The LuLac Eddition #5, 645, May 2nd, 2026

 

 

FOOD-TASTIC NEWS

NEW 

FEDERAL BILL WOULD

ALLOW FOR HOT

MEALS FOR SNAP RECIPIENTS

A rotisserie chicken purchased pre-made from the grocery store can be an absolute lifesaver. It's already crispy and seasoned, ready to add to your favorite chicken-based dish or enjoy on its own, saving you time and effort in the kitchen. However, it's a grocery item that has become out of reach for many because it's not covered by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. Now, a bipartisan bill aims to change that.

In April, a group of U.S. senators, including both Republicans and Democrats, introduced the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, which, if passed, would update SNAP rules to make hot rotisserie chicken eligible for purchase using the government assistance program.

“America’s best (and delicious) affordability play is Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken,” Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who co-sponsored the bill with Republican Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia, among others, said in a statement. “It’s one of my family’s favorites, and I’m proud to join this bill with Sen. Justice for all to try. SNAP funds would be well spent to feed our nation’s families who need it.”

Can the Government Tell SNAP Users What to Eat?

As the Associated Press reported, the hot chicken product was previously excluded from SNAP benefits, along with other prepared foods, to promote home cooking. But, as these lawmakers argue, it's both an outdated policy and one that penalizes families who may already be time-strapped and in need of affordable dinner options.

It's important to note that the change would apply only to hot rotisserie chicken, not to all hot prepared foods. As a 2020 USDA policy memorandum explained, "Heated foods, hot foods, and cold prepared foods are not considered staple foods," thus, ineligible for SNAP. Cold chicken has been, and will remain, eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits, as well.

There’s also a second bill on the table, the Hot Foods Act of 2025, introduced by Grace Meng, a Democratic representative from New York. Rather than merely permitting SNAP users to buy rotisserie chickens, Meng's bill would "allow recipients to use their benefits to buy hot foods like prepared rotisserie chickens, hot sandwiches, soups, and more."

“Millions of American families rely on SNAP daily to put food on the table. It simply doesn’t make sense to restrict them from using their benefits to buy hot meals while allowing them to buy the exact same type of meal cold or frozen,” Meng said in a 2025 statement about the bill. “The Hot Foods Act removes this dated rule preventing people from purchasing hot foods with SNAP, giving flexibility to working parents, people with disabilities, and the many hard-working Americans who need to put food on the table every day. I am proud to work across the aisle to make this commonsense change.” However, the bill has been sitting with the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture since the spring of last year.

“The Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act is a commonsense solution to an unnecessary problem. Right now, a SNAP family can buy a cold rotisserie chicken, but the moment it’s hot, it’s off limits. There is no nutritional difference. There is no logical difference. There is only an outdated technicality that forces grocery stores to heat chickens and cool them back down just to comply, wasting energy, degrading quality, and adding cost," Harrison Kircher, the president of the National Chicken Council, added in the statement. "Rotisserie chicken — a real food — is the most affordable complete protein in the grocery store. At around $7, it can feed an entire family. For the 42 million Americans on SNAP, that matters enormously."

As Kircher noted, around 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits to ensure they have access to food at home. However, the bill comes as SNAP benefits are under fire. As Food & Wine previously reported, SNAP benefits stalled during the government shutdown in late 2025, forcing recipients to rely on community food banks or go without.

These Popular Grocery Items Will Soon Be Off Limits to SNAP Recipients in These States

In February, Food & Wine also reported on the coming SNAP changes under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, which cut $287 billion in funding for the SNAP program over a 10-year period. Those changes include new work requirements, under which adults aged 18 to 64 without dependents under age 14 will be required to work, volunteer, or participate in a voluntary work program for at least 80 hours per month to remain eligible. All recipients are also required to inform the state if their employment falls below an average of 20 hours per week. Critics, such as Michigan State Representative Kristian Grant, say “these changes place unnecessary burdens, both physical and bureaucratic, on older adults and low-income workers.”

But hopefully, this small change to the rotisserie chicken rule can do some good.

