Courthouse timeclocks

Luzerne County catches up with technology invented in the 19th Century. The stories of no show jobs and county employees putting in less than a full days work have been told for as long as I can remember. It now looks like those days may be ending.



County selects firm to put in time clocks for employees


Commissioners chose Chelmsford, Mass.-based Kronos Inc., a work force management software provider, to install and maintain Biometric readers that will require employees to press their fingers or palms on a special pad to clock in and out.

I can't say that I'm crazy about this biometric thing because it reminds me of General Jack Ripper going over the edge because his precious bodily fluids were violated. It comes across as another invasion of privacy like all the video cameras watching your every move in Wilkes-Barre and other cities.

But the trade off is ending this stuff as recounted by Mike McGlynn:


One of the reforms adopted recently is requiring county employees to show up at the courthouse on payday to pick up their checks. Many county workers considered this a brazen affront to their integrity, or, lack thereof. As one story goes, a veteran no-show county employee from up Pittston way was furious when his neighbor, of similar employ, told him they now would have to be at the courthouse in person to be paid. The angry man became even angrier when he went to the courthouse the next payday and was told his name did not appear on the county payroll. Muttering dark oaths against his political patrons, he returned home empty-handed. Subsequently, he learned he was to have reported to the courthouse in Wilkes-Barre -- not the courthouse in Scranton.

Phillies keep winning

The Philadelpia Phillies are off to the best start in April since 1993 and I can dig it. Ray Halladay is everything that has been advertised and the offense is hitting the cover off the ball.

It may not last because this is baseball but I will enjoy the good times.

I-80 tolls

Congressman Paul Kanjorski applauded the rejection of tolling I-80 as did Conressman Chris Carney. The state of Pennsylvania will now have to scramble to find a way to plug a $470 million gap in the budget to maintain our roads and bridges. Kanjo was joined in opposition to tolling the road by just about every other elected official in the area except State Rep and Senate candidate John Yudichak who had the balls to vote for the plan.


Gov. Rendell said Without alternate revenue sources, Pennsylvania will not have money to pave 300 miles of highway annually and repair 100 structurally deficient bridges each year.

The alternative is A 2006 PennDOT study that had recommended higher gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees, but legislators were reluctant to do that, and came up with Act 44 as a substitute.

So we have 3 choices here folks.



1. Put tolls on I-80 like many other states. Which has already been shot down.



2. Raise the gas tax. Since the Republicans control the state senate you can probably rule that out because their be all and end all is lower taxes.



3. Wait for some disaster to happen like a bridge collapsing killing a lot of people then the state government will go into panic pass mode like what happened in Minnesota a few years ago.

More Luzerne County corruption

I have to tip my hat to reporters and editors of the Times-Leader and Citizens Voice for keeping us informed of the the latest outrages. I know I can't keep up on it all.


Today we learn that

TL: Luzerne County Clerk of Courts Robert Reilly rejected a plea agreement offered by federal authorities to charges related to the ongoing corruption probe, a source knowledgeable with the investigation said.

I have to say good for him. It's about time that one of these cases actually goes to trial so we can learn who is paying the bribes not just who accepting them. He will probably cave before trial.

The Little Red Wagon company of Wayne, PA is the center of the latest questionable contracting practices or lack of in the county.


County commissioners initially approved payment of $107,000 to LRW. They later voted to extend the contract, but the new terms did not detail what work would be done, set a timeframe or cap for payments. The extension also was never signed by the county.

The original contract was signed in 2005 since then LRW has been paid almost a million dollars for advice on how to put papers in boxes. No change orders or extensions were ever approved by the Commissioners.


Controller Walter Griffith has stopped paying their invoices.


Prothonotary Carolee claims credit for blowing the whistle

Medico: I called feds


Medico Olenginski loudly expressed her concerns about the payments at a Jan. 27 records improvement committee meeting – the first public committee meeting in years.

However, fellow committee members Reilly, Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla and acting Sheriff Charles Guarnieri voted to continue paying LRW, also known as Little Red Wagon, to complete more work. Deputy Treasurer Dominick DePolo, representing Treasurer Michael Morreale, also voted in favor of continuing.


