Meet Rapid Edward

Former PA Governor Ed Rendell will be at the Barnes & Noble at the Arena Hub Plaza in Wilkes-Barre on Friday 7-9PM to sign his book. The name comes from his famous rant about the NFL postponing an Eagles game in 2010 because the weather forecast predicted a blizzard that didn't happen.

HP:  "I think it is a joke," Rendell said, explaining that there was only five inches of snow on the ground when the game would have started. "I was looking forward to this. It would have been a real experience. This is what football is all about. We're becoming a nation of wussies."

The game was supposed to be played on Sunday night, but it was moved to Tuesday for safety concerns.

I first met the Guv at a campaign event in 2002  at the Riverfront in Plains organized by then Luzerne County Controller Steve Flood. I told him to get past the election stuff and get back on  CSN for the Eagles pre and post-game shows like when he was Mayor of Philadelphia that may have helped him win the primary against Bob Casey. He won the general election defeating Atty. General Mike Fisher 53% to 44%. He won reelection in a blowout in 2006 over Steelers great Lynn Swann 60%-40%. 

Many people dubbed him Fast Eddie, especially his political opponents. I think that is disrespectful so I prefer Rapid Edward that a commenter on GrassrootsPA  that is now The Keystone Report (gotta fix that link) came up with. Thanks Conservative Goddess. 

PN: In 2004, Rendell’s car was clocked at traveling more than 100 mph several times in a four-month period.

Rapid Edward to the rescue

WILKES-BARRE – Gov. Edward Rendell on Wednesday announced that the state will provide $750,000 to demolish the fire-damaged Murray-Courtright Building.

This is what the state government should do when a disaster strikes a small city. A fire like this one can really strain the services and budget of a cash strapped town and the Gov realizes that. He was a Mayor himself and knows that the local tax base is barely enough to cover the costs of police, fire protection, snow plowing and filling potholes. Anything extra has to come from somewhere else. Mayor Tom Leighton said the city will transfer $250,000 from federal community development block grants (CDBG) to fund the demolition. That means less streets will be paved but this is an emergency. Speaking of CDBG's, where is Kanjorski in all of this?

The complex of buildings at the corner of Courtright and Darling streets in W-B has been a disaster waiting to happen for a long time. The city has ignored the place for 20 or 30 years despite constant complaints from the neighbors.

The building that burned is only one of many. Next to it is old Central Slipper factory next to Tank Hill that has been a shell of a structure with all the windows broken out, crumbling bricks and rotting floors. If you go down Darling Street behind the fire scene the ancient smokestack still is standing and across Darling Street there are more buildings. One of them housed a footwear manufacturer for many years before shoe making was moved offshore. My Dad worked at that last operation owned by the now bankrupt Carter Rubber Co. and I grew up about 2 blocks away.

Knocking down all the structures is not going to happen any time soon.

"You can't drink gas"

That's what Dr. Tom Junta told about 150 people who attended a meeting at Misericordia University about Marcellus Shale gas drilling on Saturday. I think that should be the rallying cry for the people opposed to the drilling. Moratorium Now! addresses the policy concerns but it just doesn't click. Dr. Junta is a member of the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition.

Michelle Boice of Harveys Lake warned that "the war my grandchildren will be fighting will be over water."

Most of the people who attended the forum with Congressman and US Senate candidate Joe Sestak wanted to stop the drilling now until the safety concerns could be addressed. Some wanted to stop the drilling, period.

Sestak favors a moratorium on drilling and is a co-sponsor of the FRAC ACT to close the Halibrton Loophole which exempts hydraulic fracturing from to the Safe Drinking Water Act. That exemption was included as part of the 1995 Energy Bill. I know my Republican friends don't want to look to the recent past as a source of our troubles today but the deregulation and the ignoring the regulations already on the books has caused the mess on Wall Street, the Gulf oil spill and just may poison our drinking water in NEPA.

The government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has the primary responsibility for really blowing this one. This is from the front page of the PA Dept of Environmental Protection website:

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is not involved in regulating lease agreements between mineral property owners and producers, except that minimum royalty payment is prescribed by law. Lease agreements are contractual matters between private parties. DEP does not audit payments, read or calibrate meters or tanks, or otherwise get involved in lease matters.


It's incredible that the first thing you read is a disclaimer.

The state is looking for more revenue but doesn't tax this activity but wants to raise taxes on just about everything else. The drillers came in with promises of riches without mentioning the downside and people signed up for a monthly check. Some are now suing for a bigger monthly check.

Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center has a ticker tracking the lost revenue by not enacting a severance tax, $58 million to date .

Rapid Edward has made sure that we can blow our money in a casino with a fraction of the taxes collected going to property tax relief, less than half and pretty soon a casino will be the only place that you can legally light up a cigarette. His Department of Enviormental Protection has just layed down and let the gas companies do whatever they want. How is DEP allowing drilling near water supplies? I know the EPA lacks authority in this area but the state should be able to to say no to drilling near water drinking water. Governor Edward Rendell needs to take charge of this situation.

In the CV yesterday Elizabeth Skrapits wrote a story about how the rich get richer off this drilling and their ancestors got rich off of coal mining.

It's an election year

Today I got an email titled "PA Governor's Newsletter" that came from Governor Edward G. Rendell. Then another one popped up with the title of "Rendell Report." The difference is the first came from the state government but the other came from Rapid Edward's re-election campaign. Stop it. They kicked you off Eagles post-game because it's an election year so don't spam me on the taxpayers dime.

Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania

This is an important but often ignored office in the Commonwealth. Remember Mark Schweiker became Governor after Tom Ridge went to Washington to head up the Homeland Security Department. Ridge will be long remembered (or not) for raising the terrorist alert level even when he didn't want to do it. But when the poll numbers of the boss start to dip you have to do your part by scaring the hell out of everybody. I'm sure it is just a coincidence that the threat level has not been raised since the election, but that's another topic.

Our present Lt. Governor is Catherine Baker Knoll who was elected Treasurer twice and has a solid following in Western PA. There are some like our smooth talking Senate minority leader Bob Mellow who suggested that time has passed her by. Besides calling her old and incompetent he once told a pay raise opponent to "get a life." She has also brought contoversy on herself by showing up univited to a funeral of a Marine killed in Iraq and denouncing the war. She also refers to the Governor as Edward G. Robinson, the famous gangster movie star. Then there is the parrot thing that I have covered earlier:

A yellow-naped Amazon parrot from the National Aviary in Pittsburgh sang "How much is that doggie in the window?" and "Alouette" to surprised senators Tuesday. The parrot, named Groucho, sat on a perch in a Senate visitors'' balcony and sang in a warbling, croaking voice for several minutes after Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll, who presides over the chamber, formally recognized the bird and an aviary staff member with it.

I thought the leadership in Harrisburg liked parrots as the vote on the recent pay raise revealed.

So far two opponents have emerged for the job. I don't know much about either but I'm open to suggestions.

The first is The Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds Valerie McDonald Roberts. What is with these people with three names? How about Val Roberts. She is using a baseball metaphor to justify her candicacy and I can dig that. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Invoking the spirit of Negro League baseball greats once barred from the major leagues, Valerie McDonald Roberts launched her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.
The Allegheny County recorder of deeds opened her challenge to incumbent Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll with a cross-state series of appearances that took her from the Homestead Grays Bridge on to Harrisburg and Philadelphia. She noted that no African-American has won a primary for U.S. senator, governor or lieutenant governor in Pennsylvania. "Similar to the Homestead Grays, the Philadelphia Stars, the Pittsburgh Crawfords, the Harrisburg Giants, and other Negro League teams, competent African-Americans and other minorities have been shot out of the big leagues of Pennsylvania state politics," said Ms. Roberts, who was the first African-American elected to an Allegheny County row office.

The other is Montgomery County Commissioner Jim Matthews who is the first Republican to declare his desire to be the running mate of one of the four seeking to run against Rapid Edward Rendell. So far his claim to fame is that he is the brother of MSNBC Hardball host Chris Matthews. Check out My Take for a Machiavellian view of the politics involved.

Chelsea Clinton in Scranton today

The Clinton campaign today announced Chelsea Clinton will campaign in Scranton , Pennsylvania , today, March 11, meeting and thanking volunteers at the campaign’s Scranton office opening.

Tuesday, March 11
Scranton, PA

5:30 p.m. EDT
Scranton Office Opening
Clinton Campaign Scranton Office
222 Wyoming Avenue
Scranton, PA

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Hillary and Rapid Edward will be back in the Electric City on Saturday for the St Patrick's Day Parade. Remember the bars don't open until 9AM this year so make sure you get your supplies the night before.

