Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Lawlessness & Disorder, ONLY Tony George

If you're voting Tony George simply because you want to restore Law & Order, Wake Up Wilkes Barre. This guy is already selling our city down the river. Accepting HUGE campaign contributions from city contractors, and criminals in exchange for No-Bid city contracts or political favors?
  • THE LARGEST? 
  • CRIMINAL THOM GRECO
According to the Citizens Voice newspaper, Greco plead guilty to providing illegal payments to an elected official. (identified as former Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak)

So, Greco gets in trouble for buying an elected official, and is now attempting to buy YOUR next mayor!
  • NOTHING NEW, right? 
Hold the phone Wilkes-Barre, isn't this the same guy who told us during the primary that “Voters who want a fourth term of the Leighton Administration should vote for Councilman George Brown."?
  • At least Councilman George Brown NEVER committed a CRIME
As Tony is running around telling voters that he will end the "status quo", he sure isn't acting like it.

Now comes Tony's campaign finance issues: 48 so called mistakes, Tony didn't even report donations made by his campaign manager Charlotte Raup, Another LARGE campaign contributor is well know city contractor Bob Stella of Stell Enterprises who donated $2,500, was "mistakenly" reported as “Bob Francella” of “Fraculla Enterprises.”.
  • Now I get it, it's a simple mistake. After all theirs NO way Stell told Tony "I'll give you this money, but I need you to hide it, in the event Brown wins the primary, because he might be vengeful". I'm sure something like that never happened! After-all I've spoken with several elected officials who ALL claim that they can ALWAYS recall instantly who their largest campaign donor is/was, even years after the election, 
Even though our child DA swept the case of 48 campaign finance violations under her political corruption rug, NEW charges have been filed regarding yet another campaign finance violation(s).

Bill Fleming of Wilkes-Barre filed criminal charges against Tony George providing that 5 LARGE campaign signs (seen below) were been deployed by the George campaign ALL without the mandatory legal disclaimer "paid for by", as required by state law. Likely because the signs were actually paid for by Thom Greco, YES the same Thom Greco who has already plead guilty to bribing a public official(s).

Tony responded with “It’s not an issue. It would be if they were all like that,"
  • That's like telling the cop who pulls you over that, your speeding is a not an issue because you don't always drive this fast. 
George said he has more than 800 signs throughout the city and initially all of them were legal. The signs Fleming found did not have the proper information, but it was added later, George said.
  • So one has to wonder were they or weren't they legal at the time Mr. Fleming reported the 5 in question? 
If you vote for this guy thinking Law & Order will be restored, you need to remember Tony is a Phony, who is just another type of Crony! Now it's easy to see why Tony supported gangster Judge Mark Ciavarella and Kids for Cash scandal because he cleaned up that school, while taking BRIBES!Clik here to read "Tony George defends Kids for Cash Judge"
Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:
Barney & Horton

Philly Subs on East Northampton

Carey Ave between Wood & Meyers High

Scott Street

Smiths Used Tires S Main Street


Friday, October 23, 2015

Tony George defends Kids for Cash Judge

Many folks have been asking what did Tony George say, some even defending his actions, but for the sake of argument, lets take a closer look, shall we?
  • From the Times Leader political forum 10/21/2015:
"I did support Mark, Judge Ciavarella for what he did for Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center. When kids came to him, he said if you violate what he says, you’ll, you’ll, you’ll be, in front of me, and that’s exactly what he did. I have no problems with him, with the school because he cleaned up that school, and made it a safe environment for the other students in that school."

