The next Luzerne County Commissioner

County controller will try for Vonderheid’s seat

Luzerne County Controller Maryanne Petrilla plans to climb to the next rung of the political ladder in 2007...She officially declared her candidacy Wednesday for the spot now held by Commissioner Todd Vonderheid, who will not seek re-election next year.

Petrilla’s campaign platform is focusing on economic development to create new jobs, fighting the county’s drug and crime problems and reducing costs while maintaining or improving services.

Her platform is the usual dribble that we have been hearing forever. More jobs, cut costs, less crime and lock up all the drug dealers. I'll believe it when I see it.

When it comes to more jobs Luzerne County is in the same hole as many other communities. A company will promise to come to the area if local taxing authorities will give away the store to them. The last time I looked programs like KOZ Zones haven't created many jobs and you and me pay the difference. The so called War on Drugs by the national government is directly responsible for the rise in crime and the overcrowding of local jails and local governments can only offer band-aid solutions. Then there is the dishonesty of every politician that wants to cut costs and taxes while promising more programs.

She wants to be Greg Skrepenak's running mate but he is saying he will wait and see who else comes forward. Bullshit. It will be her and Skrep running as a team. This quote from Skrepnak made me laugh:

"The budget is balanced. We have some quality projects in the works. The attitude in this county has changed. We can’t lose that momentum.”

The budget might be balanced now because of refinancing of the long term debt that future Commissioners will have to find a way to pay for and even more money will have to be borrowed to pay for a new county jail. How much more money can this county borrow?

These guys won't look good in Dodger Blue

Wolf signs with the Dodgers

Few people get to play professional baseball. Even fewer get to play for their hometown team.
Randy Wolf found that opportunity impossible to pass up.
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced yesterday that they had signed the lefthander to a one-year, $7.5 million contract with a $9 million club option (or a $500,000 buyout) for 2008 that automatically vests based on innings pitched.

Here comes da Judge

What, it's noon already?

I've heard the stories about Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Ann Lokuta sometimes eccentric behavior. If you read the complaint of the state’s Judicial Conduct Board it reads like a script of a bad comedy. Accusing her of not bathing, wearing soiled clothes and yelling at people is petty. The hints about her sexuality interfering with her duties have come up before. A former female clerk had filed sexual harrassment charges in 1999 that weren't proven. When she was up for retention in 2001 the word went out to vote no and she only got 57% of the vote in her favor. The other Judges on the ballot that year received 70%+.

The TL article has the highlights of some of the more outrageous accusations and the CV has some follow-up. The most serious allegation is that she used a court employee as her personal slave:

From 1999 to 2001, Lokuta “misused” worker Judith Flaherty by having her run personal errands on county time, the charges say. Flaherty allegedly had to clean Lokuta’s bathroom, kitchen, hallway, living room, scrub her floor by hand, take her car to the car wash, and do yard work at Lokuta’s home, among other chores. Flaherty was at Lokuta’s home performing the tasks for weeks and months at a time.

But the other shoe will drop in this if it goes to a hearing and it will be fun to hear her side of the story. This charge caught my attention:

Lokuta has also allegedly directed her staff to not interact with other court personnel or judges and continually gives negative commentary from the bench about President Judge Michael Conahan.

A Big Fat Slob has dealt with our local legal system and has concluded we need merit selection of Judges. I agree.

Dems take state house, maybe

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — Democrats won control of the state House of Representatives for the first time in 12 years Tuesday as Chester County officials settled a pair of tight House races three weeks after the election.
In the closest race, Democrat Barbara McIlvaine Smith of West Chester won the formerly Republican 156th District seat by 23 votes after officials tabulated hundreds of previously uncounted absentee ballots.
Smith, 56, who owns a water-treatment company, defeated Republican Shannon Royer, 39, who has worked on the House Republicans' staff for a decade, by a tally of 11,614 to 11,591, according to an unofficial count. The back-to-back ballot tabulations gave Democrats a 102-101 edge in the House, although Republicans did not immediately concede loss of control.

Let the games begin. Now we will wait for the recounts and court challenges. If that doesn't work maybe the Republicans can find another man of integrity like Hazleton's Tom Stish who defected to give them control in 1994. Of course if the result is reversed the Democrats will try to poach a GOP lawmaker.

There is real bloodletting going on over at GrassrootsPA that I'm enjoying immensely. I haven't joined in because I was advised a long time ago to stand back and watch the other side implode. If this stands there will be new leadership elections on the Republican side and John Perzel may be replaced as the leader.