“Allowing folks on SNAP to buy hot rotisserie chickens is truly just commonsense. It’s as basic as you can get to help busy parents or grandparents put something as simple as this on the table to feed their families," Senator Justice added in a recent statement. "We have to give people the option to put a healthy, protein-dense choice on the table that actually tastes good and doesn’t take an hour and a half to cook."

Well this is a good idea and I commend the bi partisan support. But it should never be forgotten that the Republicans are making it harder for SNAP recipients to get benefits. It’s like a trade off, you get the hot chicken but get cuts in other areas. That hand that feeds them, also bites them in the ass too. (Food & Wine, LuLac)

 

 

The LuLac Edition #5, 644, May 2nd 2026

 

BETSY ROSS

THE LEGEND &

THE MYTH

Elizabeth Griscom Ross (née Griscom;[ also known by her second and third married names, Ashburn and Claypoole,was an American upholsterer who was credited by her relatives in 1870 with designing and making the first U.S. flag, commonly known as the Betsy Ross flag. Though historians dismissed the story both then and now, Ross family tradition holds that General George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and two members of a congressional committee—Robert Morris and George Ross—visited Ross in 1776. Ross convinced Washington to change the shape of the stars in a sketch of a flag he showed her from six-pointed to five-pointed by demonstrating that it was easier and speedier to cut the latter. However, there is no archival evidence or other recorded verbal tradition to substantiate this story of the first U.S. flag. It appears that the story first surfaced in the writings of her grandson in the 1870s (a century after the fact), with no mention or documentation in earlier decades. The myth was later incorporated into a large oil painting that appeared at the 1893 Chicago World's fair.

In the 2008 book The Star-Spangled Banner: the Making of an American Icon, Smithsonian Institution experts point out that Canby's recounting of the event appealed to patriotic Americans then eager for stories about the Revolution and its heroes and heroines. Betsy Ross was promoted as a patriotic role model for young girls and a symbol of women's contributions to American history. American historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich further explored this line of enquiry in a 2007 article, "How Betsy Ross Became Famous: Oral Tradition, Nationalism, and the Invention of History".

Ross was merely one of several flag makers in Philadelphia (such as Rebecca Young, who is historically documented to have made the earlier Continental Union Flag of 1775–76, with the British Union Jack of the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew, in the upper corner canton and 13 alternating red and white stripes for the "United Colonies") for the Continental Army, along with many other ships' colors, banners, and flags which were advertised in local newspapers.

While Griscom was apprenticed to upholsterer William Webster, she met John Ross, a nephew of George Ross Jr, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. The American Revolutionary War broke out when the Rosses had been married for two years. As a member of the local Pennsylvania Provincial Militia and its units from the city of Philadelphia, John Ross was assigned to guard munitions. He died in 1775. According to one legend, he was killed by a gunpowder explosion, but family sources provide doubts about this claim.The 24-year-old Elizabeth ("Betsy") continued working in the upholstery business repairing uniforms and making tents, blankets, and stuffed paper tube cartridges with musket balls for prepared packaged ammunition in 1779 for the Continental Army.

In 1793, her mother, father, and sister Deborah Griscom Bolton (1743–1793) all died in another severe epidemic of yellow fever, a disease found in the 19th century to be spread by infected mosquitoes. After two decades of poor health, John Claypoole died in 1817. Ross continued the upholstery business for 10 more years. Upon retirement, she moved in with her daughter Susanna Claypoole (1786–1875), in a section of Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, while  Susanna's older sister Clarissa (1785–1864) took over their mother's business back in the city.  On Saturday, January 30, 1836, 60 years after the Declaration of Independence, Betsy Ross died at age 84. Ross' body was first interred at the Free Quaker burial grounds on North Fifth Street in Philadelphia. In 1856, the remains of Ross and her third husband John Claypoole were moved from the Free Quaker Burying Ground to Mount Moriah Cemetery.   The practice of cemeteries purchasing the remains of famous historical individuals was common in order to drive additional business. The Daughters of the American Revolution erected a flagpole at the site of her grave in her memory.

In 1975, in preparation for the American Bicentennial, city leaders ordered the remains moved to the courtyard of the Betsy Ross House. However, cemetery workers found no remains beneath her tombstone. Bones found elsewhere in the family plot were deemed to be hers and were reinterred in the current grave visited by tourists at the Betsy Ross House.

On January 1, 1952, the U.S. Post Office issued a commemorative postage stamp to honor the 200th anniversary of her birth. It shows her presenting the new 13-striped, 13-starred flag to George Washington, with Robert Morris, and George Ross present. The design was taken from a painting by Charles H. Weisberger, one of the founders and first custodian of the Memorial Association, who had cared for and operated the Ross House. This was issued when the Ross legend was still strong and accepted by many of the American public and before additional historical and academic scrutiny.[

 

The LuLac Edition #5, 643, April 30th, 2026

 

 

THE TRUTH ABOUT IMMIGRATION

1.3 BILLION PAID IN TAXES

The recent reaction to immigrants in this country who have been here on VISAS, been here awaiting hearing or are here with no criminal record (except immigrating) by the Trump administration is shameful. We are a country of immigrants. But Trump, the most racist unknowledgeable person ever to be President doesn’t realize by coming after them, he is ruining his economy and the country. He has been beating up on how immigrants take but not give to this country.

Noncitizen immigrants—about half of whom were in the United States illegally—were also fiscally positive to all levels of government.27 Indeed, immigrants without US citizenship accounted for nearly half (44 percent) of the positive net fiscal contribution from all immigrants from 1994 to 2023: $7.3 trillion in real terms including interest savings.  Unlike the immigrant population generally, noncitizens have lower-than-average incomes, so the sole reason for noncitizens’ positive net fiscal contribution is lower-than-average benefits receipt.

Well there has been a study done that demonstrates how dumb he and his advisors are. The US government spends more than it receives in taxes and other revenue, so many people believe that deporting a person with average characteristics would improve the deficit. They reason that, with fewer US residents, there would be a commensurate decrease in government spending and thus a lower deficit.

 immigrants produced a net fiscal benefit because:

The United States collected more in taxes from the average person than it spent on benefits (excluding pure public goods).

Immigrants paid higher-than-average taxes because their higher-than-average employment rate led to higher-than-average incomes.

Immigrants cost the government less than average because they did not add to the cost of the government’s largest expenditure (pure public goods) and received lower-than-average benefits for other major items, particularly old-age benefits and education.

The difference between immigrants’ taxes paid and benefits received has grown from $158 billion to $572 billion in real terms since 1994. In 2023, immigrants paid $1.3 trillion in taxes and received 7.61 billion in services.

https://www.cato.org/white-paper/immigrants-recent-effects-government-budgets-1994-2023#why-noncitizens-are-fiscally-positive

Here's a song to drive the MAGAs nuts! 

 

McCLAY EVENT

A SUCCESS

 

The event for Jessica McClay on Tuesday night was a meeting that has certainly given her campaign more momentum as time passes before election day. A good crowd heard from Eddie Day Pashinski, Mayor Brown and the candidate herself. Pashinski made some news by saying that his staff would transition into a possible McClay win that would ensure continuity. 

 

Here we are with the candidate.

Here’s Attorney Neil O’Donnell with super volunteer Adam Cieoski.

Here’s Attorney O’Donnell with Ken Smith, who is the Senior District Operations & Outreach Specialist for the Pa. House of Representatives.  me the candidate and Mayor Brown.

Also, here’s Thom Shubilla and I sharing some talk with me.

AND LOOK WHAT HE IS DOING MONDAY MAY 4th  

Join us for some great conversation, fellowship and that famous Betelli's food. 

 

Election day is May 19^th.

 

PUBLIC MEDIA DAYS

 

On May 1st and 2nd, WVIA celebrates Public Media Day.

Think of where your life would be if not for Public Media.

In its 60th year, WVIA TV has educated, informed and entertained. It has something of quality for everybody.

In its 53rd year, WVIA FM has brought you on scene in every major news story as well a local news team that is the envy of other commercial radio stations.

All of THIS happens because of you.

Please keep the momentum going with your investment in this endeavor. And to my friends who want to upgrade, join me in The Insider Society.

 

FORMER PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNORS RELEASE STATEMENT CALLING FOR BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR ENSURING SHAPIRO FAMILY’S SAFETY

 

Stacey Garrity who is the State Treasurer running for Governor is trying to flex her puny political muscles by blocking safety upgrades to the Governor’s mansion. Garrity who is traveling in the state with a smile and handshake is disguising the Trump like principles of Cruel, chaotic and craven. I bet she’ll say yes a thousand times to her lord and savior Trump for his ballroom, but for a Democrat…………not so much.

All living former Pennsylvania Governors released a statement calling for lawmakers to ensure Governor Josh Shapiro’s safety after Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced the treasury declined to pay for $1 million in security upgrades to the Shapiro family’s personal residence in Montgomery County.

The statement from the former governors Tom Wolf, Tom Corbett, Ed Rendell, Mark Schweiker, and Tom Ridge called for the first family’s safety to remain nonpartisan and ensure the issue isn’t politicized following the attack on the family’s Harrisburg residence last year and the attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.

“As former Governors of Pennsylvania, we have come together several times to speak on issues of mutual interest. This weekend, the President faced yet another assassination attempt. Last year, Governor Shapiro and his family faced an unspeakable attack while they were sleeping in the Governor’s Residence. Combatting political violence and keeping our elected officials safe should always be nonpartisan and a priority. For us, the attack on Pennsylvania’s First Family was particularly upsetting. In the aftermath of that attack we ask the state’s current leaders and legislators to make the safety and security of the Governor and his family a priority.”

While the statement follows Garrity’s announcement that the Treasury would not pay for the renovations, it did not call on the state to pay for them.

Garrity, who is running against Shapiro (D) in the November gubernatorial election, previously said that the attack on the governor’s residence in April 2025 was “shocking, but the upgrades to his Montgomery County home “present a different issue” and that the Treasury “does not have the legal authority” to pay for the renovations.

On Monday, Garrity responded to the former governors’ statement, saying she agrees with them that “violence and threats against public officials have no place in our country.”

At the same time, my responsibility as State Treasurer is clear and limited by law. The Treasury does not currently have the legal authority to pay for security improvements to a personal residence, in fact, doing so would conflict with responsibilities defined in the state constitution. That is not a political judgment, it is a legal constraint that applies regardless of who holds office. Also, it’s important to note that security upgrades have already been made to the Governor’s private home – this isn’t about the improvements, it’s about having the legal authority to pay the bills and that simply does not exist.

I don’t think that the former Governors’ statement was about me or the legal requirement prohibiting taxpayer dollars from being spent on upgrades to the Governor’s personal home. I do however believe that they are suggesting that politics should never play a role in decisions of security for the Governor or any elected official and on that we all agree. In that same narrative, we can take threats seriously and support security without disregarding the legal boundaries that govern how public funds are spent.”

Pennsylvania State Police previously approved the use of public funds for the upgrades, which the Treasury rejected paying.

“Payment requests for security construction upgrades to the Governor’s private home with state funds is unprecedented,” Garrity said, adding a claim that State Police “simply ignored the statutory limits and restrictions on spending and procurement.”

Spokesperson for Governor Shapiro’s office, Rosie Lapowsky, called the move by the Treasury  “completely unprecedented and shameful political action without legal basis.”

Shapiro defended the upgrades to his home in the past, saying Republicans are playing “shameful games” attacking him and his family.

The governor’s private residence received security upgrades after recommendations from an independent security expert.

 

BRESNAHAN ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2026 CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION

 

Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) announced the winners of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition, recognizing outstanding student artists from across Pennsylvania’s Eighth Congressional District.

 “The Congressional Art Competition is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the creativity and talent of students right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “I’m continuously impressed by the submissions we receive, and I’m proud to recognize all of this year’s participants for their hard work and cre2026 Winners

First Place: Arimeya Janov, Wilkes-Barre Area High School, “The Taste of Autumn”

Second Place: Destiny Kile, Wilkes-Barre Area High School, “The Investigators”

Third Place: Jancy Arce Colon, Hazleton Area Arts & Humanities Academy, “Innocence”ativity.”

  

HUNDREDS OF PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE EARNING TUITION-FREE COLLEGE CREDITS THROUGH DUAL-CREDIT PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY SHAPIRO ADMINISTRATION INVESTMENTS

 

Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe visits Kutztown University to celebrate 68 students from 19 school districts who will graduate from high school this spring with college credits earned through Kutztown University's Early College Academy, a dual-credit program that is building capacity to offer tuition-free college courses to even more high school students over the next few years thanks to more than $1.7 million in grant funding from the Shapiro Administration...Secretary Rowe also announces $7 million in grants to 10 institutions of higher education to build and expand programs that offer hundreds of Pennsylvania students a headstart on their college career - bringing the Shapiro Administration's total investment in the Dual Credit Innovation Grant Program to $21 million...Since taking office, Governor Josh Shapiro has improved education for Pennsylvanians of all ages and backgrounds, made strategic investments that uplift all Pennsylvanians, and broken down barriers to opportunity. Under the Governor's leadership, Pennsylvania has increased funding for public education by almost $3 billion in just three years. This includes nearly $2 billion more for K-12 public schools, $190 million more for Special Education, $65 million more for Career and Technical Education, and $52 million more for higher education...Governor Shapiro's 2026-27 budget proposal builds on this progress for Pennsylvanians all across the Commonwealth by investing another $7 million in dual-credit programs for high school students who want to pursue higher education. Recipients of the Dual Credit Innovation Grant must offer the dual-credit program to students at no cost. (Photo: Governor’s website)

 

Through historic investments in education from the Shapiro Administration, more Pennsylvania students are charting their own course to success through dual-credit programs that offer high school students the opportunity to earn college credits before graduation - at no cost to the students or their families. Today at Kutztown University, Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe announced $7 million in grants to 10 institutions of higher education to build and expand programs that offer hundreds of Pennsylvania students a headstart on their college career - bringing the Shapiro Administration's total investment in the Dual Credit Innovation Grant Program to $21 million.
Secretary Rowe joined hundreds of students, parents, and educators today to celebrate 68 students from 19 school districts who will graduate from high school this spring with college credits earned through Kutztown University's Early College Academy, a dual-credit program that is building capacity to offer tuition-free college courses to even more high school students over the next few years thanks to more than $1.7 million in grant funding from the Shapiro Administration.

 

 

MEDIA MATTERS

WVIA NEWS 

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 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

SEATTLE WORLD’S FAIR

April 1962

 

The Century 21 Exposition World's Fair opens in Seattle, United States. This is also the Opening Day of the Seattle Space Needle.

The Century 21 Exposition (also known as the Seattle World's Fair) was a world's fair held April 21, 1962, to October 21, 1962, in Seattle, Washington, United States. Nearly 10 million people attended the fair during its six-month run.

As planned, the exposition left behind a fairground and numerous public buildings and public works; some credit it with revitalizing Seattle's economic and cultural life (see History of Seattle (1940–present)).The fair saw the construction of the Space Needle and Alweg monorail, as well as several sports venues (Washington State Coliseum, now Climate Pledge Arena) and performing arts buildings (the Playhouse, now the Cornish Playhouse), most of which have since been replaced or heavily remodeled. Unlike some other world's fairs of its era, Century 21 made a profit.

The site, slightly expanded since the fair, is now called the Seattle Center; the United States Science Pavilion is now Pacific Science Center. Another notable Seattle Center building, the Museum of Pop Culture (earlier called EMP Museum), was built nearly 40 years later and designed to fit in with the fairground atmosphere.

The grounds of the fair were divided into:

World of Science

World of Century 21 (also known as World of Tomorrow

World of Commerce and Industry

World of Art

World of Entertainment

Show Street

Gayway

Boulevards of the World

Exhibit Fair

Food and Favors

Food Circus and the number 1 song in LuLac land and America was “Johnny Angel” by Shelley Fabares.

Her TV show brother Paul Peterson was also on the charts with the #19 song, “She Can’t Find Her Keys”. Both tunes were on Colpix Records.  The label's roster included Lou Christie, James Darren, Paul Petersen, Freddie Scott, Tommy Boyce. Two of the label's best known number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Charts were "Blue Moon" by The Marcels in the spring of 1961 (also a number one in the UK, where Colpix was licensed to Pye International),and the aforementioned "Johnny Angel" by Shelley Fabares in the spring of 1962.