I say he'd make a great backup to his brother Eli.
Just sayin.
When I was a kid, I did not miss a Coughlin football game unless work prevented me from attending.
I forget which season, but my cousin and I once walked from Wilkes-Barre to Wyoming Area’s football stadium so as to not miss the-then battle of unbeatens. 7-0, if I remember correctly. We often rode train box cars to games up Pittston way, as well as south towards Meyers’s stadium and Hanover. Walked to Plains stadium for every home game.
I especially liked attending games at Meyers when the most speediest of the players were poised to cut on that artificial rug. And to this date, the fastest person I ever saw playing on that rug was Pittston’s Jimmy Cefalo.
Being that I took those games way too seriously, Cefalo’s domination of Coughlin gave me fits. And yesterday, at Joe Paterno’s memorial, Jimmy Cefalo came real, real close to getting my tear ducts to activating. After all these years, one way or another, the guy is still getting to me.
So, we’ve gone and got our first ever county manager, some well-traveled guy from California, who is slated to take control of our county government in late February.
Meanwhile, it seems that our newly-seated council has adopted a budget that will include no new taxes, but significant staffing cuts. The dreaded A-word was even uttered…austerity.
And with that news the cries of reduced services rang out from both inside and outside the governmental fray. Yep, they say 100 or so layoffs will result in lessened services.
Really? Like what? Where’s the draconian hit? Seriously, can the average resident of Luzerne County get through a single week without the assistance of the Luzerne County government? Boy, I sure hope so.
What are we talking about here? Does the county provide life-sustaining services to very many of us? Or are we worried that it might take longer to get a dog license? What do we need more, convenience or a balanced budget?
During this Great Depression II, many, perhaps most businesses reduced staffing levels, which obviously means customer service took a hit. It’s inevitable. Oh, but we cannot slash public sector jobs. Oh, no, that might affect the services those jobs supposedly provide.
And in a county carrying a half billion in outstanding debts and paying crushing debt service payments on a yearly basis, that sort of thinking is useless, short-sighted poppycock.
It’s time that the folks paid to toil away under the rotunda start living within their means so as to not make it any more difficult for us to live under our means. Across-the-board cuts. Permanently furloughed employees. Union concessions. Divestitures. All of the above. Whatever it takes. It’s time.
Austerity Now!
And how ‘bout this one…
Outspoken residents again overshadow W-B council meeting
WILKES-BARRE - Peter Gagliardi called Thursday night for a more civil discourse between city council and its frustrated residents, even outlining three principles he believes will help keep increasingly sensational encounters off of YouTube."After a while, these episodes rub off on your reputation," said Gagliardi, of South Hancock Street. "After a while, people are going to think of Wilkes-Barre as a place it's just a never-ending mudslinging contest."
Hallelujah! I’ve been saying this for years, that the monthly freak shows at city hall accomplish nothing, save for damaging the city’s reputation.
Oh, and now that the long sought after credit card receipts have been found, what next? Indictments? Hand cuffs? Perp walks? Not likely.
But with the discovery of the long-illusive statements, I see yet another city employee, Marie McCormick, has been vilified by the so-called activists.
Here’s one for you: Name for me a city hall employee who has not been vilified, defamed, slandered or libeled by the self-appointed defenders of humanity and you will win a prize not donated by a mystery philanthropist.
And they wonder why I stopped attending the monthly freak shows. Er, the city council meetings.
Later
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