LRW has a website that has client testomnials including this one from Bob Reilly:


"After a lengthy search, I finally found a professional company who understands County government and provides the unique records management services we needed. LRW was able to help many of our offices free up valuable office and storage space and develop easy to follow guidelines for maintaining departmental retention schedules. The Records Improvement Committee and County Departments are extremely pleased with the work they have done. I can depend on LRW to get any job done."

— Robert Reilly, Luzerne County Clerk of Courts

You Tube weekend

The sad news that a groomer was killed by a startled elephant at the Shrine Circus in the Kingston Armory reminded me of an episode of the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

I won't get into the argument about using wild animals for entertainment as it has been done for centuries.

I'm sure I will get beat up for posting this but I think it's an example of life imitating art. Chuckles the Clown met his untimely demise when an elephant sat on him resulting in many obvious jokes by the cast that Mary didn't think was funny until the day of the funeral when she lost it.

Sparks fly in PA Senate 14th race

As I have said before I'm neutral in this race because it promises to be the most entertaining of the primary season and I like both of these gentleman.

Up until now it was pretty bland affair with both candidates touting their bonefides but that changed on Wednesday when all hell broke loose.



Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton put out a press release attacking his rival for the Democratic Senate nomination 119th State Represantive John Yudichak because Yuddy voted for the bill that would allow tolling of I-80.

WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton, candidate for state senate in the"It looks like an implosion of Mayor Leighton's campaign," 14th District Democratic primary, today applauded a decision by federal highway officials to ban the tolling of traffic on the I-80 interstate in Pennsylvania.

He further called on his opponent, state Rep. John Yudichak, to reverse his previous position supporting tolls and not try to overturn the decision.

“There may be attempts to appeal this federal decision or pass additional legislation to allow tolling. There have been some suggestions of that publicly. I hope Yudichak will see the wisdom of reversing his previous position and follow the wishes of many hard-working people and college students in Northeastern Pennsylvania who use I-80 everyday as part of their daily commerce.


On July 17, 2007, Yudichak voted for Act 44, which converted interstate
80 into a toll road. The bill passed, 124-79 and was signed by the Governor. [HB 1590, Concurrence w/ Senate, 124-79, 7/17/07].


The response was fast and furious


"This is obviously a diversionary tactic so they do not have to discuss the serious issue that was raised today," Yudichak said. "That's obviously the big news today in federal court, and he has to address those issues."

He was referring to the revelation that Bill Brace admitted to taking money from yet another unnamed contractor in exchange for help getting business in the city of Wilkes-Barre.

Yuddy told SPPE
"Brace admitted to accepting kickbacks for his efforts to secure Wilkes-Barre City contracts for an unnamed company," Yudichak continued. "The pay-to-play politics scheme occurred under Leighton's watch as Mayor of Wilkes-Barre. Mayor Leighton needs to open the books on city contracts and address the issue of pay to play politics in the City. Mayor Leighton's desperate press release attack today smells like a classic diversionary tactic."


Leighton called Yudichak a liar


"John Yudichak is a career Harrisburg insider who wants to continue his career as an insider politician in Harrisburg," Leighton said. "He'll stoop to any low level to do so. Even lie." ..."

Then Yuddy took a shot at Ed Mitchell

"The mayor has to stand on his own two feet," Yudichak said. "Don't stand behind political consultants, don't hide behind political cronies and hacks. Stand before the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania."

Yuddy wants a debate with Leighton but not just one of those bland candidates forums without a back and forth between candidates. I game for that.

Yudichak will officially open his new Wilkes-Barre Township campaign office, located at the corner of Route 309 and Coal Street, this Saturday, April 10th. The grand opening will begin at 11:00 am, followed by a festive reception for his many supporters and volunteers to follow. The event is open to the public.

I'm told that you will not have to pay a toll at the door.

2010 Challengers' Townhall tomorrow

Date: Saturday, April 10, 2010
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Educational Conference Center at Luzerne County Community College



2010 Challengers' Townhall (It's Not About Party)

Here is your change to meet some candidates up-close. This event will include speeches from each, with the opportunity for audience questions. See below for a list of guest speakers.

WHERE:
Educational Conference Center
Luzerne County Community College
1333 S. Prospect St, Nanticoke (Enter at Community Drive)


WHO:

Sam Rohrer - Candidate for Governor

Peg Luksik - Candidate for U.S. Senate

Lou Barletta - Candidate for U.S. Congress

Jake Towne - Candidate for U.S. Congress

Tim Mullen - Candidate for State Rep

Betsy Summers - Candidate for State Senate

Brian Bergman - Candidate for State Rep

and many more . . . . .



Find out more at:
http://www.nepaliberty.com/townhall.html

Greens will meet

Carl Romanelli sent this along.

Greens change date of regular meeting, announce regional meeting April 10, 2010



The Green Party of Luzerne County has announced that its regular monthly meeting for April will be scheduled for April 10, at 11:00 AM, at Barnes and Noble, South Main St., Wilkes-Barre; due to the Easter holiday weekend. The meetings of the party are normally held the first Saturday of each month.



The April meeting will also be a regional meeting for Northeastern PA Green chapters, in order to plan activities for the upcoming Earth Day celebration. Greens from Luzerne, Wyoming, Wayne, Susquehanna, and Lackawanna counties are expected to participate. Details of events for Earth Day will be publicized after the meeting, though this year’s focus is on Marcellus Shale issues in Pennsylvania.



Additionally, Green Party Nomination Papers will be available for signing and circulating. The Pennsylvania Green Party has nominated Pittsburgh area resident and physician assistant, Mel Packer for US Senate in 2010. Jay Sweeney of Wyoming County will be on hand at the meeting. Sweeney is seeking the office of State Representative in the 111th District.



The Green Party is an independent political party dedicated to principles of ecology, justice, peace, and diversity. The Luzerne County party has been in existence since 2000 and has met monthly ever since. Meetings are free of charge and the public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Jay Sweeney is taking on Wyoming County Republican State Representative Sandra Major again and Mel Packer is just trying to get on the statewide ballot.

Issues & Eggs

Renita sent along this reminder from the Luzerne County GOP




Issues & Eggs

Republican Candidates Forum at Genetti's in Downtown Wilkes-Barre

Friday, April 9, 8:15 a.m.

Doors open at 7:30 a.m., Breakfast 7:45 a.m.


Featuring:

Jim Cawley, endorsed candidate for Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor

Congressional Candidates Lou Barletta, David Madeira, Tom Marino & Malcolm Derk

State Senatorial Candidates Steve Urban who is also running for Lt. Gov. & Frank Scavo

State Representative Candidates Rick Arnold, Bill Goldsworthy, Terrence O’Connor, James O’Meara & Tarah Toohil

I'm a nightshift guy so I don't do mornings. I hope that the next candidates forum will be at a more reasonable hour. How about a dinner event with the name Kielbasa and Korruption.

119th update

119th Democratic State Rep candidate Gerald Mullery has a shindig tonight in Naticoke details here. He has also signed onto Grover Norquist's Taxpayer Protection Pledge.



Bear Creek Township supervisor Gary Zingaretti is the first Democratic candidate on the air with this TV ad:





Bob Morgan has a website up.


The lone Republican in the race Rick Arnold has an interview posted on the Luzerne County GOP YouTube channel.



The League of Women Voters of the Wilkes-Barre Area is planning a public forum for its members and the general public to learn more about the Democratic candidates running for State Representative in the 119th District.

The forum will be held on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Kings College in the Burke Auditorium of the McGowen School of Business.

The Sharp Dressed Man sings

SCRANTON - Former Luzerne County official Bill Brace helped federal prosecutors with an investigation of county Clerk of Courts Robert F. Reilly, a government attorney told a federal judge at Brace's sentencing Wednesday.


Brace was sentenced to only 3 months in prison for accepting a$1500 suit from an unnamed contractor because he ratted out used car salesman and Big Ugly's investor Reilly in addition to former Commissioner Greg Skrepnak and former Jury Commissioner Jerry Bonner. Apparently there is no honor among thieves when your own ass is on the line. The feds are also questioning Reilly's involvement with LRW Solutions group that Controller Walter Griffith has stopped paying because of concerns about the company's contract with Luzerne County.

If that isn't enough Judge Munley dropped this bomb


Brace's criminal conduct went beyond the suit and his position in county government...
Munley, summarizing a confidential pre-sentence report, said Brace accepted $800 per month from another company over a two-year span after he led the firm's officials to believe he could secure them business with the City of Wilkes-Barre, his employer for 31 years before he joined Reilly's office in 2001.

More about that later.

Luzerne County Home Rule

A guest post.


Luzerne County Home Rule


Gort has been writing about the Luzerne County Government Study Commission (GSC) since it was created by a referendum last November. I've been advocating for the separation of executive and legislative responsibilities in the new charter in the comments here, on Facebook, to my fellow LCCC students, to anyone who will listen at blogger meetups and elsewhere around the intertubes.


Everyone I have conversed with is in agreement that we need an executive, who would be elected at large and charged with vetoing or approving new policy that has been passed by the legislative body. Despite this consensus, the commission is "hell bent" on another idea that would be a slap in the face to all who believe in checks and balances.


Our current three-Commissioner-system is a consolidation of power because they are both the legislative and executive branches. If two or more of them agree they can do just about anything that does not violate Pennsylvania's law. Most of this system was set up by Harrisburg over 175 years ago and does not reflect the best thinking of our time, or even their time.


Counties, school boards and other local governments with similar consolidations of power also have persistent problems with corruption. The only way to alter this course is a fundamental change in our system, not a quick fix personal change. I am all about throwing out the bums but if we fail to strike at the root of the problem we will continue to fill our most important government positions with a disproportionate amount of bums.


Charmaine H. Maynard informed "Separation of Powers for LC", a new Facebook Page, that the commission is going with an appointed manager. This would be similar to how a school board picks their own executive, instead of voters, who is then a rubber stamp for the board or quickly out of a job. Insignia would not have been able to swindle 7 figures from our school districts if they had execs who would not be updating the resume if they decided to grow a spine. The immediate past President of LCCC asserts this as well in his allegations against their board. Conahan and Chiveralla would not have been able to privatize our juvenile detention system. That would take authorization from at least the executive.


Another way the commission is being used to consolidate power is to limit what the voters can accomplish with a referendum. According to this well written letter to the editor, voters will not be able to approve or deny expenditures for capital projects which is another common sense way we could have stopped the crooked judges and other problems. It is a means to increase the power of the people both directly by allowing them more direct control over their county and by increasing the opportunities for more of the electorate to become educated and involved.


No one system is perfect but the one we've been rocking fails in theory and practice and needs to be replaced, not augmented. As Gort has written, the 2003 charter, though I disagree with much of it, accomplished the very basic goal of some real checks and balances. If they wanted to help the people then their work was already done.


They will listen to popular demand so come out to the meetings held every Wednesday evening at the Stettler Learning Center at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston at 7 PM because they have a time for citizen comments. You could also leave a comment on the GSC Website, email them, Facebook them or join the Separation of Powers page here.


Thanks
Austin Smith Ford

Yuddy get's a big labor endorsement

119th State Rep John Yudichak picked up a plum endorsement from the Northeast PA Building and Construction Trades Council.



The Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council is made up of 16 Regional Council and more than 115 local unions from 15 International Building Trades Unions.

The local unions come from the following Internationals:

•International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers
•International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers
•International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers
•International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
•International Brotherhood of Teamsters
•International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
•International Union of Elevator Constructors
•International Union of Operating Engineers
•International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
•Laborers International Union of North America
•Operative Plasterers and Cement Mason's International Union
•Sheet Metal Workers International Association
•United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada
•United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
•United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers


This is a big deal in a Democratic primary. Many endorsements, especially from sitting or past office holders, are good for a press release then forgotten the next day but the ones that count come from unions or organizations that can bundle money. On the Republican side the Club for Growth can steer some money to a candidate if they are pure enough and sign on to their agenda. In a Democratic primary union endorsements are coveted because they can provide boots on the ground and spend independent money communicating with their members.


Yudichak Receives Unanimous Endorsement of NEPA Building and Construction Trades Council


John Yudichak, Democratic State Senate candidate in the 14th Senatorial District, received the unanimous endorsement of the Northeast PA Building and Construction Trades Council. The announcement was made April 1st by Mike Rozitski, Business Manager for the Trades Council.
“John Yudichak has an outstanding voting record on labor issues,” said Rozitski. “He has always been very union-oriented and a true friend of labor. Our endorsement of John was unanimous and extremely enthusiastic.”

The Northeast PA Building and Construction Trades Council represents 15 different construction industry unions and approximately 15,000 union members. This coveted endorsement for Yudichak follows last week’s unanimous endorsement by the Fraternal Order of Police, Wyoming Valley Lodge No. 36. More major endorsements of Yudichak will be announced in the coming days.

“I am honored to have received the unanimous endorsement of the Building and Construction Trades Council,” said Yudichak. “My father was a union miner and my mother was a lifelong AFSCME member. At an early age, they instilled in me an appreciation for the American labor movement and the principles of fair wages and working standards that unions hold dear. I have always stood with the labor movement and I always will.”

During his past 12 years as State Representative, Yudichak was instrumental in creating many good paying jobs for Building Trades members in northeastern PA, including the currently-under-construction Culinary Institute at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke, which is being built with a 90% union workforce.

Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton will probably not get the nod from the firefighters union.

Vacation this week

Happy Easter everyone.


I don't know if I will posting less or more because I some time on my hands. Mrs. G has a long 'honey do' list for me and the weather is supposed to be great. I plan on doing some dog training in addition to getting my outside work done.

The only place we will be visiting is Porchville and will be watching Baseball! Our long national nightmare (5 months) is over and the national pastime will resume this evening. Although I agree with Dana who said "My biggest pet peeve is that baseball has ended the tradition of the first game on opening day being the first Cincinnati Reds game. That, to me, is sacrilege."

Well said my friend. Part of the reason I like College Football and Major League Baseball is the history and traditions. But every year they do something else to screw it up.

This might be the year that I get my dream World Series.

Go Phillies and Red Sox!


Update: The Red Sox win 9-7

The Reddddddddd Soxxxxxxxxx win!

Bite me John Sterling.

Tidbits

I've always posted about things that are not political but I thought were interesting or just personal on Gort42. Now I find that I put that sort of thing on my Facebook page . I have it set up that whatever I put on the blog will automatically post on Facebook so should I continue to bore you about my everyday pet peeves and pictures of my pets?

Another Monkey predicted a few months ago that Facebook and Twitter will kill blogging. Ed Mitchell sent me this link a few weeks ago arguing the same point.

I think blogs will be around for awhile and even grow in the political sphere of influence but they may decline as a version of an online diary because other than your friends very few people are interested in what you had for breakfast.

So I will share some of my pet peeves .

Cell phones. I don't have one and I don't understand why people are glued to the things especially when they are driving a car. What the hell can be that important? You are slaves to those machines.

TV audio. Whenever the show you are watching goes to commercial the ad is a lot louder than the program.

Flashing lights. The radio towers on Penobscot Mountain now have a strobe light that I think is dangerous to people with epilepsy and blinding to many others.

Talking elevators. I can look at the buttons and figure out what floor I am on and don't need to be told to watch my step.

Change. I was in the F&B business for a long time and I always taught my people was not to put the customer on the spot. A server should never ask "do you need change" after you plopped down your cash on the check. The proper response is I will be right back with your change .

Plastic. Whenever you buy some sort of electronic product it comes in a well built plastic package that you need a chain saw to open.

Enough bitching. Pictures of the Pets are in order.

Quincy keeps an eye on Ptolemy who keeps an eye on Quincy.

Santorum 2012

I've been told that I somehow hurt the feelings of the Mean Old Man as if such a thing is possible. To cheer him up here is an update on former Senator Rick Santorum's (R-VA) quest for the presidency.

Like all pretenders to the throne Santorum has a PAC that "is committed to helping candidates and causes who share Sen. Santorum's commitment to conservative principles." The problem is that the PAC raises a lot of money but not much of it actually is used to support candidates.

PG: In the second half of 2009, according to federal filings, the PAC raised $710,000. Of that total, $557,000 was spent on direct mail and related expenditures -- building a nationwide base of donors and supporters for Mr. Santorum. Just $38,500 was donated to candidates or causes.

He is not the only prospective Republican Presidential candidate that has a PAC that tells people it's purpose is to support like minded candidates but actually sends very little money to them.

Mitt Romney raised $3.57 million in 2009 for his PAC but gave about $70,000 to candidates and causes.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee raised $824,000 through his Huck PAC last year and the the PAC spent $40,000 on giving to candidates and causes.

Sarah Palin pulled in $2.13 million last year spent about $57,000 on candidates and causes.

Rick was in Iowa again and told an overflow crowd of 30 people at a diner that ‘It’s gut-check time’ to oppose the reduction of nuclear weapons and accused the President of supporting "leftist dictators" in Latin America. He dropped by Lincoln, Nebraska to sing the praises of the Tea Party movement and said today's partisan polarization and the abusive or violent rhetoric sometimes directed at President Barack Obama is no worse than what President George W. Bush endured. He also wants to repeal Health Care Reform and backs Israel's interests.

Longtime Santorum fan GrassrootsPA points out this story from Politics Daily

Why We Should Take Rick Santorum's Presidential Ambitions Seriously

Nonetheless, his most damaging misstep involved the fact that, though the Pennsylvania senator resided in Leesburg, Va., he used taxpayer money from the Penn Hills School District to cover online school tuition for his children.



But Rick Santorum is now essentially a man without a state.

In 2004, he endorsed Sen. Arlen Specter during a tough primary challenge from Rep. Patrick Toomey. (Many believe Santorum's team was involved in whisper campaigns suggesting to conservative voters that Toomey was not solidly pro-life.) There are several possible reasons for the endorsement, including pressure from the Bush administration or that Santorum simply believed only Specter was strong enough to hold the Pennsylvania seat for Republicans. But some observers think Santorum resented the possibility of having to compete with another young conservative senator in his home state. Regardless, Santorum's backing helped Specter fend off Toomey's tough challenge. That was six years ago, and it has haunted Santorum ever since, serving as a lone, but serious, asterisk on his otherwise impressive conservative resume, especially given Specter's eventual switch to the Democratic Party.


On a side note congrats to Chris for having one of the best April Fools gags of the day.

Carney vs. Kanjo

The lost seat on Appropriations Committee is still sticking in the craw of Congressman Chris Carney according to Borys.

The PA delegation voted to recommend Philly area House member Patrick Murphy take the place of the late Jack Murtha. The vote was 6-4-1 with Erie Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper voting for herself. Kanjo won't say he who he voted for because it was a secret ballot and Borys asks If he voted for Mr. Carney, wouldn't he just say that?

Murphy has a relationship with Kanjo dating back to his days at Kings College and his brother JJ works for Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton.

Kanjo and Carney are tight lipped about this tiff sort of

The two congressmen refuse to say much about their spat, but their silence and veiled swipes at each other are raising eyebrows over Kanjorski's role in the recommendation and whether Northeastern Pennsylvania lost a chance at a larger share of federal funding.

Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, refuses to disclose his vote, saying it is "confidential."

"And unfortunately, the people that are talking about it obviously have interests," he said Tuesday after a public meeting at the South Side Senior Citizens Center. "And I think they've made major political errors in breaching confidential relationships."
He did not name "the people."

Carney told Norton

“I'm not going to comment on the internal workings of the delegation," Carney said to the Examiner. "What I will say is that I had counted on the support of my colleagues in maintaining geographical balance from the state on the Appropriations Committee. I will continue to do everything I can to fight to ensure projects throughout northeast and central Pennsylvania get their deserved share of federal funds. And I will always put our region ahead of politics when making these critical decisions."



The Pocono Record reports that Carney won the pork race this year pulling in $20.6 million in earmarks to Kanjorski's $17 million.

Kanjo's primary opponent, Corey O'Brien, pounced


Paul Kanjorski has still failed to provide a reason for why he voted against his neighboring Congressman, Chris Carney, who was seeking a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee. That important vote wasn’t just against Chris Carney, it was against our entire region and the millions of federal dollars that could have been used here to create jobs, build infrastructure, and secure our region’s future for decades to come. So much for Kanjorski’s “seniority” as dean of the Pennsylvania delegation.

A look at the records of former Congressmen on the Appropriations Committee demonstrates just how much we may have lost:

- Congressman Dan Flood used his seniority on the House Appropriations Committee to steer I-80 and I-81 through his congressional district and ensured that Scranton and Wilkes-Barre would be connected to other major centers of commerce such as Philadelphia and New York City.

- During Joe McDade’s tenure on the same committee, he fought for the Tobyhanna Army Depot, established the Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area, and created the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton.

- As chairman of the Appropriations Sub-Committee on Defense, Jack Murtha controlled billions of dollars in federal defense spending.

In 2010, Paul Kanjorski’s 26 years of “seniority” resulted in fewer federal earmark dollars for our district than 2-term Congressman Chris Carney was able to secure for his district. While Carney has been working hard for his district, Kanjorski has demonstrated that he is more interested in raising money from his friends on Wall Street (over $4,000,000 and counting). And while our opponent likes to take credit for “reforming” Wall Street, he conveniently forgets to take credit for the 14 years he spent as the highest ranking Democrat overseeing the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression and allowing Wall Street’s payout of billions in bonuses.

Paul Kanjorski can talk about his “seniority,” but clearly it isn’t the kind of “seniority” our region needs or wants.

The Hook strikes again

Our own version of Batman is in the news again. Some poor guy parked in the Penn Plaza parking lot then walked across South Main St. in Wilkes-Barre to grab his lunch returning 15 minutes later to find that his car was gone. He thought is was stolen but he was just another "customer" of City Wide Towing. His lunch ended up costing him 152 bucks.

.

City Wide is owned by Bob Kadluboski who was once described by Citizens Voice Columnist Mike McGlynn as the closest thing Wilkes-Barre has to a terrorist. Councilman Bill Barrett is looking to stop predatory towing.

.

Kadluboski has always been a colorful character.

He has rammed his tow truck into suspected criminals and apprehended a fleeing felon at gunpoint showing his commitment to fighting crime. When his dogs escaped from his compound and mauled someone he defended them proving he is an animal rights advocate. When you have to deal with him after he towed your car a you get a lesson in customer service. He placed an ad before the 2006 election without disclosing who paid for it, and the paper that published it let him do it, affirming his commitment the first amendment. The ad was a clear violation of election law. Pennsylvania election code requires political ads to clearly identify the people or groups who pay for them. Haven't heard a thing about it since.


For all the effort W-B has made to bring people into the city it just takes an incident like this to setback years of progress.

Kanjo defends HCR

"My election is really inconsequential to good practice, good law and good healthcare in this country," Kanjorski said. "If I have to lose an election out of doing the right thing, so be it."


Take a position and defend it. Well done Uncle Paul.

Moon Lake

The Luzerne County Commissioners facing an enormous deficit eliminated funding for Moon Lake Park this year that I thought was a bad move but they had to find every savings possible. On the plus side it got rid of some dead weight on the payroll but many people enjoy the place. The Park has been reopened for limited use such as fishing but not camping and the facilities are still closed.

Another Monkey has fond memories of the park and frets what may become of it.

Our cash strapped county is looking at every possible revenue source and is looking at leasing the land for gas drilling. Sounds like a good idea, what could possibly go wrong?

The Sierra Club doesn't think it is legal for the Commissioners to lease the park for that purpose because there is a law in Pennsylvania that once land is given to a municipality or county or school district, the land is held in trust under the "Donated or Dedicated Property Act" and it becomes public use... County officials would have to go to court and prove that Moon Lake Park's original use is no longer practicable or possible, and no longer serves the public interest.


The Keep Moon Lake Park open! Facebook Page has over 4000 members and I doubt if many of them want to risk polluting the lake or the groundwater for a few bucks in the short term.


My friends Kayak Dude and Frack Mountain have documented many incidents of pollution, carelessness and regulatory failure.

As far as I can tell the PA Dept of Environmental Protection is way behind the curve and the EPA has been handcuffed regulating this activity.


My fear is that people will look at the short term dollars to be had but if our water is poisoned it will cost hundreds of billions to clean it up.