The LuLac Edition #5, 502, November 20th, 2025

 

LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL SAYS NAY TO TV COVERAGE

According to the Citizens’ Voice Luzerne County Council meetings will no longer be available to seen on Service Electric Cable TV but will be available to watch online and via Zoom.

Council rejected a proposed contract to continue broadcasting on Service Electric at no charge by a 5-4 vote on Nov. 10. Council members noted county in-house staff through its information technology department is capable of handling all video work associated with council meetings.

Service Electric began carrying live broadcasts of council meetings in 2012 when the county was unable to records meetings on video. Scott Cannon of Video Innovations was in charge of broadcasting for Service Electric and also posted recordings of council meetings on YouTube on the Luzerne County Community Channel.

“County Council voted to not renew our contract for broadcasting the Luzerne County Council meetings, so we will no longer be broadcasting, live streaming, or posting the recordings on this channel. We are sorry for the inconvenience,” a post on the YouTube channel said.

Whatever the professionals under the dome have planned, I hope they realize that many older residents can’t stream or even have access to a computer. My understanding is that Service Electric sent a memo to Council regarding a change about exclusivity but that appears to be ignored.

I’m not sure the people who voted against this renewal truly don’t understand what it takes to make these meetings happen. This change means that 14 microphone were  used during sessions. This initiative was a community service paid for by Service Electric.

The decision came down to a narrow 5-4 vote — and, ironically, had more support from Republican council members than from Democrats. Patty Krushnowski (with Joanna Bryn Smith absent) and Republicans Harry Haas, Leanne McDermott, and Chris Perry gave  votes of confidence. Why Democrats Jimmy Sabatini and Brittany Stephson voted against this is beyond me.

 I recommend the county staff consult with the previous vendor to get up to speed by next Tuesday so that residents will have the transparency they have been used to for over a decade. This was a constant in people’s lives, and I’m shocked that the Dems voted against this, especially after a post from Sabatini about transparency. I can see that those meetings are frustrating when the no nothing MAGAs hold court and behave badly. But that’s the cost of doing business in a democracy. Plus, nothing was coming out of the county budget. The motivation for the vote to remove a free service already in place is anyone's guess. Maybe those who voted yes are jealous of the Trump chaos? 

    In the meantime, Jimmy Sabatino must have been getting blowback on his vote because he posted this on Facebook.  

The terry first sentence does not ring true. I'm told, as was others in the county that sentence would not express an option for exclusivity. I don't speak for Service Electric but I'm pretty certain they can be flexible for the community education and well being. 

 

THE POPE AND IMMIGRATION

 

 

 

Insisting that the dignity of all people, including immigrants, must be respected, Pope Leo XIV asked U.S. Catholics and "people of goodwill" to read and listen to the U.S. bishops' recent pastoral message on the topic.

"When people are living good lives -- and many of them (in the United States) for 10, 15, 20 years -- to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least," is not acceptable, the pope said Nov. 18.

Meeting reporters outside his villa in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo was asked what he thought of the "special pastoral message on immigration" approved overwhelmingly by members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 12.

Pope Leo XIV is seen speaking to journalists outside the Palazzo Barberini in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, in a screen shot from a video taken Nov. 4, 2025. (CNS photo/screen grab, Vatican Media)

"We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement," the bishops said. "We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status."

The bishops also said, "We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people," and they prayed "for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement."

Pope Leo told reporters in Castel Gandolfo that the pastoral message is "a very important statement. I would invite especially all Catholics, but people of goodwill, to listen carefully to what they said."

"No one has said that the United States should have open borders," the pope said. "I think every country has a right to determine who and how and when people enter."

However, he said, in enforcing immigration policy "we have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have."

"If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that," he said. "There are courts. There's a system of justice," but the system has "a lot of problems" that should be addressed.

Amen pontiff, Amen! 

 

TRUMP-WHEN WILL WE HIT BOTTOM

THE CROWN MEETS THE CLOWN 

I recently watched the Ken Burns documentary on The American Revolution. It was filled with many facts that made the fight for freedom less than the fairy tale we heard in kindergarten. It was bloody, treacherous and messy. There were highs and lows but there were standards too.

In our country we’ve had good and bad Presidents. They were weak and strong. Treacherous and gullible. Dumb as rocks or brilliant as a genius on loan from Harvard.  Each one had an inkling of what the office held. There was respect, some sincere, others not so much. But the latter at least had the illusion of respect for the people. But not this guy. There is no bottom to this guy.

Take Tuesday’s meeting with the crown prince. Trump went nuts on an ABC reporter who asked the prince a question and he threatened to take away ABC’s license, praised the Saudi leader even though our own CIA told him the Washington Post columnist was killed and chopped up trying to get a marriage license and then implied  Jamal Khashoggi, was asking for it.

What an embarrassment to the Presidency and this country.

 

HOG MEETS PIGGY?

Then there was this exchange on Air Force 1 with a reporter named Catherine Lucey  who had the temerity to ask him a question. The President referred to her as Piggy. This slob of a man disguised in blue suits and hair that takes hours to comb insults people when he is cornered. He is a man  child who makes one angry that there are still defenders of his abhorrent behavior.

Remember on 911 when President Bush was reading to first graders during the planes that were heading to New York? I guarantee those kids had more dignity than this monster. 

 

SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT 

THESE GUYS......

A Muslim, an addled old man and a liar................but they were PRESIDENTS.  

 

BRESNAHAN, DEAN INTRODUCE LEGISLATION HONORING FAMILIES OF VETERANS LOST TO SUICIDE

 

On Veteran’s Day U.S. Representatives Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) and Madeleine Dean (PA-04) announced the introduction of the Sgt. Walter F. Hartnett IV Green Star Veterans Service Act, bipartisan legislation directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an official Green Star flag for the next of kin of veterans who die by suicide.

 Named in honor of Sergeant Walter F. Hartnett IV, a dedicated American servicemember whose life was tragically lost to the invisible wounds of war, the legislation seeks to provide both recognition and solace to families who continue to carry the burdens of military service after their loved one’s passing.

“We honor those who gave their lives for our country on the battlefield, but we cannot forget those who lost their lives to the lasting wounds of service,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “Veterans Day is a crucial reminder of the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of each veteran, including those who lose their lives to suicide. The Green Star flag will serve as a visible reminder that these veterans and their families’ sacrifices matter and that our nation stands beside them.”

“Walt Hartnett was a man devoted to service — to his country, his fellow veterans, his Conshohocken community, and, above all, his beautiful family. I was blessed to work alongside him, and our office was better because of his powerful voice for veterans in need. He led an expansive life, one that we lost too soon to suicide,” said Rep. Dean. “Every day, we lose an estimated 22 veterans to suicide — men and women who gave of themselves entirely for our freedom, and who bore wounds civilians cannot fathom. Yet, their families receive no federal recognition for such excruciating loss. The Sgt. Walter F. Hartnett IV Green Star Veterans Service Act would change that by creating a Green Star Service flag to raise awareness of the crisis of veteran suicide and provide resources for their loved ones. I thank my fellow Pennsylvanian, Congressman Rob Bresnahan, for co-leading this important and personal bipartisan bill.”

“Families who have lost a Veteran to suicide deserve their own place of honor, not hidden under any other banner, and no longer overlooked,” said Matt Cahill, Green Star Families of America Founder. “The Green Star Service Banner affirms that their loss matters, their service endures, and their strength will forever stand as part of America’s storied legacy of service and sacrifice.”

The Sgt. Walter F. Hartnett IV Green Star Veterans Service Act affirms a national commitment to destigmatizing mental health in the armed forces and ensuring every veteran’s legacy is honored with dignity.

 

GOVERNOR SHAPIRO, LT. GOV. DAVIS, SECRETARY BROWNE, & LEGISLATIVE LEADERS HIGHLIGHT NEW WORKING PENNSYLVANIANS TAX CREDIT THAT WILL CUT COSTS, DELIVER $193 MILLION IN TAX RELIEF FOR 940,000 PENNSYLVANIANS

Governor Josh Shapiro joined Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, Department of Revenue Secretary Pat Browne, legislative leaders, and community partners to highlight the creation of the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit in the new state budget Governor Shapiro signed last week a new state tax credit that will provide $193 million in tax relief for nearly one million working Pennsylvanians...The 2025-26 budget signed by Governor Shapiro establishes a new credit equal to 10 percent of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), ensuring that anyone who qualifies for the federal EITC will now automatically receive both credits when they file their taxes next year. This new state-level credit will reduce taxes owed and increase refunds for working Pennsylvanians who need it most. (Photo: Governor’s office)

Governor Josh Shapiro, Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Secretary Pat Browne, legislative leaders, and community partners visited the Widener University Commonwealth Law School tax preparation clinic in Dauphin County to highlight how the new Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit (WPTC) - created in the 2025-26 budget the Governor signed last week - will deliver $193 million in tax relief to 940,000 working Pennsylvanians beginning next tax season.

Modeled after the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the new state-level credit equals 10 percent of the federal credit. Anyone who qualifies for the federal EITC will now automatically receive both credits, helping reduce taxes owed and put more money back in hardworking Pennsylvanians' pockets.

The Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit is the seventh tax cut signed into law by Governor Shapiro in just three years and reflects his continued commitment to cutting taxes and lowering costs for working families.

"From day one, I've made cutting taxes and lowering costs for working families a top priority," said Governor Shapiro. "Pennsylvanians are feeling the impact of rising costs, and while federal policies have only made that harder, my Administration is focused on cutting taxes and helping working families get ahead. This new Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit will put up to $805 back in the pockets of hardworking Pennsylvanians, giving them more resources to support their families. "

 

 

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN

WVIA RADIO

 

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

MAYOR AND MILK SHOT DEAD

November 1978

 

San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were assassinated by a disgruntled former Supervisor, Dan White. White had resigned on November 10, then changed his mind on November 14 and asked for his job back. On the day that Moscone had chosen to pick from several choices (including White) for the vacant seat, the mayor informed White that another person, Don Horanzy, would fill the vacancy on the Board of Supervisors. White invited Milk, who had opposed White's reappointment, to join him in talking to Mayor Moscone at the mayor's office. A few minutes after 11:00, White shot both men to death. Future U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, president of the Board of Supervisors, was sworn in as acting mayor  and then elected by the Board of Supervisors, 6 to 2, on December 4 to finish out Moscone's term. e Mayor's office, then Milk in White's former office space, before escaping the building. Board of Supervisors president Dianne Feinstein first announced Moscone and Milk's deaths to the media, and because of Moscone's death, succeeded him as acting mayor.

White was charged with first-degree murder with circumstances that made him eligible for the death penalty. However, on May 21, 1979, White was convicted of the lesser crime of voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, which resulted in the White Night riots and the abolition of the diminished capacity criminal defense in California. It also led to the commonly cited "Twinkie defense", as the defense had stated in passing that White's diminished capacity was partially evidenced by his consumption of sugar-laden junk food. White committed suicide in 1985, a year and a half after his release from prison.

Feinstein was elected by the Board of Supervisors to become the first female mayor of San Francisco on December 4, 1978, a title she would hold for the next ten years. She eventually became a United States senator for California until her death in 2023 and that week in 1978 the number one song in LuLac land and America was “How Much  I Feel”  by Ambrosia.