Chris Kelly: Scranton Voters Stick With What They Know Is Killing Them

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lackawanna County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The table was set for reform-hungry Scranton voters to nominate successors to three-term Mayor Chris Doherty, but they showed little appetite for change at City Hall in Tuesday’s primary election.

Just under 37 percent of city Democrats voted; about 19 percent of their Republican neighbors. The turnout was shockingly anemic, considering taxpayers’ endless braying about being bled dry by a parasitic government.

Turnout was similarly listless countywide (35.3 percent), but at least voters supported a government study commission that could lead to real change and voted to keep county row offices, rejecting a naked power grab by the incumbent county commissioners.  Jim Wansacz, Corey O’Brien and Pat “Cheese” O’Malley weren’t up for re-nomination, but voters let them know they were lucky not to be on the ballot.

City voters sent a different message:  Forget belt-tightening!  Bring on the bankruptcy buffet!

Read more:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/editorials-columns/christopher-j-kelly/chris-kelly-scranton-voters-stick-with-what-they-know-is-killing-them-1.1495526

Will A New Face In The Mayor’s Office Improve Harrisburg’s Image?

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Dauphin County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note: YES!  We would like to see Eric Papenfuse win the November election.  It’s time to restore someone with business acumen to the office of the mayor in Harrisburg.  Eric is an excellent businessman and has been a leader in helping to revitalize Midtown Harrisburg.  Eric’s bookstore, Midtown Scholar, is one of the anchors of the new Midtown.

When major financial news organizations send reporters to a city the size of Harrisburg to cover the election for mayor, it usually means things haven’t been going well.

That was evidenced Tuesday night, as a Reuters news dispatch described Mayor Linda Thompson‘s defeat in the Democratic primary. The story began, “The embattled mayor of Pennsylvania’s financially crippled capital of Harrisburg was ousted on Tuesday…”

Embattled.  Financially crippled.  Harrisburg.

No matter who wins in November, the city’s next mayor must repair Harrisburg’s badly damaged brand, and that could be one of the most formidable aspects of the job.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/05/harrisburg_mayor_thompson_pape.html#incart_m-rpt-2

Have We Lost All Desire To Vote?

Editor’s note:  Apparently yes!

While other row offices were eliminated, Luzerne County’s home rule charter kept the controller to independently scrutinize its $260 million in spending, 1,400-plus workers and more than 50 departments providing services from tax assessment to 911 dispatch.

The public — not county employees or officials — pick the person who fills this $64,999 elected post for the next four years to be the fiscal watchdog.

Although an estimated 256,800 residents are eligible to vote on this decision, the number who narrowed down the controller finalists from four to two in Tuesday’s primaries was 31,000 — only 12 percent of the over-18 population.

“When you break it down and see the percentage of the population making the decision, that’s pretty troublesome,” said Barry Kauffman, executive director of the nonprofit citizen advocate group Common Cause Pennsylvania.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/539857/Have-we-lost-all-desire-to-vote

Dead Woman Was His Girlfriend, Peruto Says

English: Map of Philadelphia County highlighting Center City (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

High-profile criminal defense attorney A. Charles Peruto Jr. confirmed Sunday that a 26-year-old woman found dead Saturday in the bathroom of a Center City home he owns was his girlfriend.

Peruto, who answered the door at the three-story brick building at South 20th Street and Delancey Place, declined to comment beyond stating that the woman “was my girlfriend.”

The woman’s identity had not been released by police as of Sunday morning, but a police source identified her as Julia Law.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130527_Dead_woman_was_his_girlfriend__Peruto_says.html#MHtkQtdPDIX068yz.99

16-Year-Old Charged In Stabbing Death Of Girlfriend In Skippack Township

Location of Skippack Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Skippack teen has been charged with stabbing to death his 17-year-old girlfriend in a wooded area of the Skippack Trail Saturday night.

Tristan Stahley, 16, was arraigned Sunday on charges including first degree murder in the death of Julianne Siller, said Kevin Steele, the Montgomery County first assistant district attorney.

According to court documents, Stahley and the victim, Siller, a high school senior who lived in Royersford, were at Stahley’s home on Rittenhouse Lane Saturday when Stahley’s mother overheard the pair arguing.

Soon after – and apparently reconciled – they left the house and drove in Siller’s car to nearby Palmer Park in Skippack Township, where they argued again as they walked along the trail.

Read more:  http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20130527_16-year-old_charged_in_stabbing_death_of_girlfriend_in_Montco.html

Two Banks Robbed In One Day In Montgomery County

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORRISTOWN — Police are investigating two bank robberies that occurred within an hour of each other Friday in Montgomery County.

The first took place about 4:30 p.m. at Harleysville Savings Bank, 1889 E. Ridge Pike, Upper Providence, and the second at 5:12 p.m. at Univest Bank, 4258 Township Line Road, Skippack.

According to witnesses, a man entered the rear door of the Harleysville Bank and ordered a customer to the floor, Upper Providence police reported.  The man then approached two tellers, demanded money and fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.  One of the tellers gave the man a dye pack, which was seen to explode as he left the bank, police said.

The Harleysville robber was described as a white male, 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, wearing a black hat with a black mask that covered his entire face, a tan zipper jacket, dark pants and brown shoes, police said.  He was also wearing blue or possibly green latex gloves, police said.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130525/NEWS01/130529407/two-banks-robbed-in-one-day-in-montgomery-county#full_story

Reading Royals Crush Stockton, Win First Kelly Cup

Stockton, CA – Yannick Tifu lifted the Kelly Cup high above his head, looked toward a contingent of Reading Royals fans who were gathered behind their team’s bench and let out a loud, proud scream.

The work was done, the title was secured and it was time to party.

The Royals claimed their first ECHL Kelly Cup championship on Saturday with a dominating 6-0 win against the Thunder in front of a crowd of 4,662 at Stockton Arena.

The Royals took control of the game with a four-goal second period and another sterling performance by goaltender Riley Gill, who earned the finals most valuable player award.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=481015