Lets reflect:
  • "he said if you violate what he says" Interesting? If you violate what the judge says, not what the law says, then you'll be in front of ME. This is a school resource officer, and former Police Chief.
  • "I have no problems with him" Understandable, and I do get it. Sometime when our friends do something wrong we still see them as friends, and want to offer a lifeline, without thinking about how said lifeline might impact the families who were directly impacted. 
  • "he cleaned up that school" NO doubt, he locked up not only the kids that may have really deserved to be sent away, but anyone who so much as spit a spitball, so I guess you could say that's cleaning it up. 
Problems:
As we've seen following Kids for Cash, those children who likely just needed guidance, i.e. positive role models, or a little discipline, got painted with a crooked brush of justice, as those who may have truly deserved to be locked up. Let me ask you, think back to when you were in school,
  • Were you perfect? 
  • Did you get in trouble? 
  • Did you use profanity?
  • Smoke? 
  • Skip class? 
  • Even get mouthy? 
  • WERE YOU LOCKED UP?
Not only did the actions of Mark Ciavarella negatively impact the families/children of Kids for Cash, the financial impact to the taxpayers of Luzerne County via massive lawsuits/settlements, forever tainting Luzerne County nationally/internationally, but what did this scandal do with regards to those "Bad Kids" (as those who are quick to defend Tony George/Mark Ciavarella like to refer to them)?

You know the ones who may have been in court so many times that the judges --- well real judges, may have spoken with so often that they not only know their names, but could likely tell you their eye color without even seeing them. What about the fact that those (again "Bad Kids") now got a FREE PASS, all do to the fact that this greedy/crooked/corrupt judge did the unimaginable to so many, for some of the smallest of infractions?

Now comes a former police chief /current school resource officer/aspiring mayoral candidate Tony George, who STILL TO THIS DAY "has no problem" with what a crooked/sleazy/slimy/greedy judge did, and WHY?, because the actions of that slimy judge seemed to cleaned up that school... 
  • Wait wasn't/isn't that your job Mr. (Slime Defender) George? 
Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:



Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Bobblehead Barrett must GO!

For a while it looked as if several city offices would be filled simply via the outcome of the primary election, without a fall challenger, but thanks to one courageous, hardworking, fighter, we can say "not so fast boys"....

Thankfully in the case of: City Council District D: Bobblehead Bill (I vote with Lie-A-Ton 110% of the time) Barrett, and City Controller Candidate: Darren Snyder, these two men will no longer sit on easy street, skating through the November election unopposed.

According to the Citizens Voice Newspaper: Independent candidate Linda Urban filed nomination petitions at the Luzerne County Election Bureau for her candidacy for City Controller and City Council District D.

  • THANK YOU LINDA: Nobody should EVER run unopposed, for any office! This is America, we should ALWAYS have a choice, and Linda just gave us one, so with that I pray the voters of District D oust that lying, cheating, slimy, closet case, of Lie-A-Ton loving Bobblehead Barrett, who not only swallows, and votes for everything the mayor ever shoves down his throat, but as a former fraud investigator somehow missed the quickie Bait-and-switch, involving his own wife, sued in court, and exposed by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Independent Gazette: If a legal dispute has no Internet footprint, is it still relevant?
Please don't blindly vote for slime, who truly only cares about themselves, and would blow past you in their convertible without caring that you were being raped, robbed, and/or murdered, by spice heads, in the cesspool of a city they created.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

W-B Sewer/Scam Alert

As city officials roll out their new sewer authority designed to tax neighboring community, many of our neighbors are already sounding Red Alert, and with good reason. The new sewer authority hasn't even held it's first meeting and it's already in debt with start up costs.

Butch Frati, director of operations for the city “We’re just asking that they pay their fair share,”

They, being our neighboring community's that is, as the city puts it, uses the Wilkes-Barre city sewer system as a runoff. So I guess it's true what they say about $h!t running down hills?

Meanwhile our neighboring communities don't seem to be taking kindly to the strong arm tactics of this runaway city government.

“We don’t know a thing,” said Plains Township Sewer Manager Andrew Lazar.

“We don’t know what Wilkes-Barre city’s going to do. Once we know what they’re going to do, we’ll make our plans,” he said, and although he would not comment on whether Plains Township would respond to the city’s plan with litigation.

“We’ll decide that when we know what Wilkes-Barre city is doing,” he said.

“I don’t want to see the residents in Plains Township have to add on additional fees,” Lazar said. “We’ve been trying to save the residents’ fees and now these people are coming to try and tax us. It’s ridiculous.”

Relax: This isn't about taxing anyone. This is nothing more than Mayor Tom Lie-A-Ton running the city into a hole, not having the cash to meet payroll for the year end, compound that with the shafting he got when the city parking authority promised him $150,000 but only ponied up $75,000. Now it's crunch time, and he doesn't want to default on his watch, so he will appoint hand plucked bobbleheads to this new sewer authority, who will likely float a bond or two, then by slight of hand, pass the cash back to the king keeping the city solvent until the next mayor (Frank or Tony) takes over, realizes the debt is well beyond the $120 million dollar guesstimate, the Johnson Controls bond (AKA last terms slight of hand loan) payments balloon to just over $3.2 Million NEXT YEAR, and they are forced into distressed city status, and Lie-A-Ton can sit back and say "everything was fine when I left, and we had a good credit rating", even though the city was just about $59 Million in debt when he first took office and now 12 years later DOUBLED.

Fact: Lie-A-Ton has NEVER paid down the debt, NEVER had a plan too!

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Friday, July 31, 2015

King's College arming security

King's College must finally be facing the reality that our city is not (as Mayor Lie-A-Ton would describe it) "a safe walk-able city". As they have made the decision to arm some of their security officers.

After all who could blame them, we've seen this city go from sad, to bad, to Gotham under this Democratic Dictator, but luckily for King's they've got the former chief of police (Gerald Dessoye) who allowed Wilkes-Barre to fall apart, heading up their security department.

According to the Citizens Voice Newspaper: King’s College spokesman John McAndrew said the idea of arming at least some King’s security officers had been discussed for about 18 months. That discussion began before Gerald Dessoye became executive director of campus safety and security for King’s College last September, soon after resigning as Wilkes-Barre police chief.


  • So for those of you who might have thought Dessoye finally woke-up, think again!

McAndrew stated: Those officers “have been trained with the firearms and related equipment at an off-site private range,” according to the email sent this week.

McAndrew declined to name the private range where that training took place.

  • Hum one has to wonder why? Was this done at the taxpayers expence at WBPD? 


 Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Hawkeye endures outages?

The Times Leader Newspaper yesterday reported that "Wilkes-Barre’s ‘Hawkeye’ video surveillance system endures outages during upgrade'

Others will argue that Hawkeye must ALWAYS endure outages, as the system has yet to produce a single image, in spite of the city's claims that the system is invaluable, yet has on many occasions refused to provide proof, but continually asked the public to simply take their word for it, as if...

The newspaper went so far as to joke that "The hawk might be off its perch in Wilkes-Barre.", referring to the lack of surveillance coverage as the upgrades are underway, but I assure you after dumping OVER $7,000,000.00 SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS, or $10,483.87 per camera into a worthless ponzi scheme, this is no laughing matter. 

City Administrator Greg Barrouk said Tuesday that the cameras are in the process of being upgraded and some will be down temporarily as a result. Barrouk stressed that it was not a city-wide shut down of the 300 total cameras positioned throughout Wilkes-Barre

It's been rumored that board-members of Hawkeye like Barrouk are receiving cash kickback for their involvement into this sham, and as much as I hope that isn't true, it sure makes sense considering how much they defend this dysfunctional system.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Parking Authority Gravy Train Ends Here

According to the Times Leader Newspaper, the (now strapped for cash), Wilkes-Barre Parking Authority, seeking bids to repair its aging parking structures, that according to a recent Penn Eastern Engineers, LLC report cited four main areas of concern including two of those are listed as in “critical status” that need to be completed before this winter.  However the Parking Authority is running low on cash, and only able to barley address the two “critical” issues.