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Presidential Candidates schedules from the Post-Gazette via GrassrootsPA:

Tuesday, March 11

Hillary Clinton attends a rally at noon The Forum Corner of 5th and Walnut Harrisburg, PA

Hillary Clinton attends a rally at 6 p.m. Temple University McGonigle Arena 1800 Broad Street Philadelphia, PA

President Clinton attends an event at 12:30 p.m. Washington and Jefferson College, Henry Gymnasium 60 South Lincoln Street (on the corner of Chestnut)Washington, PA

President Clinton meets with voters at 2 p.m. Canonsburg Area Senior Center 30 East Pike Street Canonsburg, PA

President Clinton attends an event at 4:45 p.m.Center High School 160 Baker Road Center Township, PA

Barack Obama tours Games a Wind Turbines at 1:30 p.m. Keystone Industrial Port Complex Fairless Hills The tour is for pooled press only.

Barack Obama holds a town meeting at 2 p.m. with workers at the Games a Wind Turbines. Event is by invitation only.

Wednesday, March 12

President Clinton will be at a rally at East High School, 1001 Atkins Street, Erie, at 11:30 a.m.

President Clinton will be at a rally at Greater Johnstown Senior High School, 222 Central Ave., Johnstown at 3 p.m.

Joe Sestak for Senate

Congressman Joe Sestak was in Luzerne County over the weekend. Bill O'Boyle and Mike Sisak had a chance to chat with him and he laid out his case for taking on Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary. He earlier described Specter as a "flight risk."
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Specter was a Democrat when it helped him win office in Philadelphia then switched to the GOP to win a Senate seat. Now he is a Democrat again because he knows he can't beat Pat Toomey in a Republican primary this time. I'm no fan of Toomey but at least he knows what he believes in and I can respect that.

Rapid Edward, Bob Casey and the President are in Specter' s corner but the idea of Arlen Specter as the Democratic nominee for US Senate makes me and many of my friends in the blogosphere and elsewhere in Pennsylvania want to throw up.

Some choice quotes:

“I’m getting in this because Pennsylvania voters need a choice, a choice of someone who will vote for them and their values.”


“I believe changing parties is not the change Pennsylvanians need for the future. We also need a senator who is in this for Pennsylvania and not for saving their legacy.”


"If you run on principle, politics will take care of itself.”

“But he actually voted with President George Bush four out of five times. This country has seen an economic collapse; good families have lost jobs and health care benefits. We need a senator that will fight for them and those key issues.”


"It's about Pennsylvanians, it's not about your job," Sestak said of Specter. "We Pennsylvanians have lost too many jobs in this recession to worry about his job security, particularly since he voted with President Bush on the economic tax policies that sent us over the precipice into this recession."

Free Micek

The last few years blog buddy John Micek who writes Capitol Ideas has been held hostage by the politicians in Harrisburg awaiting an agreement on the Pennsylvania state budget that is due by June 30th. It ruins his summer every year. It now looks like Rapid Edward and the Republicans just may have come to an agreement and I hope it is true so John can enjoy the nice weather with his family.

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Update:

Lawmakers Deliver First On-Time Budget In Eight Years.

Free at last

2009 elections

In Luzerne County we will be electing a Controller, Prothonotary, Register of Wills and Jury Commissioners. The Controller's spot has been vacant since Maryanne Petrilla was elected Commissioner and Rapid Edward has not nominated a replacement. Incumbent Prothontary Jill Moran has drawn some fire about her work habits and business dealings and the speculation is that she will not seek a third term. Democrat Dottie Stankovic was unopposed in the general election four years ago although the good old boys tried to knock her off in the primary. Jerry Bonner is the Democratic Jury Commissioner and I can't even remember who holds the Republican slot.

Jobs like Prothonotary and Register of Wills are clerical positions that should not even be elected offices. Same goes for Jury Commissioner who's only official duty is to once a year hit the print button on a computer to get a list of prospective jurors. But we will have elections for these jobs until we get Home Rule.

As usual the action will be in the Democratic primary that will probably make the November election a formality. I hope that I'm wrong about that prediction and new county GOP Chairman Terry Casey can recruit some quality candidates and the back mountain money guys raise some serious cash for them.

I will be posting some scuttlebutt about who may be running for these positions in the coming days. If you have heard any names being tossed around let me know in the comments or toss me an email.

We will also get to pick at least one new Judge plus various school board members and municipal offices.

