain the flexibility to tailor standards to the hazards they face.

The legislation also supports homeowners as they invest in cost-effective mitigation improvements, reducing long-term disaster costs.

Prevents the politicization of disaster aid and demands greater transparency and accountability from FEMA.

The FEMA Act of 2025 strictly prohibits any political discrimination in providing disaster recovery assistance. It directs the Office of Management and Budget to establish a centralized public website that tracks disaster assistance funding across the federal government.

The bill mandates a full Government Accountability Office review of all FEMA regulations and policies to eliminate outdated, conflicting, and unnecessary rules.

It also requires an assessment of identity theft and disaster fraud risks, and directs reviews related to insurance coverage, the effectiveness of public alerting systems, and cost savings associated with the reforms in the discussion draft.

 

ALL THAT STATED…

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO CRITICIZES 'SELECTIVE CONDEMNATION' OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE

THE PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR SAID THAT "SOME FROM THE DARK CORNERS OF THE INTERNET ALL THE WAY TO THE OVAL OFFICE WANT TO CHERRY-PICK" WHICH POLITICAL VIOLENCE INCIDENTS THEY CONDEMN

Governor Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives)

In Pittsburgh NBC News reports that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro excoriated the recent spate of politically motivated attacks and killings during a speech to the Eradicate Hate Global Summit here on Tuesday, days after conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated in Utah.

Shapiro, up for re-election next fall and widely considered a contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, has spoken out on political violence repeatedly over the last year following high-profile incidents in his state, including at his own home.

“As I have made clear each and every time, this type of violence has no place in our society, regardless of what motivates it or who pulls the trigger, who throws the Molotov cocktail or who wields the weapon,” Shapiro said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s coming from one side or from the other, directed at one party or another, one person or another, it is all wrong, and it makes us all less safe.

Shapiro’s speech comes less than a week after an assassin’s bullet struck and killed Kirk as he held an open debate with college students at Utah Valley University. The alleged shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested on Friday after a dayslong manhunt. Other political killings this year included former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, a Democrat who was killed in her home along with her husband in June, and two Israeli Embassy staffers who were gunned down in Washington, D.C., outside a Jewish museum in May.

The summit Shapiro spoke at was born out of the Tree of Life massacre, when a white nationalist killed 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.

“During moments like this, I believe we have a responsibility to be clear and unequivocal in calling out all forms of political violence and making clear it is all wrong,” Shapiro said. “That shouldn’t be hard to do. Unfortunately, some from the dark corners of the internet all the way to the Oval Office want to cherry-pick which instances of political violence they want to condemn. Listen: Doing that only further divides us and it makes it harder to heal. There are some who will hear that selective condemnation and take it as a permission slip to commit more violence, so long as it suits their narrative or only targets the other side.”

Speaking with NBC News after the speech, Shapiro criticized the president’s response after the Kirk shooting.

“He claimed, in the wake of the killing of Charlie Kirk, that he wanted to heal this nation,” Shapiro said. “You don’t heal this nation by attacking your fellow Americans, by calling some of your fellow Americans ‘scum’ — his word choice, not mine. … The president using this as a pretext to go and undermine people’s constitutional rights. That is dangerous, it is wrong, and it needs to stop.”

Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement responding to Shapiro’s remarks that after surviving two attempts on his life and “watching his dear friend Charlie be assassinated — no one understands the dangers of political violence more than President Trump.”

“That’s why, following Charlie’s assassination, President Trump delivered powerful and unifying remarks urging all Americans to ‘commit themselves to the American values for which Charlie Kirk lived and died. The values of free speech, citizenship, the rule of law, and the patriotic devotion and love of God,’” Jackson said. “But President Trump, and the entire Administration, will not hesitate to speak the truth — for years, radical leftists have slandered their political opponents as Nazis and Fascists, inspiring left-wing violence. It must end.”

In light of Kirk’s assassination, top members of the Trump administration have pledged vengeance, saying they will use every lever of power to target left-wing groups and activists they blame for the conditions that led to Kirk’s killing.

Speaking with Vice President JD Vance on Monday as he hosted Kirk’s podcast, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller described “left-wing political organizations that are promoting violence” as a “vast domestic terror movement,” while Vance urged people to call the employers of people who were “celebrating Charlie’s murder.” The administration has not provided evidence for left-wing organizations’ involvement in the shooting.

“Political violence doesn’t know any boundaries. It impacts Republicans and Democrats,” Shapiro said in an interview when asked about comments from Vance and other Republicans. “It comes from one side and the other, and we have to be universal in our condemnation. Cherry-picking only certain types of violence to condemn that makes us all less safe.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi, additionally, said on a podcast that aired Monday that the Justice Department will target people who use “hate speech.”

“Sadly, we’ve even seen some on the internet openly celebrate political violence or issue calls for revenge in the wake of it, giving violence a pass or justifying it or looking the other way,” Shapiro said in his address. “It only deepens the divide. … We must reject the rhetoric of vengeance, and instead, focus, as you are today, on the work of healing. We need to create more opportunities for peaceful and respectful dialog, respecting each other’s fundamental rights as Americans. Censorship, using the long arm of government to silence people, silence businesses and nonprofits and restrict their right to free speech — that will not solve this problem.”

In his interview with NBC News, Shapiro said that “no one should be celebrating” Kirk’s death. He added that he believes “it is dangerous” for the government “to become the thought police or the speech police.” Allan Smith and Julie Tsirkin. NBC News.

 

 

MEDIA MATTERS

 877-700-9842  

Was at WVIA  Radio Tuesday helping with the fall pledge drive. Now more than ever it is imperative to help WVIA. 

 

Here with Nora Dillion and Lisa Mazzerella, then with Morning News host Sarah Scinto. 

I was there with my ever ready  Diet Coke. 

 

Later I was joined by WVIA mainstay Robert Salsburg to pitch in for public media. You can donate by calling 877 700  9842 or ht the red donate button on wvia.org.

WALN

WVIA NEWS

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

 

 

THE LULAC TIME MACHINE

September 1975

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS ON PRESIDENT FORD

Fifty years ago, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme made local and national headlines for an assassination attempt on President Gerald R. Ford in Sacramento’s Capitol Park. Ford was on his way to meet then Gov. Jerry Brown when Fromme, within close range, withdrew a Colt .45-caliber pistol from a leg holster and pulled the trigger, according to previous reporting by The Sacramento Bee. No round fired. A Secret Service agent, a Sacramento police officer and bystanders wrestled Fromme to the ground. A Secret Service agent, a Sacramento police officer and bystanders wrestled Fromme to the ground.  A Secret Service agent, a Sacramento police officer and bystanders wrestled Fromme to the ground.

Fromme was described in the following day’s Sacramento Bee, on Sept. 6, 1975, as a “disciple of mass slayer Charles Manson. She had moved to an attic apartment at 1725 P St. in Sacramento to be near Manson, who was housed in Folsom Prison for his role in the 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate and others. 

Then two weeks later, Sarah Jane Moore attempted to assassinate U.S. president Gerald Ford in 1975. She was given a life sentence for the attempted assassination and she was released from prison in December 31, 2007, after serving 32 years. Moore and Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme are the only women who have attempted to assassinate an American president; both of their assassination attempts were on Gerald Ford and both of them took place in California within three weeks of one another.

Fromme is 76 and living in Santa Monica, California. Moore is 95 and living in Charleston, South Carolina……….and the number r one song in LuLac land and America was was “Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell.