Yellow Mellow

What the hell is going on around here?

First it was Ray Musto's sudden and unexpected exit from politics, and now State Senator Robert J. Mellow, D-Peckville, has also suddenly and unexpectantly opted out of the electoral rat race.

So who's next?

And then there's this, from the Citizens' Voice:

Rendell nominates attorneys for Luzerne County bench

Gov. Edward Rendell has nominated two local attorneys to serve as judges on the Luzerne County bench, Lewis Wood Wetzel and Joseph Van Jura. He has also nominated John F. Gilligan, former police chief of Wyoming Borough, to serve as sheriff. All three nominations must be approved by the state Senate.

If confirmed by the Senate, Wetzel, of Dallas, and Van Jura, of Kingston, would fill vacancies created by the corruption-related resignation of former judge Michael T. Toole and the election defeat of former judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr., who was rejected by voters in a retention bid last November.

So, two more new judges, and a new sheriff even though it feels like we just elected a new sheriff. In actuality, we did.

If we had to sum up Northeastern Pennsylvania's politics of late in one word, that word would have to be upheaval. Or perhaps, incarcerated. I dunno.

Now we wait to see who's going to be interested in seeking 's Mellow's still warm seat, even though the field is not yet set on the fledgling battle to succeed Musto. This is close to becoming downright confusing.

And to that persistent rumor that Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton might seek to replace Ray Musto, I'd say he should wait another week and a half and see if Paul Kanjorski's seat is about to be vacated. At this dizzying rate, who knows what might be right around the corner?

Stay tuned, kiddies.

Later

Note: Let the rock salt games begin!

A late afternoon update from the National Weather Service predicts 4 to 8 inches of crunchy water for NEPA.