The next Luzerne County Controller

Governor Ed Rendell will appoint a successor to recently elected Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla and she will be hard act to follow as Luzerne County Controller. Rapid Edward will nominate someone to fill the vacant post, and the state Senate must confirm the nomination with a majority vote. The post must be filled within 90 days, and Petrilla’s replacement will serve through the end of 2009.

Petrilla was recruited to run against Steve Flood, the only public official in years to question how the county did business but we can't have that. So the powers that be got a small town administrator without any accounting background to take him out. Her short tenure as controller has ended with the Debit Card scandal which has made her look incompetent or worse. Now she's a County Commissioner and is trying to restore the public trust in county government. Good luck with that one.

So far 2 people have expressed an interest in the job that are part of the good ole boy network.

Wil Toole wanting to be a fiscal watchdog has to one of the funniest things I've ever heard. He charged thousands of hours of overtime to Pittston City and is now suing because he contends that the city should pay for his wife's health insurance indefinitely. The dispute stemmed from a volley of lawsuits exchanged between Toole and other city officials in the late 1990s.

The other is former Wyoming Valley West School District superintendent Augie Piazza who now serves on the Luzerne County Community College Board of Trustees. From what I hear Piazza was a good manager with only a touch of nepotism.

The problem is that neither of these guys are ACCOUNTANTS! The election in 2009 will pick the next elected Controller and any politician can run for the office but what Luzerne County needs right now is a person with a strong accounting/management background without political ambitions or connections and big set of brass balls. Someone who will look at all departments of the county not just the ones headed by Republican row officers and put some spending controls in place. That ideal person may not exist but if you're out there:

From the TL:

If you’re interested in becoming the next Luzerne County Controller, contact Gov. Ed Rendell’s office via www.governor.state.pa.us or call (717) 787-2500.

Wil Toole for Controller

CV: Wil Toole, a former Pittston City official, is planning to run as an independent candidate for county controller. Toole said he plans to file his nomination papers as an independent candidate by the end of July. If he gets enough signatures to appear on the ballot, he will join Republican nominee Walter L. Griffith Jr. and Democratic candidate Bob Morgan on the November ballot.

Toole flirted with a run for the Democratic nomination in the spring and applied for the job in 2008 when Maryanne Petrilla became Commissioner. Rapid Edward never got around to filling the post. He was spotted at a Pittston Area School Board meeting in April circulating petitions and has a LTE in the Voice offering suggestions to improve county government.

Put controller on several county boards


At the end of July, I plan to file my nomination papers as an independent candidate for the office of county controller and it is issues such as these that have promoted me to leave retirement and take an active role in county government. I have attended many meetings of the county commissioners as well at the retirement board and during these meetings, I have offered several suggestions to help resolve various fiscal and procedural problems and neither my appearance nor suggestions have ever been mentioned in reports of the meetings. Again, I find this lack of coverage very disheartening. How can I muster public support for these suggestions when no coverage is afforded my efforts?


PittstonPolitics.com has an archive of his recent activities. If he makes the ballot it is not good news for Bob Morgan having a longtime Democrat from Pittston in the race.


So far Walter Griffith is the only candidate with a website up.


Update: The Yonk informs us that Wil Toole also has a website.

What the Frack

News about gas drilling has been hot and heavy the last 2 days.

Congressman Paul Kanjorski announced that he has secured a cool million in federal funding to start an Energy Institute run by Wilkes U, King's College and the Earth Conservancy.
The institute will provide research about natural gas drilling's impact on the local community and environment, help with problem solving for issues that arise, and enhance public outreach efforts in order to promote safe and environmentally responsible drilling in the Marcellus Shale that could aid in significant local economic development, he said in a press release.

I asked Kanjo about his position on the Frac Act introduced by Senator Casey but he was noncommittal.

The argument in Harrisburg has moved from if there should be a severance tax to how much it should be. The Republicans want 1.5% and Rapid Edward wants 5 %. I think it should be a lot higher along with Tim Mullen's idea of requiring the drilling companies to post an environmental bond. Dan Onorato is beating up Tom Corbett on this issue. A new Penn State study looks at the tax issue. I know many of my friends don't trust anything coming out of PSU on this issue after the last fiasco but it is worth a read.

Kayak Dude is reporting there are tiny bubbles of methane in the Susquehanna River.

Scott Cannon of Video Innovations has produced a short film featuring Dr. Tom Juinta of the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition and State Reps Eddie Day Pashinski and Phyllis Mundy. Some of it is "what if" these things blow up in our back yards but those "what if's" are serious concerns. The damage the heavy trucks will cause is indistibutable.

Luzerne County Controller

The county Republicans are looking for a sweep of the 3 row offices up for election this year and many local political observers have told me if they don't win this time they never will. Next to the Commissioners the most important job under the dome is Controller. The candidates are Republican Walter Griffith , Democrat Bob Morgan and Independent Wil Toole.


Toole is a long time Democratic politico from Pittston who flirted with a run for the Democratic nomination in the spring and applied for the job in 2008 when Maryanne Petrilla became Commissioner. Rapid Edward never got around to filling the post. He is now running as an Independent.

Toole was the first Controller candidate interviewed by the Times Leader Editorial Board and sometimes sounds like Rodney King. “I don’t know why we have to be at war. I don’t know why we can’t say, ‘This is wrong. Let’s fix it,’ rather than, ‘Ha, ha, ha, I got you.’ I just don’t see that as being necessary.” He touts his achievements as Pittston's as city clerk/administrator "I ran the city of Pittston for 13 years,” Toole said the city had low tax rates, paved roads, pristine parks, adequate staff, an over-funded pension fund and manageable debt load when he left in 1997.

The article also notes that Toole made headlines in 1999 when he agreed to repay Pittston nearly $19,000 in overtime the city said he illegally obtained. Pittston officials said he obtained that money by inflating the hours of overtime he worked during his last year of employment as city clerk. Felony charges of theft and tampering with public records against Toole were dismissed by a county judge. Who was the Judge?

I find it amazing that the TL would include that information in the article but not ask him to comment about it. I have asked Toole for his side of the story and will publish his response if he answers.


The Blogfather has been researching the PNC Bank ethics policy because Democratic nominee Bob Morgan is employed by that bank. He points out many potential conflicts of interest because PNC has been involved financing Luzerne County bonds and some pension funds also wash through PNC. The company prohibits outside employment that interferes with the employee's job responsibilities or schedule. Morgan is on record as saying he will keep his job at the bank and will devote whatever time he feels is necessary to the Controller's position. I'm just guessing but I think he keeps banker's hours so how is he going to be available for all the meetings of the Salary Board, Retirement Board, Commissioner's meetings and just running the day to day operations of the office? Maybe he has a lot of vacation time saved up.


The Lu Lac Political Letter is hosting a debate between the candidates at Bentley’s, Route 309 in Ashley Tuesday October 27th from 7 to 9PM. All three candidates have accepted David's invitation.

This is neat. A venue that I can grab a drink then go to a political debate. I think that we can make this into a blogger/committee meetup.


Update: The date for the debate is MONDAY OCT. 26th. We changed the date because of WVIA TV's broadcast debate on the night of the 27th. We felt it wouldn't be fair to the candidates to compete with that. So the debate is Monday, Oct. 26th

Phils win

Phillies 3 Brewers 1



Cole Hamels retired the first 14 batters he faced and went 8 scoreless innings giving up only 2 hits. The home team scored all 3 runs in the 3rd on a muffed fly ball and a bases loaded walk. Hamels was pitching a gem but Cholly decided to go to his closer in the 9th who proceeded to give everybody a heart attack. Brad Lidge gave up a run and then got 2 whiffs with 2 men on base to end the game. Cole hit the magic 100 pitch mark that the new wisdom of baseball dictates that a new pitcher must come into the game. I'll say it again, Whoever invented the pitch count should be shot.

There is a lot on the line in this postseason especially for the politicians.

From GrassrootsPA

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle wagered Miller beer and sausages that the Brewers would win and our own Rapid Edward offered up Yuengling and cheesesteaks in return.

Casino money for the Woodlands

The good news in this TL story for the people in my little burgh of Plains Township is that our property taxes will not go up. The question is why aren't they being reduced as promised.
Being the host community of the Mohegan Sun Casino Plains get's a cut off the top for putting up with the place to cover extra police costs, etc. We have seen some benefits such as reduced garbage fees and more roads paved.

Rapid Edward (Gov Rendell) sold Casino gambling as a way of reducing school property taxes but only half the revenue goes to to that worthy goal. There is another pot of money for the health, safety and economic development projects in those counties where the casinos are located.

 In the past the Plains Twp Board of Commissioners have kicked backed a million dollars a year to the Casino to pave the parking lot that is located on top of the old East Side Landfill neglecting other needs such as purchasing a new ladder truck for the fire department. Kevin Blaum documented that a few years ago. Such nonsense, we are supposed to make money off the place not subsidize it.

Sure enough, there was an application on DCED’s list for $5 million, half the amount available, to remove garbage from Mohegan Sun land to enlarge its parking lot. Obviously Mohegan is capable of paying for its own paving and garbage removal. Yet this project survived DCED’s initial cut (an official act) while many projects in other communities did not.
It’s important to note that a casino may not apply for this money. If it did, it would be laughed out of town. ...To end-run this prohibition, the application was submitted by none other than Plains Township (an official act). This application, if approved, would return $5 million to Mohegan Sun at the expense of other municipalities that need these funds.
Why would anyone do such a thing? Follow the money.

Now they are at it again.

The township is serving as sponsor for expansion projects for the Woodlands Inn & Resort and Geisinger Wyoming Valley. Board President Ron Filippini described the government sponsorship of the grant applications for private entities as economic measures intended to spur job creation.


That's it, no details of what the projects are or how many jobs they are going to create. How do you measure this? It sounds like more corporate welfare.

Giving money to the Woodlands ???? Really?

The Woodlands is a kids bar that keeps our police very busy defeating the purpose of having this extra money. How many stabbings , shootings, acts of vandalism and other displays of beer muscles have there been over the years? The place is in the police blotter all the time. Similar incidents at other establishments in other parts of the Wyoming Valley have resulted in the places being shut down as nuisance bars.

Luzerne County Judge and Controller

Governor Rendell will get to appoint a successor to Michael Conahan as Judge of the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas and a county Controller to succeed new Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla.

For the Judge spot 3 people have expressed an interest. CV: Attorney C.J. Bufalino III is interested... and Attorneys Tom O’Connor and Eugene Sperazza also have hinted they may seek the appointment.

Another Controller hopeful has applied. TL: Tony Lombardo, 70, said he has submitted his resume because he has business management and supervisory experience.
“I want to get in there with a basic principal that I will be a public servant and not a politician,” Lombardo said.

I'm still laughing about Wil Toole wanting the job and Augie Piazza is still planning to apply. Ashley Mayor Rick Oravic’s name is also being mentioned along with former Commissioner Ed Brominski and retired state rep Tom Tigue.

Rapid Edward can't run again so hopefully he will ignore political considerations and pick the best people for the jobs.

Gatorade and corporate welfare

WRIGHT TWP. — Construction of Pepsi’s 500,000-square-foot Gatorade distribution center began in November...The $37 million capital investment by Pepsi will add 93 new jobs to a workforce of 236 already employed at the company’s manufacturing plant in the park. State, county and local taxing authorities agreed to tax incentives to ensure the project.

Just how much Incentive did PepsiCo get. Under the terms of the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance plan, the county would waive an estimated $52,741 in annual property taxes per year between 2010 and 2016....Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development granted $1.25 million for the project, primarily in infrastructure costs for roads. Luzerne County donated a $100,000 grant to the project....The seven-year LERTA will reduce property taxes for Pepsi by about 50 percent and kicks in after the Keystone Opportunity Zone status expires in three years. KOZ sites have temporary state and local tax breaks. The combined tax breaks guarantee Pepsi reduced tax status for 10 years. Rapid Edward tells us that The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce supported efforts to obtain a $1.25 million funding offer for the project from DCED that includes a grant of up to $1 million through the Infrastructure Development Program and a grant of up to $250,000 through the Opportunity Grant Program.

I just got my county/municipal property tax bill for 2007 and will pay the full amount. We've done many improvements to the property over the years keeping local contractors busy without any government loans or tax breaks. How did we do it? Remember this and all the other sweetheart deals when you get your new valuation if the reassessment is ever done.

Capitol Ideas suggests a payoff may be involved:

What the statement failed to mention is that Rendell will now have 36 cases of Diet Pepsi delivered to the governor's mansion each week until he leaves office.

Eagles pre-game live

I'm watching the pre-game show and they did yet another feature about some fans tailgating before the game. The revelers sent some omelets over to the crew and before Michael Brakann even got done with the thank yous Rapid Edward had already scarfed his down. Later they did a bit with Andy Reid giving the injury report saying the Guv sustained 3 mustard stains on a new jacket in the 3rd quarter. I haven't seen it myself but I've been told is that when you're at an event you don't want to get between Rendell and the buffet table.

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Now about that property tax reform.

