The LuLac Edition #5, 637, April 23rd, 2026

 

BIG EVENTS

McCLAY ON THE 28^th

Experience in government, results oriented leader who can carry on the tradition of 121st district representation in the State Capitol. A tireless worker, she'll be there for all of us. 

 

PAGNOTTI IN JUNE

More on this in future editions.  

IRAN

OBAMA AND TRUMP

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW

It appears that with the resilience of Iran, the “deal” Trump will get is most likely the one he blew up sight unseen in 2017. He and his minions blasted the idea that “the U.S. was giving billion to Iran to build a bomb” when in effect it was their own money that came from sanctions.

It appears that there will be a stan off but when it’s done, the final result will be billions lost in a war that really shouldn’t have taken place.

 

700,000 CHILDREN STARVED

There is a report that since the Trump administration ended the Foreign Aid program that started under the JFK administration, 700,000 children who were fed DIED. There is a special place in hell for those who support that. 

 

ELECTIONS HAVE

CONSEQUENCES

EVEN FAR AWAY

 

With the defeat of Hungary’s Viktor Orbon, it appears that Ukraine will finally get he money promised them by the European Union. European Union foreign ministers are who met recently  in Luxembourg amid hopes of an imminent breakthrough on the €90 billion ($106 billion) loan for Ukraine vetoed by Hungary. Though procedurally any move to free up the money will be taken tomorrow at a meeting of EU ambassadors, the outgoing government in Budapest has signaled it will lift its block if oil resumes flowing through the damaged Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine.

With Ukraine being virtually ignored with Iran, this has to be the best news to help this war weary nation invaded by a killer thug and ignored by his wanna be American enabler President. 

 

TRUMP LOSES MONEY ON TRUTH

Karma can be a bitch. When you lie, lie, lie and name your business venture TRUTH, well that’s a disaster just waiting to happen. The AP reports that a stock collapse that wiped out billions in investor wealth. Devin Nunes, a former California congressmen in Donald Trump’s first term, is being replaced temporarily by digital media executive Kevin McGurn as chief executive officer. The company, Trump Media & Technology, didn’t give a reason for Nunes leaving or provide a timeline for his permanent replacement.

After soaring shortly before Trump’s re-election in November 2024, stock in the company plunged 67%, wiping out more than $6 billion in investor wealth.

Trump Media was formed by the Trump family as an alternative to social media giants that had barred him from posting on their platforms after the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots. It said it would not only take on Facebook and Twitter as a “free speech” alternative, but eventually could become a media giant competing with streaming services such as Netflix.

The stock soared, but it never gained traction with a wide audience despite the president’s frequent use of it for major political announcements, slammed by government ethics experts as a conflict of interest with the presidency.

Since it went public two years ago, Trump Media has lost more than $1.1 billion. Nunes got total compensation of $47 million in 2024, the last year for which figures are available.

47 million?  Jesus, no wonder why it tanked. The new guy vows it’s going to take off again….but The Trump Organization didn’t immediately responded to a request for comment.  Neither did the White House.

 

TRUMP LOW IN

THE POLLS

 

At a White House event a couple of months ago, Donald Trump expressed a sentiment he has rarely shared, saying, “It just amazes me that there’s not more support out there.”

The moment of candor was striking, largely for its rarity. The president generally prefers brazen dishonesty, routinely boasting about his imagined popularity and even thanking the American public for loving him with such broad intensity.

But in late February, the mask slipped, and the president implicitly acknowledged the truth, though it was packaged in incredulity. He may not have understood why he’s so unpopular, but he was at least somewhat aware of the fact that he is unpopular.

If the Republican was amazed two months ago, he must be absolutely gobsmacked now.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, for example, found Trump’s approval rating at just 36%, which was roughly in line with the latest NBC News survey. For the White House, the Associated Press’ latest national poll was even worse. From the AP’s report:

Trump’s overall approval rating in the AP poll was just 33%, which is dreadful but not the worst part of the survey data: that only 32% approve of the president’s handling of the war in Iran, only 30% approve of his handling of the economy, and only 23% approve of his efforts to address the cost of living.

For months, there’s been talk in political circles about where Trump’s “floor” is. It’s widely assumed that the president has core supporters who will literally never turn against him under any circumstances. No matter how badly he fails, he can take solace in knowing that his approval rating won’t completely collapse.

But he has been doing everything to make himself look crazy and not aware of the fact that America I struggling. He doesn’t realize that the times he attacks a Mark Kelly or a Gavin Newsom, to some Independents he is giving them a showcase and name recognition. (LuLac, MS Now)

 

SHAPIRO ADMINISTRATION HIGHLIGHTS GOVERNOR'S INVESTMENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA'S DIRECT CARE WORKFORCE, CALLS FOR INCREASED MINIMUM WAGE FOR ALL WORKERS

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val koosh speaks during Tuesdays press conference. Dr. Arkoosh joined workers from SEIU Healthcare to highlight investments in the proposed 2026-27 budget that help workers and bring them above or closer to a $15 hourly wage. Thanks to Governor Josh Shapiros 2025-26 budget that invested $21 million to increase wages, direct care workers are now seeing an increase of $1-$5 per hour from their previous hourly wage. April 21, 2026.

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh today advocated for continued investments in Pennsylvania's workforce alongside SEIU Healthcare direct care workers (DCWs) and celebrated recent investments that increased wages for this workforce. Because of investments made in Governor Josh Shapiro's 2025-26 Budget, the hourly rates paid to certain DCWs support a $15 hourly wage, personal time off, and recognizes the cost of health insurance.

These workers are seeing increases of $1-$5 per hour from their current hourly wage. Because wages are decided between DCWs and the individual they work with, both employees and the person they work for must fill out, sign, and return a form in order to receive the raise. Forms must be submitted and received by May 8, 2026, to receive pay retroactive to January 1, 2026.

 

BRESNAHAN URGES DEA TAKE EMERGENCY ACTION ON DANGEROUS CHEMICALLY MANIPULATED 7-OH

U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) urging immediate emergency scheduling of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a chemically manipulated derivative of kratom with opioid-like effects. The letter, sent to DEA Administrator Terrance Cole, calls on the agency to use its emergency authority to halt the rapid spread of these high-risk products while permanent scheduling is evaluated.

“These products now commonly appear in fast-absorption formats such as sublingual and chewable tabs, rapid-dissolve tablets, and gummies,” wrote Rep. Bresnahan. “These forms deliver 7-OH into the bloodstream within minutes, producing intense, opioid-like euphoria that dissipates quickly - encouraging compulsive redosing and dramatically increasing addiction liability.”

7-OH is derived from kratom leaves but, when chemically manipulated, can reach potency levels up to 50 times stronger than mitragynine, the plant’s primary active compound, and 13 times more potent than morphine.

“DEA's emergency-scheduling authority is the most effective tool available to immediately halt the spread of these synthetic products while the permanent scheduling is evaluated,” continued Rep. Bresnahan. “Without swift action, the proliferation of these high-risk substances will continue exposing consumers to opioid-class dangers.”

Emergency scheduling allows the DEA to temporarily classify dangerous substances as Schedule I when they pose an imminent threat to public safety.

MEDIA MATTERS

WVIA PUBLIC MEDIA

 

TRUMP AND THE PRESS COLLIDE AT THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER

This weekend Donald Trump is set to go to the White House Correspondent’s dinner for the first time. My advice, if you gave C-SPAN, tune in about 8pm.

 

 

LULAC ON WILK THE WEEKEND

Tune in 6am Saturday, 2 pm Sunday as we speak to Brian Hughes about an upcoming anniversary. Brian Hughes hosts Special Edition. 

 

 

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

THE TREATY BEGINS 

April 1979  

 

The Egypt–Israel peace treaty went into legal effect at 5:27 in the afternoon local time (1527 UTC) as the instruments of ratification were exchanged between Israeli delegate Eliyahu Ben-Elissar and Egypt's Undersecretary of State, Saad Afra, at a ceremony at the American border station at Um Khashiba in the Sinai peninsula. The exchange officially implemented the countdown to Israel's complete withdrawal from the Sinai by April 25, 1982.

The peace treaty between Egypt and Israel was signed 16 months after Egyptian president Anwar Sadat's visit to Jerusalem in 1977, after intense negotiations. The main features of the treaty were mutual recognition, cessation of the state of war that had existed since the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, normalization of relations and the withdrawal by Israel of its armed forces and civilians from the Sinai Peninsula, which Israel had captured during the Six-Day War in 1967. Egypt agreed to leave the Sinai Peninsula demilitarized. The agreement provided for free passage of Israeli ships through the Suez Canal, and recognition of the Strait of Tiran and the Gulf of Aqaba as international waterways, which had been blockaded by Egypt in 1967. The agreement also called for an end to Israeli military rule over the Israeli-occupied territories and the establishment of full autonomy for the Palestinian inhabitants of the territories, terms that were not implemented but which became the basis for the Oslo Accords.

The agreement notably made Egypt the first Arab state to officially recognize Israel, although it has been described as a "cold peace"…..and this week in LuLac land and America the number one  song was “Reunited” by Peaches and Herb.