Come one, come all

The next meeting of the Saturday OT Committee and Operatic Society is scheduled for this Saturday 4PM at Marks Pub 1287 N Washington St, Wilkes-Barre (map it). Pope George Ringo has extended an invitation to all bloggers, commenters and readers to join us.

Michael G. Rennie the Unofficial Social Secretary of the Northeast Blogging Council informs me that he's received many definate maybes from area bloggers that are intending to attend. Our last meetup in May was a runaway success resulting in no hospitalizations or arrests. We even had a state rep candidate show up and this time we may have a few past and future candidates for public office. So clear your schedules and join us.

In other blogger news Above Average Jane is celebrating her 2nd blogoversary. She recounts the growth of her blog and the success of some projects such as Our Part of the Bargain that received widespread media coverage. She even thanked me for "a great kindness" I showed her but I can't recall what it was. As in any market (and blogs are a marketplace of ideas) a good product will get noticed. Congratulations Jane! Many more years to come.

Tell me something I don't know

Women talk three times as much as men, says study

It is something one half of the population has long suspected - and the other half always vocally denied. Women really do talk more than men. In fact, women talk almost three times as much as men, with the average woman chalking up 20,000 words in a day - 13,000 more than the average man.

Is Rover a Republican?

Which party do pet owners prefer?

So perhaps it's no surprise that this month saw the release of what may be the first professional political poll of American dogs. In a telephone survey of 600 dog owners nationwide, D.C.-based pollster Michael D. Cohen found that, although the owners favored John McCain over Hillary Rodham Clinton by 38.5 percent to 31.3 percent in a hypothetical match-up, they averred (by a smaller margin) that their dogs would likely paw the lever for Clinton. Cohen says the questions--appended to an otherwise nonpolitical marketing survey for a soon-to-be-released pet product--were meant as a lark. If Nascar Dads and Soccer Moms could be invented and then pandered to by political consultants in previous election cycles, he reasoned, why not dog owners?

There are many public policy questions that relate to household pets such as leash laws and vaccination requirements. Pitched battles have erupted over outlawing so called aggressive breeds such as pit bulls. Scandals over inhumane treatment and charging for cremations of dogs that were thrown in the dumpster pop up in the news. The ethics of euthanizing unwanted animals is a constant debate. Pets are even a source of contention in divorce settlements.

It will take a bit more polling to figure out how best the political class could react to such modern pet-owning challenges. But strategists considering writing off this would-be voting bloc should consider this: In 2002, American Demographics reported that 83 percent of American pet owners call themselves their animal's "Mommy" or "Daddy," up from 55 percent in 1995. Now, anyone running for office want to side against Mom and Dad?

Note: It must be dog night on the web. Bernie spent the weekend at a dog park.

Kanjo looks to the future and wants to bury the past

Kanjorski sees change in atmosphere

U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski won a 14th term in Congress earlier this month and for the first time in a dozen years, he’s poised to join a House where his party is in the majority. The Nanticoke resident, who will turn 70 in April and appears to be in no hurry to retire, now has reason to stick around.

In the interview he notes that he is now the 2nd ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee and has his pick of what sub-committee he wants to chair. This is a big deal because the nuts and bolts of lawmaking is done in the sub-committees. He says it will give him an opprotunity to bring home the bacon in the form of Wall Street West. He wants to work with incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi "to bring civility back to the House."

Q: What do you think Democrats can reasonably accomplish in the next two years?

A: I think we’ll definitely get a change in the minimum wage … I think we can get a better competitive program on (Medicare) prescription drugs, which will lessen the cost of those drugs to the government … We have to do that. Nobody can justify why this nation’s people, not only those who get it through Medicare and Medicaid, but the general population are paying so much more than every other industrial nation in the world … All the other governments of the world do negotiate their drug prices.

Q: What else do you think you can do?

A: I think we’re really going to have to start looking at how we got into a war like Iraq and what future wars are out there. We can’t change that disaster now but we can hope and put into place things that should lessen the likelihood that the president can make that mistake again.

We'll see about that. Since WWII the Congress has abdicated its power to declare war. My view is if its important enough to fight and die for the people through their elected represenatives should follow the constitution and make a formal Declaration of War. Not pass a resolution such as Tonken Gulf or the last one giving the OK to the Iraq debacle.

Then there is Cornerstone Technologies.