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All the prognosticators are picking the Eagles to win the NFC but I find it hard to predict pro football. A couple of key injuries and your season is in the toilet.

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The Eagles just took the kickoff and marched right down the field with Westbrook scoring from the 1 on a shovel pass.

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2 drives 2 TDs. After forcing a punt on the Rams first touch they score again on a pass from McNabb to TE LJ Smith. 14-0

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Mrs G is on the porch watching her favorite team, the Stillers, and they're up 21-0. I just heard that Tom Bady is hurt and out of the game.

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In other news the Phillies are playing the Mets in the 1st game of a doubleheader. Pedro was always a fastball pitcher but now he is now throwing slop. He's up against the King of Slop, Jamie Moyer and the Phils lead 2-0 in the 2nd.

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90 yard TD pass McNabb to Baskett. 21-0.

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Another Birds TD. PSU alum Tony Hunt punches it in. 28-0.

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A big punt return by Jackson leads to a Aikers FG 31-0.

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Dobbs smacked it out. Phils 5-0 in the 4th. Pedro is out of the game.

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Stillers are up 35-10.

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Another TD for Westbrook. 38-0.

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Finals

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Eagles 38-3

Stillers 38-17

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Phils win 6-2.

Rapid Edward backs Hillary

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday picked up the endorsement of Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who wished Clinton and her presidential rivals would drop the rancor.

"I don't like it...I have tremendous respect for Senator Obama and Senator Edwards and of course great respect and affection for Senator Clinton," he said. "I would love it if we could do it with less acrimony."

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Then why get mixed up in it?

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There is an outside chance that the April 22 PA Primary will still matter if no candidate scores a knock out on Tsunami Tuesday February 5 and looking at the calendar we are the last big state to vote this season. Before PA the big contests are on March 4 in Texas and Ohio then we have over a month until our primary. If there is still no clear winner on March 4 we can look forward to six weeks of non-stop TV ads and multiple visits to NEPA by the candidates. The last time I remember the Pennsylvania Democratic Primary being decisive was in 1976 when Jimmy Carter beat Henry Jackson and Morris Udall to wrap up the nomination.

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On the Republican side I think there is a even a better chance that the PA Primary will count.

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Or at least I can hope or dream.

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In the Presidential race there has been a lot of nasty emails popping up in my inbox repeating the lie that Obama is a Muslim that is refuted on Urban Legends and other places. But then I got this disturbing and eye opening message from the General who commanded me to pass it on:

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Hillary Clinton: Secret Vogonzuelan

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If you do not forward anything else, please forward this to all your contacts...this is very scary to think of what lies ahead of us here in our own United States...better heed this and pray about it and share it with everyone you know.

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Who is Hillary Clinton

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Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton was born in MOSCOW, Idaho to Jose Chavez, a brown FOREIGNER, from Caracas, Venezuela and Prostetnic Vogon Zwentz, an ILLEGAL ALIEN from the planet Vogsphere in the Vogsol System of the Megabrantis Cluster. Hillary's parents met at the BOMB Shelter Tavern in PARIS, Idaho.

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When Hillary was two years old, her parents divorced. Her father returned to Venezuela with her brother, Hugo, and her mother married a FREEMASON named CHARLES MANSON Rodham. When Hillary was six years old, the family relocated to the planet Vogsphere, where Hillary studied poetry at a MONTESSORI school in Vogtavia.

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Hillary takes great care to conceal the fact that she is half Vogon, half Venezuelan, and the sister of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a known LATTE DRINKER and lapsed CATHOLIC. She is also quick to point out that her Vogon past has nothing to do with her brother's acquisition of Vogon BATTLE CRUISERS, and that her sudden interest in relaxing trade restrictions on dilithium crystals for Venezuela is simply an example of her commitment to free trade.

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Hillary will NOT sing along when a Toby Keith is played at an event. Instead she will pretend to cough while uttering the words "blow me" into her hand.

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Let us all remain alert concerning Hillary's expected presidential candidacy.

Ed Rendell knows cheesesteaks

Via GrassrootsPA

We all know that Rapid Edward knows how to eat well and he shares his recipe for a great cheesesteak.

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Cheesesteak technology from Gov. Rendell

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It doesn't matter what kind of bread it is on the secret is the grease, stringy meat and canned cheese.

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“Fatty, stringy meat,” is key

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“You have to use artificial Cheez Whiz”

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“Onions with the grease” are the third secret