Authority manager Tom Torbik stated “I’ve told you in the past. You can’t give any more money away,” he said. “You’re done giving money away as far as I’m concerned. First of all, you don’t have it to give away.”

The most recent audit also advised the authority that their reserves were “low”, and the authority needed to focus on building or maintaining its cash reserves in order to meet/address upcoming/needed repairs.  Yet at the beginning of this year the board (all but one member) voted to dip deeper into its cash reserves in order to give $150k to the city, (likely under mounting mayoral pressure), in two $75k installments. The first payable in the beginning of 2015 (PAID) the second to be paid this month, however at Tuesday’s meeting the board stated it will not have the extra cash to bail out the mayor this time.

So after all the looting of the parking authority (still under Federal Investigation) resulting from the failed lease debacle, orchestrated by Mayor Leighton, J.J. Murphy, the Fox Rothschild law firm where  J.J.’s brother works, (all designed to cook up a quick cash scheme, for the mayor and the then out of work J.J.). One has to wonder if not for that looting, and mayoral pressure by Leighton to give, give, give, would these repair not have been done sooner (perhaps at a lower cost), and not have reached the now “critical status”? Inquiring minds want to know!

Wake Up Wilkes Barre


Source: 

Sunday, May 31, 2015

DemocRAT vs RepubliCAN

When it comes to party lines I don't see much of a difference do you?

Well if your Times-Shamrock AKA The Scranton DemocRAT then "I Believe" there is a difference. According to their Wilkes-Barre publication The Citizens Voice, RepubliCANs don't stand a snowballs chance in Hell. Okay they were a little more tactful than that, but not much....

The headline: Analysts, history point to Republican losses in Wilkes-Barre mayor, council races

One has to wonder, on a National level, is there really much of a difference when it comes to the two party's? According to this graphic NO...
Do you even know what party you really belong to, and WHY? 


Now when it comes to the local level, is there a difference? Well let's look at the City of Wilkes-Barre, it's been oh 40+ years since a Republican has been mayor, and the last Republican city councilman was in 1983. So I ask you is the city better or worse since 1983?

Well the debt was surely lower back then, and from the talk of the lifelong residents in all the Facebook Groups, the crime sure was a lot lower. So are we seeing a pattern or are we just so blinded by our hatred for National politics that we (Wilkes-Barre) are going to keep electing DemocRATs even if they are as crooked as Mayor Lie-A-Ton?

"The definition of insanity is repeating the same mistakes over and over again and expecting different results,"

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:


Thursday, May 21, 2015

Mommy Kane: Brighter Days Ahead?

According to Wilkes-Barre City Controller Kathy (Mommy) Kane, there are “bigger and brighter things ahead”, and “you always have the bad guys”.

One has to wonder if she’s both drunk and delusional, or seriously believes our District Attorney is.

Listen WUWB has been more critical of DA Salavantis than anyone else by far, considering the get out of jail FREE card she gave King Lie-A-Ton,  following the Gas-Gate scandal, but unless Salavantis wants to be remembered as the most corrupt District Attorney in Luzerne County History, not even the child DA herself could turn a blind eye to Petition-Gate.

Jared Martin (baby) Kane, who thought it would be easy slipping into his fathers (Judge Marty (Daddy) Kane) shoes, quickly found out that shortcuts aren’t so short in Wilkes-Barre, thanks to City Wide Towing Owner/Corruption Fighter: Bob Kadluboski. Kadluboski heard that several signatures listed on Kane’s republican petition listed names of voters who stated either they did NOT sign it, or moved out of the city/county months/years before the petition was even circulated.

But according to Kane’s mother, Kathy, the city controller, addressed supporters on Facebook on Wednesday afternoon.

“Thanks everyone for your support. Unfortunately, negative press hurt our campaign. To our true friends, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. There are bigger and brighter things ahead,” Kathy Kane wrote.

Hum, she’s not referring to a prison sentence for her son I hope.

Seriously, I despise corruption, but at the same time can’t help but feel sorry for the Kane family for what they’re going through (albeit self-inflicted) but still, as a parent, I just pray they learn something useful from all this.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Monday, May 18, 2015

Vote early and vote often

Only in Luzerne County would voters not only take stock in the old saying "Vote early and vote often", but actually implement the process.

There are those on the street, (and not just a few), who believe their relatives have been voting from beyond the grave. I guess it's not hard to imagine, after all many of them likely signed Jared Kane's nomination petition...

For those of you who benefit from corruption, this is where you'll want to STOP READING, but for the honest voters, the folks who are struggling just to get by, working two jobs to pay for this culture of corruption, the FREE GAS, the kickbacks, for those who saw their name on Jared Kane's petition, yet know they didn't sign it, those of you who TRULY want honest representation for a change, Wake Up Wilkes Barre has devised your Anti-Corruption Candidate List. 

MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE
11-1-02 WILKES-BARRE
  • Tom Malloy (Cross Filed)

WILKES BARRE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
  • Sam Troy (D)
  • REPUBLICANS WRITE-IN Sam Troy

WILKES BARRE CITY MAYOR
  • Tony George (D)
  • Frank Sorick (R)

WILKES BARRE CITY CONTROLLER
  • Steven A Urban (D)
  • REPUBLICANS WRITE-IN Steven A Urban

WILKES BARRE CITY COUNCIL
District A
  • Tommy Sorick (D)
  • Joe Bernado (R)

District B
  • DEMOCRATS WRITE-IN Tony Brooks (R)
  • Tony Brooks (R)

District C
  • Sam Troy (D)
  • Stephen J. Urban (R)

District D
  • Thomas Unvarsky (D)
  • REPUBLICANS WRITE-IN Linda Urban

District E
  • William Smith (D)
  • REPUBLICANS WRITE-IN William Smith

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Salavantis: Mayor may steal gas, if he gives himself permission first…

(Outgoing) Luzerne County (Child) District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis issued a Press Release regarding the conclusion of the nearly THREE yearlong investigation into Gas Gate: the pilferage of city owned gas by Mayor Leighton. Who was pictured pilfering gas in his undershirt one morning around 6 AM.

In D.A. Salavantis’s press release she stated “Wilkes-Barre was first contacted by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) in the summer of 2009. State inspectors uncovered that individuals were using personal vehicles for City use and being reimbursed with tax-free fuel from the City pumps and the City was assessed a fine of $5,316.92”
  • In other words, the city was told in 2009 this was WRONG, but continued anyway….
“Following this incident, the City installed a new “stick key system” at the City pumps, but never put it into service.”
  •  WHY?
“Certain employees stated they always documented fuel use; others stated they arbitrarily or never documented fuel use and were never reviewed or reprimanded for the various practices.”
  •  AGAIN WHY???
Mayor Leighton issued his own Press Release where he stated: “My administration and I were not aware of any problems with the former method of monitoring usage. I take full responsibility for the lack of proper record keeping during this time. As soon as I was made aware of this poor practice, I immediately made arrangements to upgrade the city’s fuel pumps with an up-to-date tracking system. We do not anticipate any future problems concerning gasoline usage with the pump upgrades currently in place. At no time did I ever take gasoline without the knowledge of city employees.”

Leighton said “I take full responsibility for the lack of proper record keeping during this time.”
  • Let’s be clear the taxpayers were fined $25,919 because you took gas without documenting it, and you were warned in 2009 that this was wrong, so should you write a check for $25,919 to the general fund?
Leighton said “At no time did I ever take gasoline without the knowledge of city employees.”
  • Okay then why were you pilfering gas at 6 AM in your undershirt so early before the employees come in?
  • If the mayor did nothing wrong, why did he stop taking the free gas?

Wake Up Wilkes Barre, and vote Vito DeLuca for D.A.


Source: 

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Leo Finally FIRED

Why now?

Mayor Leighton cited an arbitrator’s ruling, which he said justified the move after the convicted Glodzik had “exhausted his options for appeal.”

But according to the Times Leader “the city’s justification for finally dropping the embattled towing contractor seems to be flawed.”

Glodzik’s lawyer says, adding that his client isn’t done fighting his sentence in a 2014 theft conviction.

Hum, me smells something fishy….

Could this have anything to do with the upcoming election? I know, I know Lie-A-Ton isn’t running, but is sidekicking, bootlicking, Bobblehead, George Brown is, and it’s no secret that in a one on one race between Tony George and Bobblehead Brown, Tony would mop the crime ridden streets with that Bobblehad, but thank goodness we have two vote splitters in the mix….

Effective immediately, the city has entered into an agreement with Falzone Towing Service, Inc., which had been the city’s temporary towing contractor.
 
The bed hopping city administrator: Greg Barrouk said the contract with Falzone has essentially the same terms as the contract with Glodzik, including the same $50,050 annual fee to be paid to the city. The five-year contract went into effect Tuesday and will be released publicly today, he said.

One minor difference is the fact that LAG couldn’t charge a fee to victims of crime for tows/recovery of their cars, and yet Falzone can charge upwards of TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS….

Barrouk said Leighton does not need council approval to award the contract, nor does he need to put the contract out for bid or seek proposals because towing is considered a professional service. He noted that Leighton was the first mayor to put the towing contract out for bid about 10 years ago, even though he was not required to do so.

So tell us Mr. Bed Hopper why did Lie-A-Ton bid it in the first place?

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Monday, March 30, 2015

Don't Elect a Drunken Judge

Please be aware of who/what you're electing. 

One of the most important elections facing Wilkes-Barre voters is District Judge. God forbid some vengeful BobbleHead becomes Mayor, and like the last, seeks retribution against anyone who attempts to air the dirty dealings of that administration, one must have an honest, fair, and impartial judge, when you finally do get your day in court, not just another political hack willing to uphold the bogus/trumped up charges lofted against you.  

Tom Malloy is a good man, and is ready to listen to you, hear both sides, and then render a fair and impartial ruling. (You know the actions one would expect from a District Justice but rarely sees in these crooked parts.) This time around lets Elect someone we can be proud of, not someone who simply has a name you've heard forever. 

You are not in Hollywood don't vote like it. 

 

Remember in the race for Magisterial District Judge in Wilkes Barre's, Heights, East End, North End, Parsons, Miners Mills, there are three candidates in this race  and the corruption fix is in, so voting for anyone but Malloy will surely allow for a swift corrupt victory. Ryan Verdekal said it best “There are two types of voters in Wilkes-Barre, those that vote for corruption, and those who vote against. So when you have a candidate who is hand-picked by the current city mayor, and all other candidates splitting what’s left of the honest vote, it’s easy to see that corruption wins every time".



Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

It’s Okay to pilfer gas?

Well if you’re a well-connected gas thief with a ton of dirt of everyone and their brother then, not even a newly elected, child size District Attorney trying to make a name for herself, so she could win a real election that is not backed by lies and empty promises would be enough to overcome the fact that you, your buddies, likely your family, and their buddies, were all pump pilferers. 

So lets kick it to the overworked Feds. This way it’s not on you if it fails. 

The problem is the Feds are dealing with too many other issues this crooked pump pilferer has his hands in. Let us not forget the towing debacle, the slush fund lending credit union that was enough to send the credit union manager over the deep-end, known as cars-for-cash, or the attempt to pressure parking authority members into selling their ass-ets down the river for a quickie…

YES the Feds have their hands full, and by the time Lie-A-Ton is too old to stand trial he will be charged with a slew of things but for now good Gotham citizens, please hold on, take a deep breath, and don’t be fooled into voting for any of their drunken party-boy friends, kids, or Bobbleheads.

Don’t allow your next magistrate to be a drunken kid who couldn’t even hang onto a cushy state or do nothing county job.

