Gort42

• Untangling the web

  "I just look at the little tab that has my name next to them and I sign them.- Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak
  
  
  Mike Buffer has great rundown of the latest web of deceit that we call Luzerne County government in the Citizens Voice today.
  
  The" [...]
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  Posted: November 29, 2009, 5:37pm EST
  

• Luzerne County Spokesperson

  
  
  
  
  
  
  The job has been vacant since Kathy Bozinski got dumped in a cost cutting move a few years ago but I heard a rumor that the position will be filled in the near future.
  
  
  [...]
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  Posted: November 29, 2009, 5:11pm EST
  

• Pennsylvania Lt. Governor 2010

  There seems to be a couple of dozen people running for Lt. Gov of PA in 2010 from both parties. A few of the Republican hopefuls are hitching their bandwagons to GOP front runner Attorney General Tom Corbett including MSNBC talking head Joe Watkins.
  
  Watkins spouts the usual [...]
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  Posted: November 27, 2009, 6:56pm EST
  

• Carolee doesn't like the carpeting

  This is like deja vu all over again.
  
  
  Office too rundown for Medico Olenginski
  
  ... the rug had a black stain that appeared to be grease. She also described dirty walls, furniture “marked beyond normal use” and a six-inch section of missing plaster.
  [...]
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  Posted: November 27, 2009, 2:32am EST
  

• Happy Thanksgiving

  
  We all have our holiday traditions and in the Gort household it includes making the traditional stuffing with the help of our dog and cat. They spend so much time in the kitchen I'm thinking of getting them both a chef's hat. I'll get up [...]
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  Posted: November 26, 2009, 1:50am EST
  

• Thanksgiving memories

  TO HELL WITH THANKSGIVING AND BLACK FRIDAY!!!
  
  By Mean Old Man
  
  
  Here we go again with the stupid "get together with the stupider relatives" holiday of Thanksgiving. As you can tell, I'm not my usual jolly self only for the simple reason that I have to deal' [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 2:15pm EST
  

• Malcolm on the move

  
  Republican Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk has expressed an interest in running for the Pennsylvania 10th US House of Representatives seat currently held by Democrat Chris Carney. I talked with Derk over the weekend and he sure sounded like a candidate. He criticized Carney for [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 8:20pm EST
  

• One and done

  I had a great conversation a few days ago with an old Air Force pal who is now an assistant US Attorney in another part of the country. He couldn't comment on what is going on around here but told me how the Department of Justice deals with public corruption' [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 9:15pm EST
  

• Shop til you drop

  Another crook gets a slap on the wrist.
  
  
  CV: A tearful former magisterial district judge Karen Holly was sentenced today to two years probation, including 30 days in a federal halfway house, for stealing $6,300 from her employer...Holly will be allowed to work, attend religious services and [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 7:36pm EST
  

• This week in Luzerne County corruption

  Poor Skrep, many of his friends have been indicted or are under investigation or quit. He must be a lonely guy. It's no wonder that he doesn't show up for work at the Courthouse unless there is a public meeting that he just can't duck.
  
  WILKES-BARRE - Luzerne' [...]
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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 5:51pm EST
  

• Could have been a contender

  
  TL:
  Write-in ballots for jury commissioner showed Robert Kadluboski received 78 votes; David Yonki received 21 votes and Greg Gulick received 21 votes. Another 209 write-in votes were scattered with various people being listed. [...]
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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 3:52pm EST
  

• Carney on Health Care

  
  Commander Chris Carney has returned from active duty blowing up things in Afghanistan by remote control to vote on the health insurance reform bill. He sent us an explaination of why he voted for the legislation:
  
  
  As you are all aware, Congress [...]
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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 3:13pm EST
  

• 11th CD tidbits

  Trying to usurp Federal immigration law is one one thing but messing with the God given constitutional right of the people to have satellite TV is beyond the pale. Last Febuary Hazleton imposed a $10 satellite dish inspection fee that has been challenged in court as violation of Federal [...]
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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 3:53am EST
  

• Challenger for Carney

  
  Dan Hirschorn of pa2010.com is reporting that Synder County Republican Commissioner Malcolm Derk is looking to take on Congressman Chris Carney in the PA 10th Congressional District next year and will make a decision next month.
  
  It's surprising that the GOP is having [...]
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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 2:40am EST
  

• Luzerne County Courthouse happenings

  Luzerne County Human Resources Director Doug Richards resigned effective December 4th then was fired because he wouldn't spill the beans to Maryanne Petrilla about a dodgy contract with a New York temp agency that doesn't seem to have an address. The Feds raided his office after he was [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 3:45am EST
  

• Idiot Watch

  TL: ... Kingston Township police allege Dormio was observed Oct. 18 driving a 1994 Chevrolet Berreta without a right rear wheel on Memorial Highway. Police said a trail of sparks was coming from the rear of the vehicle...Police said they pursued Dormio for more than a mile until he [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 3:31am EST
  

• It's fixed

  
  My computer underwent a successful hard drive transplant and all systems seem to be working fine. The good folks at Custom Computers in Kingston ordered the parts, installed them , gave it a good cleaning and made sure the thing wasn't haunted by worms' [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 3:23am EST
  

• Computer Problems

  I'm not sure that this will even post.
  
  The last few weeks I've had a problem loading IE7. I click on the icon and the widow opens then nothing happens. I do an end task then try it again and it usually opened on the 2nd or 3rd try. [...]
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  Posted: November 15, 2009, 4:40pm EST
  

• Luzerne County Courthouse Crime Watch

  Photo by Pete G. Wilcox/The Times Leader
  
  
  Better late than never..Gene Stilp of the Pink Pig fame was busy putting up posters around the Luzerne County Courthouse on Friday that asked people to report any wrongdoing to a Post Office Box..Commissioner Chair Maryanne [...]
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  Posted: November 14, 2009, 3:15pm EST
  

• YouTube weekend

  By request. Thanks Danny.
  
  I was listening to local talk radio yesterday discussing Bill Brace's $1500 suit and it sounded like queer eye for the corrupt guy.
  
  
  ' [...]
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  Posted: November 14, 2009, 2:44pm EST
  

• The DCCC called me tonight

  They shouldn't hire these kids to call people like me. I got the spiel about healthcare then interrupted the young lady asking if the DCCC will be backing the incumbents that voted against the bill. She said she didn't know then hung up on me. That's a first.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:27pm EST
  

• Vote for Gort?

  Revenge!
  
  My friend David included me in his 13 questions segment this month. I suggested that we write him in for Jury Commssioner so he returns the favor.
  
  
  8. YOU HAD A FEW PEOPLE WRITING YOUR NAME IN FOR JURY COMMISSIONER, WHAT OFFICE WOULD YOU WRITE [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 7:02pm EST
  

• The Arena has a new name

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  It started out as the First Union (FU) Arena then FU was bought by Wachovia so they changed the name to the Wachovia Arena. Now Wachovia has been swallowed by Wells Fargo and they decided to get out of the naming rights business [...]
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  Posted: November 12, 2009, 8:35pm EST
  

• A well dressed man

  19 and counting
  
  SCRANTON - Former Luzerne County Deputy Clerk William Brace has agreed to plead guilty to accepting a suit valued at $1,500 in exchange for helping a contractor obtain a contract with the county sometime between June 2007 and May 2008....He served as chief clerk for [...]
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  Posted: November 12, 2009, 2:30pm EST
  

• Fort Hood

  President Obama addressed the nation in a way that that no other President has ever had to on the eve of Veterans day. Listen to names and the backgrounds of those who died and the acts of selfless heroism of their fellow soldiers.
  
  
  "It may be hard to" [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 4:24am EST
  

• A Veterans Day Message by Mean Old Man

  TOO HELL WITH SLACKER JUVIES, LET’S BRING BACK THE DRAFT!!!
  
  
  Once again, the sacred observance of Veteran’s Day is upon us and I’m mad as hell that most of the puny little juvie thugs will have a day off from school!!!
  
  
  In my day Veterans [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 3:00am EST
  

• Pack the board

  The three Luzerne County Commissioners and the county controller sit on the salary board with row officers and the president judge having a fifth vote on the Salary Board for matters concerning their offices.
  
  TL: But county officials have changed the rules in recent months by allowing department [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 4:27am EST
  

• Frack the Susquehanna

  What could possibly go wrong?
  
  
  The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority is seeking a permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection to treat up to 150,000 gallons per day of Marcellus Shale waste water in its sewage stream. DEP could allow some of the treated water [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 3:13am EST
  

• Nice work if you can get it

  HARRISBURG -...The appeals court ruling described how the man first approached state police to say he had been solicited for sex at the Shiatsu Spa near Allentown. Troopers then supplied the unnamed man with government money and sent him back four times to engage in what the county judge [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 3:01pm EST
  

• Kanjo the trust buster

  A year ago the whole banking system in the United States and other countries came close to melting down. When Lehman Brothers failed and it looked like other giant investment banks might follow the government went into panic pass mode and the Congress authorized a $1 Trillion bailout that enraged [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 3:11am EST
  

• Straight party voting

  Fewer people voted a straight party ticket than in the past in Luzerne County.
  
  TL: Of all votes cast Tuesday, 15 percent, or 10,422, were straight-party.
  County Election Bureau Director Leonard Piazza compared that to the last municipal election two years ago, when 23 percent of the votes, [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 3:15am EST
  

• The Evil Empire has won the November Classic

  Go ahead and gloat Bomber fans.
  
  
  Baseball is over so we are back to watching DVD's of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
  
  
  Seven months until the next election.' [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 11:53pm EST
  

• Juvie brother makes the Colbert Report

  Via Big Dan
  
  Arizona wants to privatize their prisons. We all know how well that has worked out in Luzerne County.
  
  Steven Colbert rips local NEPA judge Mark Ciavarella on "The Word":
  
  
  The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cThe Word - The Green [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 10:18pm EST
  

• Will Toole's statement

  My election was pretty much what I expected with no surprises. Approx. 10,000 straight party votes and that is something that just can't be overcome. No physical organization + No money = no advertising = a good ass kicking.
  
  
  I am satisfied with the way things turned out' [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 11:44pm EST
  

• Walter wins big

  Controller
  
  
  Walter L. Griffith Jr. (Rep) . . . 28,160 48%
  Bob Morgan (Dem) . . . . . . . .21,916 38%
  Wil Toole (Ind) . . . . . . . . 8,197 14%
  
  
  I predicted that Griffith would get 50% of the vote [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 11:13pm EST
  

• The Row offices

  In the Prothonotary race Carolee got 60% as predicted and Dottie Stankovic barely held on for another term as Register of Wills.
  
  
  Prothnotary
  
  
  Carolee Medico Olenginski (Rep) . . . 33,800 60%
  Nancy McGinley Bellas (Dem) . . . . 22,328 40%
  
  
  Register of [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 10:57pm EST
  

• Judge of the Court of Common Pleas

  William H. Amesbury (Dem/Rep). . 37,125 36%
  
  
  Tina Polachek Gartley (Dem) . . . . 35,482 35%
  
  
  Richard Hughes (Rep). . . . . . . 30,154 29%
  
  
  WITH 188 OF 189 PRECINCTS COUNTED [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 10:53pm EST
  

• Peter Paul Olszewski Jr is unemployed

  With 93% of the precicnts counted it looks like that Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr has been not been retained as a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. No Luzerne County Judge has even lost a retention race before, this is history. Even Conahan and Lokuta won retention.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 10:20pm EST
  

• About half the precincts reporting

  Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
  
  William H. Amesbury (Dem/Rep). . . . 18,483 38.57
  Tina Polachek Gartley (Dem) . . . . 17,489 36.49
  Richard Hughes (Rep). . . . . . . 11,896 24.82
  
  Controller
  Walter L. Griffith Jr. (Rep) [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 9:07pm EST
  

• Exit polls

  We voted about 6PM tonight and were voters 373 & 374 out of approximately 1000. Wilkes -Barre School Board candidate was greeting people out front and he was the only School Director hopeful that I voted for. Me and Mrs. G also wrote in David Yonki for Jury Commissioner.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 8:24pm EST
  

• Predictions-Controller

  The Luzerne County Controllers race has been the hot topic on this blog over the last few months with 2 of the 3 candidates even mixing it up in the comments. I've taken some guff from a radio talk show and others for allowing you to vent your spleens with' [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 7:01pm EST
  

• Jury Commissioner

  A few months ago I was on the WILK Sue Henry Show and the situation of indicted Democratic Jury Commissioner Jerry Bonner came up and off the top of my head I suggested that we should all write-in the Yonk for that office in the November election. The reaction [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 6:07pm EST
  

• Predictions-The Judges

  
  In the retention races I think that Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. is going down. Tom Burke may survive but I doubt it. Tina Gartley will be the top vote getter for one of the two open seats and Dick Hughes will win the other spot. [...]
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  Posted: November 01, 2009, 10:14pm EST
  

• Predictions-The Row offices

  
  I'll save my prediction of the Controller's race for a later post..I've been saying for months that Republican Carolee Medico Olenginski will romp to victory in the Luzerne County Prothonotary contest even without the news that her opponent's husband is a crook. She has spent [...]
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  Posted: November 01, 2009, 8:57pm EST