Rep. Kanjorski denies avoiding deposition concerning firm controlled by his nephews.

Steering $9 million of taxpayer money to a firm owned by your relatives sure doesn't look good. Especially when the company goes belly up and has nothing to show for this "investment." Now the whole thing is wrapped up in litigation and the judge in the case had some choice words:

On Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Conrad confronted Cornerstone President Peter A. Kanjorski, the congressman’s nephew, saying the bankruptcy was aimed at preventing “yourself and your uncle from being deposed...I’ve sat through this case for four years, and I’ve watched the most twisted, obstructive effort to deny discovery that I have ever seen,” Judge William F. Moran said while ordering the contempt proceeding during a Sept. 5 hearing. “Maybe the people who are involved in this think they are immune from the law because of who they are. But they’re not in this county,” Moran said, according to a hearing transcript.

Slosh machines

In another middle of the night session the state legislature passed a bill to let slots operators give away free booze to players.

HARRISBURG-General Assembly critics assailed the state legislators for again enacting a major proposal late at night without adequate public input.
"This is the same kind of stealth legislation that happened with the original slots law and the legislative pay raise," complained Tim Potts, head of Democracy Rising PA, a citizens group formed last year to fight the pay raises...Late Tuesday night, just minutes before they ended the 2005-06 session, the House and Senate enacted a change to the state liquor code, permitting casinos to offer free drinks to anyone playing slot machines from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week.

Again they passed a law without any hearings, public input or openly debating the proposal 3 times as the state constituition requires.

You can debate the merits of this proposal but the problem with Harrisburg is the process. If you think the law should be changed to allow this, fine, but it should go through the normal legislative process not pass it in a lame duck session.

New name for the Red Barons

CV: Northeastern Pennsylvania will have to wait a little longer to learn the new name of its Triple-A baseball franchise, though sources suggest an announcement is likely in a week or two...And yes, the Yankees name does appear to be in the running. But it’s not alone...Among them: Bombers, Yankees, Clippers, Pinstripers, Highlanders, Iron Horses and Babes — are all related to the parent club. In deference to local history came options Barons, Mountaineers and Coal Crackers.

The Red Barons name is merger of the Scranton Red Sox and Wilkes-Barre Barons that paid tribute to our minor league baseball past. But it got perverted into a bi-plane logo that didn't make any sense. I can't say I'm thrilled with any of the proposed names but it could be worse. The thieves of the Lehigh Valley are calling their new Phillies farm club the Iron Pigs.

A new record

Over the holiday weekend I've received over 20 emails asking for my help in liberating a fortune or informing me I have won some sort of lottery. I find it hard to beleive that anyone on the net has not heard of the Nigerian Letter or 419 fraud and it's variations. But some suckers must still reply to these crooks (probably before they go play the slots at Pocono Downs) or they wouldn't still try.

Hugo on hold

Dr. Tara let me know that next installment of the Hugo Selenski saga will be delayed. The defense has been given a mountain of evidence in the discovery process and can't get through it all before the original trial date in January.

Anyone and everyone in Luzerne County who has been following this case remembers that the escape charges against Hugo were dismissed because DA David Lupas filed the the paper work late. He's on a roll, he lost the first murder trial and the crime he could prove beyond a resonable doubt, escape, can't be prosecuted. Now the DA's office has dropped the ball on another case.

Felony gun charge might be tossed

The article gets into the technical aspects of the law. The DA wants relief because of a typo saying the typist put an (a ) where a (c ) should be. With all the lawyers in the DA's office you think one of them would have read the charges -looking for problems- that were going to sent to the court.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanks to Miss Cellania for the pic.


And for everyone who has lived through an uncomfortable day with the relatives. From A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago there is:

The Pre-Meal Thanksgiving Safety Demonstration

Welcome to this Thanksgiving meal, with non-stop service from passive aggression to outright yelling. This afternoon's meal will last approximately two hours and 14 minutes. At this time, please direct your attention to the head of the table for the pre-meal safety demonstration.

Emergency exits are located at the door into the kitchen and through the living room into the front hall. Please take a moment to locate the exit nearest you.

When the meal begins to take off, you must fasten your lips shut. To do so, insert an alcoholic beverage into a glass, and pull it to your lips for a long swig. We suggest that you keep your beverage glass full throughout the meal, as we may experience turbulence.

In the event of a sudden pressurization of the dining room's atmosphere, various members of the family may drop insults that they don't actually mean. Remain calm. Pull the defensive psychological mask that you have constructed over your face and breathe normally. Insults will continue to flow even after the mask is in place.

In the event of water flowing from eyelids, please remember that your Walgreen's Thanksgiving print paper napkin can be used as a tear-soaking device.

This is a non-smoking meal. Tampering with, disabling, or destroying the smoke detectors located in the bathroom is an offense punishable by substantial yelling and cursing.

At this time we ask that you turn off all cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices. Please make sure that you have stowed away all painful memories and disappointments in preparation for the meal.

For complete information on meal safety procedures, please review the email provided to you by your cousin Joe detailing which family members are not talking to which other family members and which subjects are prohibited.

Thank you for choosing this side of the family for your Thanksgiving meal. At this time, you may sit back, relax, and enjoy the fight.

Calif. court says bloggers can't be sued

via KOS

Good news for bloggers in Luzerne County and nationwide. We now have some case law that protects us when we link to something that someone objects to.

State's Supreme Court said a federal law gives immunity from libel suits

The California Supreme Court ruled Monday that bloggers and participants in Internet bulletin board groups cannot be sued for posting defamatory statements made by others.
In deciding a case closely watched by free speech groups, the court said a federal law gives immunity from libel suits not only to Internet service providers, like AOL, but also to bloggers and other users of their services.
"Subjecting Internet service providers and users to defamation liability would tend to chill online speech," today's unanimous ruling said.

This doesn't mean we can say any irresponsible thing about anybody but it protects us if we link to someone who does put something out there that turns out not to be true. I'm not a lawyer but I read it to mean that we are also not responsible for any charges made in our comments.

Holiday animation

Nothing puts you in the mood for the upcoming season like watching Mickey, Minnie and Goofy getting kinky.

Ryan Howard MVP

Not bad for a second year player. Last year Rookie of the Year and now the National League Most Valuable Player. Howard becomes the second player in Major League Baseball history to win the Rookie of the Year and MVP Awards in consecutive seasons, following Cal Ripken in 1982 and 1983. Fred Lynn (1975) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001) have the sweeter distinction of winning both awards in their first seasons. Howard's season of 58 homers and 149 RBIs is made more impressive by his .313 batting average. Congrats Ryan!

Now the Phils need another bat since their off season target Alfonso Soriano signed a crazy contract with the Cubs, Soriano agreed Monday to a $136 million, eight-year contract. The deal became official after Soriano passed a physical Monday. Soriano's deal is the fifth-largest total package given to a major league player. And Pat Burrell still hasn't been traded.

In other sports news the Eagles season went into the toilet, if it wasn't there already, when Donovan McNabb got hurt again. And Penn State beat Michigan State finishing with an 8-4 record and probably will get a New Year's Day bowl game.

Barletta on 60 minutes tonight

TL: The CBS news program airing tonight will feature interviews with Mayor Lou Barletta, citizens of Hazleton and a spokesman for the coalition challenging the Illegal Immigration Relief Act and English Only ordinances.

The local papers are demanding that he release the names of people who have donated to his legal defense fund which is funny in the case of the Times-Leader since they won't even tell you who owns the paper. One big donor from Philadelphia has gone public. Joey Vento, owner of Geno's Steaks that made headlines over the summer for an English-only ordering policy, says he's proud to have given $10,000. It was interesting to read in the Philly papers that Geno's uses imported beef from South America. The other segments of the show sound more compelling. Stories about Joe Namath and the dwindling number of tigers in Indian jungles. Lou is extending his fifteen minutes of fame while people and businesses flee Hazleton.

I just watched th 60 minutes piece. The number one news show in the country is featuring the Mayor of Hazleton Lou Barletta about his efforts to rid his town of illegal aliens. Although he can’t actually prove illegal aliens are the source of all crime in that small town. But it makes for good press and that’s what he is about. I know I’m in the minority about doubting his efforts and motivation in this adventure. When I point out that Italians were looked upon with suspicion a hundred years ago because they looked different and had another religion people say “oh right.” It’s easy and dangerous to blame a minority for all your problems.

They reffered to the the wilds of PA and said the mayor is making a name for himself. "If the federal govt was doing something about it we wouldn’t be talking about it today." I agree with that. Then he confesses "Nobody knows how many illegals are here." And alleged that "The police are overwhelmed." Then he said he wants to make landlords and employers into INS agents.

The people they interviewed left town because they don’t feel safe.

Vondy out

CV: Luzerne County Commissioner Todd Vonderheid confirmed at a Friday morning news conference he will not seek a second term in office. He did promise to serve out the remaining 13 months of his current term.

The Yonk has his farewell letter. He notes some accomplishments but I give him and Skrep many incompletes plus some downright blunders such as the life transition plan, adding to the long term debt and still playing games with jobs.

But let's look to the future.

The heir apparent is Controller Maryanne Petrilla who took on and replaced Steve Flood when he started asking too many inconvenient questions. The Democratic Party owes her for getting rid of a loudmouth, dedicated and honest man. From what I hear she even shows up at the office once in while since Laura Bidwell was fired and can't sign Petrilla's name to official documents. Wilkes-Barre city councilwoman Kathy Kane is also looking to move up because of the uncertainty of surrounding the new districts but if she stays on council she is looking at positions with the Pennsylvania and National League of Cities. Such a tough choice when you want to be somebody. Other possible Democratic candidates are Pittston Township Supervisor Tony Attardo, Wilkes-Barre attorney Ray Hassey, and former Bear Creek Township Supervisor Ed Benkoski.

On the Republican side Steve Urban is being coy but will probably run again. Other Republicans considering a run are: Crestwood School Board member Bill Jones, Hanover Area School Board member David Shipula, Dallas chiropractor Dave Madeira, former West Hazleton Mayor Carl Puschauver and everybody's favorite Bill James. Out of this bunch Madeira is the most interesting candidate. He ran a surprising 2nd to Lisa Baker in the primary to replace retiring Charlie Lemmond in the 20th Senate District. I don't agree with him about many social issues but county commissioners aren't involved in arguments about God, guns and gays. He impressed me as a fiscal conservative who isn't afraid to speak his mind. Sounds like a good running mate for Urban.

To me the potential candidate that stands head and shoulders above the rest is former Controller Steve Flood. And I know my fellow Democrats out there will object because he is not a "team player." For four years the guy was a pain in the ass to the powers that be and we need that. Although things have improved somewhat the county government is still not run properly.
Not only the job situation but the sweetheart deals for the well connected such as the juvi jail lease. Steve Flood wants to do things not just be somebody. Flood, who lost the controller seat to Petrilla in 2005, said he is 60-40 in favor of running because “too many people” contacted him about concerns about the county’s long-term debt, management salaries and costly county real estate leases. I just hope he runs a better campaign than last time when he just sat back and let his opponents smear him.

Lehigh Valley blogs are fun

Even the local newspaper noticed.

Blogs: Less filters, more voices

Led by LVDem and Bernie O'Hare there has been an explosion of Allentown-Easton-Bethlehem bloggers that concentrate on local politics and other things. The combination of insight and comedy makes for a good read everyday. I was going to list the sites I visit but it's a long one and I'm sure I would miss someone. Plus I'm lazy.

The thrust of the story is that bloggers are changing the reporting of the news. There is an instant fact check on what is written in newspapers plus a sometimes rush to publish by bloggers that turns out to be wrong that the reporters refute. I think it's a healthy relationship. For all the doom and gloom written about the demise of newspapers because of the internet that's not going to happen. The big national blogs react to what is in the NY Times or the Washington Post as we react to the Morning Call, Times-Leader, Patriot News or Citizen Voice. We need each other.

To give you an idea how enlightened the Lehigh County blogosphere is I was named one of the Sexiest Men Alive, sort of.

Update: Happy blogoversary to LVDem.

Rick Santorum for President

Citing family reasons the soon to be unemployed junior Senator from Virginia rules out a White House bid in 2008.

Santorum: No oval office run
Some backers sought an '08 campaign, but he said: "Absolutely, positively not."

As much as I knock Rick you have to admire any politician that says what's on his mind. I've said before that I would miss him. Politics is a contact sport but it is also entertainment. Who is more entertaining than Ricky? Hopefully he won't go on to be a lobbyist but get some sort of media gig. Fox News is a natural fit. Actually in the last weeks of the campaign when he was going on about the gathering storm, etc. I thought he was looking to run for President. But he ruled it out and I will take him at his word. At the same time he can always change his mind. The idea of being President is a powerful tonic for anyone involved in politics. The old joke about everytime a Senator looks in the mirror he can see a President also applies to Congressmen, city councilors and even bloggers.

On a side note I want to congratulate Alex and the gang at Santorum Blog for providing the most comprehensive coverage of the Senate election. Good or bad for their guy it was posted.