Don’t let your next mayor be a drunken Bobblehead who has voted for every single corrupt thing some crooked gas pilferer slipped under his nose.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:
P.S. Thank you Councilman Tony George for simply standing up for the people, for doing what ANY good elected official should do.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

King Lie-A-Ton won’t be chased out…

Rumors began circulating on Facebook so the Times Leader, in an attempt to end speculation, ran a news story: Leighton intends to stay on until end of the year.

The Times Leader wrote “Despite widespread community speculation to the contrary, Mayor Tom Leighton says he will stay in office until his term ends”

  • Didn’t we hear similar rhetoric from the judges?

Lie-A-Ton also told the paper “he has no knowledge he is the subject of a reported federal investigation.”

But in the same article District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis sought assistance from federal authorities in the fuel investigation. “I’m waiting for the FBI to conclude their investigation,” Salavantis said Friday. “Once that is completed we will be discussing it.”, all stemming from Leighton being photographed the morning of May 25, 2012, pilfering fuel into a sport utility vehicle at the Department of Public Works yard. He admitted that he did not fill out fuel logs, but contends he used the gasoline while doing city business. 

  • So how could the all-knowing mayor not know the  District Attorney sought assistance from federal authorities in the fuel investigation.
  • Perhaps he lying?

“I fully intend to fulfill my obligations to the city and the residents,” Leighton said.

  • So based on that statement we can expect Lie-A-Ton will be issuing a check for the missing gas, paying back his children’s salaries, returning the security system at his house, reimbursing the taxpayers for monitoring service, returning all the kickback, and bribes (AKA campaign contributions from city contractors) he took over the years, purchasing soap on a rope, and enjoying his stay in the BIG HOUSE.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre


Source:

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Drunks on Public Square

Right on the Square, that's right you heard me, Drunks on Public Square.

According to the Times Leader: "WILKES-BARRE — City Council on Thursday is expected to approve outside dining for a new bar on Public Square with an old-time theme."

As if Wilkes-Barre doesn't have one or two, too many watering holes as it is, the BobbleHeads will be rubber-stamping their campaign buddy's application to contribute to  public drunkenness right outside on Public Square. I mean why not, it's not like WBPD has enough to worry about now, let's allow folks opportunity to get hammered right outside. Easier to roll them out into the street then.

“It's going to be a vintage type bar,” Rodano said. “Like an old-time corner bar right on Public Square." and in time for the city's St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 15....

I can see it now, folks staggering about, liquor flowing into the streets, booze hounds urinating on the square, watering the plants even....

Whats next? 

How about we take the broken fountain, and turn it into a wine fountain. We're not that far from the Finger Lakes Wineries. Just picture it, perhaps one of the campaign contributors could plaster their name on the fountain, charge a cover, provide consumers a cup, and enjoy.


Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Second bidder for back-up, bribes?

One has to wonder why? Why the need for a second most qualified bidder? When it comes to supplementing the Code Dept. Inspections Team, as reported by the Times Leader. 

In the Times Leader Newspaper, City spokeswoman Liza Prokop explained why both companies are listed in the resolution.

“It is not uncommon for the city to name a second most qualified bidder in the event of any issues or emergencies, especially considering the fact that this is a new venture for the City of Wilkes-Barre. The city has had back-up contractors for other project contracts such as emergency services, sanitary/sewer, storm sewer repairs and line cleaning,” she said.

It is not uncommon? Then why is this the FIRST time were doing it, for a service based contractor? Wouldn't it have been great if ONLY, we had “a second most qualified bidder in the event of any issues or emergencies” that may have arose with our thief of a towing contractor, Leo Glodzik, of LAG Towing, who by the way is STILL the city’s contractor… 

One also has to wonder why we need these contractors at all, when we have 2 full-time rental inspectors and several others in that department who can lend a hand (if actually needed). It’s not like we have been vigorously inspecting Sherman Hills or anything, so why now, and why the second most qualified bidder?

My predictions:
  • Step 1: Invent "issues or emergencies" that would eliminate Bidder ONE: John Marino, Northeast Inspection Consultants.
  • Step 2: Oh thank God Prokop had the foresight to have that "SECOND most qualified bidder", Paul Pasonick, Northeast Code Services. It’s no secret that the Pasonick’s have been kicking back large campaign contributions to King Lie-A-Ton for years. Also didn’t Paul Pasonick take over the family firm following the conviction of another well known Pasonick?
  • Step 3: Phase out the city’s inspection team, and outsource the entire city. Just imagine the opportunity for kick backs then… 

And remember just like the towing contractor, "it wont cost you any more than it cost now"....

P.S. Council meeting is combined session TONIGHT 5PM, and if you want to voice your concerns about this be 5 min early.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Frequently robbed store shuts down

A Turkey Hill store that has been in the community longer than most residents shuts its doors for good. The parent company Kroger’s has all but remained silent on the reasons surrounding the closure. 

A spokeswoman for the company told the Citizens Voice the store’s closing was a financial decision. “It comes down to performance,” Hertzog said. “It didn’t justify being open so we had to close it for financial reasons.”

I guess that's partly true. A store employee, who asked not to be identified, told Wake Up Wilkes Barre that the store closed because Kroger’s felt it was unsafe for its employees, as the store was robbed so many times. 

So I guess one could say both are correct. The costs associated with protecting employees, insurance on the rise due to being held up every other week, and so on, balanced against a store with a hard to in and out of parking lot, does seem to fall under “financial reasons.”

IN OTHER RELATED NEWS:

The Citizens Voice is also reporting “W-B convenience store clerk robbed at gunpoint”, I guess the assailants found a new location.

Close all the Convenience Stores, or replace city leadership?

Seems like a no-brainer, but this is The W-B….

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Kane Dynasty?

All three city newspapers papers reported that Jared Martin Kane will likely run for his fathers magisterial seat in the North End of Wilkes-Barre. Jared Martin Kane, son of long time city magistrate Martin Kane.

According to the Wilkes-Barre Independent Gazette it sounds like the plot of the 1992 comedy The Distinguished Gentleman, starring Eddie Murphy. Here’s the plot: a Florida con man uses the passing of the long time congressman from his district — whom he just happens to share a name with — to get elected to his version of paradise, Congress, where the money flows from lobbyists.

In the movie Murphy campaigns using the slogan “Vote the name you know.”
  • Sound familiar?
It's understandable why the Kane's would want to keep the seat in the family, after-all it pays about $90,000 Annually, and perhaps Jared is't busy at the moment. Jared does have public sector experience, previously working on behalf of the taxpayers, as he was both hired and fired by the county, and state for that matter.

Now running for a job that he can't be fired from, well not for 4 years anyway.

Don't think for one second that Jared won't be able to hit the ground running if elected either, as he's had his fair share of run in's with the law. According to a Citizens Voice article, Jared was arrested for DUI back in July 2010, but that incident no-longer shows up on the Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System web portal, so it's my guess that the Kane's are experts at expungement.

Jared has an impressive resume for sure working with disgraced Kid's for Cash judge Michael Conahan. Surely these are all fine qualities that Wilkes-Barre residents are accustom to from their elected officials, after-all we've seen judges selling Kid's for Cash, cops selling Cars for Cash, Mayor pilfering gas from city pumps, BobbleHeads on council, a school board that awards billion dollar contracts to campaign donors, while hiring their own family members, drunken police chiefs looking the other way, while attempting to intimidate anyone who speaks up, DPW bosses working on their own cars at the city garage, county, and city employees using their government issued cell phones for personal use, prison employees charging fruit baskets to the taxpayers, officials jailed for taking bribes, and the list goes on and on.

SO in short if you want to continue the culture of corruption, by all means elect a Dynasty, but if you truly want good, honest, representation, pay attention, and

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source: