9 out of ten commenter's agree

About a month ago I did a post mostly about comments from the Times Leader. I thought I would do it again.

The article is "Six in running for mayor of Wilkes-Barre"


9 out of ten commenter's agree. Leighton must go.

COWBOY33

Now don't say he never did anything. He did waste over 3 million dollars on a camera system that is seldom useful so that his "pals" can make money. The cameras are poor, seldom work, seldom face the right way to catch something, and at night unless there us A LOT of light can't see anything. But at least JJ Murphy and Dale Rinker were able to start businesses based of it.
That money could have lowered taxes, fixed roads, bought equipment. Instead it paid for a trip for "consultants" to go to Vegas.


Joeythe2nd 5 hours ago

“I have a proven record of accomplishments,” he said. “I believe there are few people who would say that the city is not a better and safer place to live. We’ve maintained and improved services while holding the line on taxes during some very difficult economic times.”

Is Leighton delusional ? Has he walked the neighborhoods of Wilkes-Barre ? Has he forgotten that city property taxes were raised by 30% in 2008 ?


Guy in reply to Joeythe2nd

Don't forget he also re-raised the city wage tax back to 3% from 2.85%! Leighton has to go!


duke911

First of all the neighborhoods are not safer ....show us some statistics........second my tax's went up so i'm not sure what the hell he's talking about ...........third the streets are a mess ........no street cleaning ........recyclables all over the streets every where you look ........call the police for assistance and unless there was a shooting you will be waiting quite awhile ........and if it's deemed not an emergency they won't even show up..........so lets make a change it can't get any worse .

Guy in reply to duke911

I second that on calling the police for assistance and them never showing up because "no officer is available" or show up the next day, meanwhile, if you drive down the road, you will see a cop or two sitting in a parking lot doing nothing or two cruisers where officers are chatting with each other.


Aggie95

what has he done for the neighborhoods ......the only time I see a cop here in the Heights is when we call them or they raid one of the many dope houses.


Ralph_Edmunds

The wisdom in changing leadership every 4-8 years is simple: Corruption, insider favoritism, backroom dealing - it all grows like a vine. Sorta ok at first (big maybe) but eventually it will strangle the life out of a government and rip off the overburdened taxpayers bigtime. Thank you Mr. Leighton for most of what you've done. Now be gracious and say good-bye to this job.


TeaPartyDem

Running crime watch is not anything close to running a city with a $40m budget. And the crazy tower gets a comment in the paper why???

GoldBond in reply to TeaPartyDem

So lets keep these "expert" people in office who allowed the city to be near bankrupt (their words, not mine) for at least 10 years. Every time he speaks, he lets you know that the city is broke, but there is always enough money for legal expenses and all of his "accomplishments" - like adding bars to the downtown area while leaving neighborhoods to go to the gang members. Im not ok with this scenario either. Managing a $40 million budget doesn't make you a good leader. A good leader will put the RIGHT people in place to get the job done.



Guy

$40 million dollar budget is because salaries and debt service eat up most of the city's expense leaving very little room for anything else. Why is it the Deputy Controller of the city makes more than 2 times the Controller amount?



Three things dictator Leighton said in the article jumped out.
First
“I expected competition,” Leighton said. “After seven years as mayor, I don’t expect to have kept everyone happy, nor should I keep everyone happy.”
Most of the people he has made "happy" are political hacks and/or campaign contributors.

Second
“I have a proven record of accomplishments,” he said. “I believe there are few people who would say that the city is not a better and safer place to live. We’ve maintained and improved services while holding the line on taxes during some very difficult economic times.”
How many things are wrong with this statement?
"We’ve maintained and improved services"!!!!! What?!! He has cut the fire/EMS service by about 30% and claims to have 'maintained' services!!!!! We are paying for top notch service but are getting his 'pet projects' instead!!

Third
“We have been able to improve the downtown and we have made great improvements to the neighborhoods,” he said. “There is much more that we can do, and I plan on doing more and that’s why I am seeking re-election.”
What improvements? Yeah, “There is much more that we can do, and I plan on doing more and that’s why I am seeking re-election.”
Like
1. Screwing up selling the Sterling hotel (costing us $325,000)
2. Trying to sell city property for 8 cents on the dollar to a campaign contributor
3. Lying to county officials to get tax forgiveness to a campaign contributor
4. The largely worthless camera system (Costing us well over $2,000,000)
5. Violated contracts (like Citywide Towing's contract) so he could give it to a campaign contributor (that cost us over $225,000)
6. VIOLATED CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, TWICE !!! (Denise Carey & the Hammonds). That's cost us over $275,000. And anyone who has served in the armed forces or has a loved one who is or has served, should be as FURIOUS as I am over this.

Obviously he thinks that there is still money to give to his friends.
Maybe he thinks he's got 'Tiger Blood' because his claims make about as much sense as Charlie's do.

"(Political) offices are as acceptable here as elsewhere, and whatever a man cast a longing eye on them, a rottenness begins in his conduct" Thomas Jefferson (1799)

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Wish comes true for cancer-stricken 10-year-old

Wish comes true for cancer-stricken 10-year-old inducted into Army
By Zachary Roth



'Most kids might hope to get an Xbox or an iPod Touch for their 10th birthday. Brennan Daigle got a reception from a formation of soldiers, a ride in a camouflaged National Guard Humvee--and induction as an honorary member of the Army.

Since October 2009, Brennan, from Sulphur, Louisiana, has been battling embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma--a rare form of cancer in which muscular tumors attach themselves to bones, writer Rachel Reischling reports in the Fort Polk Guardian. Last month, doctors told his family there was nothing more they could do, and gave Brennan just weeks to live.

Brennan has always loved the Army. His mother had created a Facebook page--Brennan's Brigade--to keep family and friends informed of his condition. People from around the world, including soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, have left comments of encouragement and support. One group of soldiers in Afghanistan posted a picture of themselves holding an American flag, and told Brennan: "We're flying this flag in honor of you; we're here to back you. Stay Army strong."

Becky Prejean, who runs a charity for sick kids called Dreams Come True of Louisiana, heard about Brennan's illness, and got in touch with his mother, Kristy Daigle. Brennan's greatest wish, Daigle told Prejean, was to meet some soldiers in person, before his illness worsened. So the two women contacted the Fort Polk Community Relations Office, which put out a call for a few soldiers to attend Brennan's tenth birthday on Feb. 26.

Forty showed up.

Brennan had been told he was going fishing with his father. But when he got out of his dad's truck, he was greeted by a formation of 1st MEB soldiers, standing at attention in front of a National Guard Humvee. After a moment, they all shouted "Happy Birthday, Brennan!," and broke into applause.

Brennan was speechless, according to his mother. "All he could do was giggle," she said.

Brennan and his best friend Kaleb were invited to check out the Humvee, and Brennan sat behind the wheel. Then soldiers took the two boys out for a spin. Afterward, Brennan and Kaleb put their heads out the hatch on the vehicle's roof, while the crowd snapped pictures.

But it wasn't over. Brennan got out of the Humvee and was led to the front of the formation, where he shook hands with each soldier. He was inducted into the Army as an honorary member, then given a coin symbolizing merit and excellence, as well as a military jacket with his name on the pocket, and other Army-themed gifts.

"Brennan, you exemplify what personal courage means," Pfc. Kamesha Starkey, 1st MEB, told him.

Finally, the mayor of Sulphur, La., gave Brennan a key to the city, and the title of Honorary Mayor of the Day.

"Words can never express what I felt seeing all those soldiers there, knowing some of them had just come back from Iraq and still took time out for just one little boy," Kristy Daigle said. "Just to know that they care enough to give their all, to give their love and support to a little boy is phenomenal. It says so much about our men and women who serve our country in the armed forces."

Some of the soldiers said the event helped put things in perspective for them. "It was good to be able to give back," Pfc. Kyle Frederick said. "It opened my eyes to a lot of things: How I take my kids for granted, how lucky we are, how we complain on a day-to-day basis and we really have it good compared to others."

As for Brennan, it took a while for his new honor to sink in. The next day, he asked his mother, "Am I really in the Army?"

"You most certainly are," she answered. "They don't swear in just anyone."

"That's awesome," said Brennan.

(Photo: Capt. Gabriel Araujo swears in Brennan Daigle at Fort Polk, Louisiana. www.thefortpolkguardian.com)'

This is one of the best demonstrations of why our armed services are true heroes.
They not only protect our freedoms, but they took the time to protect a young boys soul.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Leighton's fiction is finally online

The online budget is online, three days after I posted about the lack of an online budget. It is still in a 'scanned document' form, so no quick reference.
Well dictator Leighton didn't disappoint.
In 2009, because we were down 19 men, the overtime (OT) was $322,000.No new hires means about the same for 2010.
Leighton cried in 2010 that we were burning through the overtime budget and blamed us(even though he knew how our OT works, as manpower goes down OT goes up) which shouldn't surprise anyone, he blames everyone else for his shortcomings.
Well for 2011 he has arbitrarily pulled the number $50,000 out of his... out of the air. Even with the hiring of 6 new men back in September we are still about 19 men down. Wanna bet he starts whining about our OT before the primaries?

Do you want decreased Fire/EMS service for 4 more years?

Do you want 4 more years of back room deals? (the Old River Road Bakery, The Sterling Hotel part one and part two)

Do you want 4 more years of No-Bid contracts? (Ex-judge Conahan's Medic 8)

Do you want 4 more years of VIOLATED CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS?

Do you want 4 more years of his lies? (He lied to get a campaign contributor tax forgiveness, 'Ex-bakery sale draws criticism' The Times Leader Oct 2, 2009)

If we want the corruption to stop we need to be heard at the polls.
You can't fix corrupt, but you can vote it OUT!!!!
We are the citys 'customers' and we are experiencing POOR customer service

It's late, Nite


Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Charlotte Raup for MAYOR

Crime Watch coordinator announces bid for Wilkes-Barre mayor

'Charlotte Raup, a member of the organization for 16 years, is a Democrat.
BILL O ’ BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com

WILKES-BARRE – The city’s Crime Watch coordinator says it’s time for her to “put up or shut up.”

So Charlotte Raup is running for mayor.

“My phone has been ringing for weeks with people asking me to run,” Raup, 54, said. “So after careful consideration, I have decided to run. The time has come for the ‘Good Old Boy’ network to end and a new era to begin.”

Raup, a graduate of Meyers High School and Wilkes College with a degree in philosophy, said she will make a formal announcement on her candidacy in the near future.

Raup and her husband live on Gardner Avenue in the Parsons section of the city.

A Democrat, Raup said she has well over the required 100 signatures on her petitions and she will file them before Tuesday’s deadline.

On Thursday she was doing what she loves – conducting a Crime Watch meeting at East End Towers on Scott Street. She has been a member of the city’s Crime Watch for 16 years, the last 10 as coordinator. The organization currently has about 400 members, she said.

Raup has aired her differences with incumbent Democratic Mayor Tom Leighton publicly over the years.

She advocated for a crime prevention officer to attend Crime Watch meetings; Leighton did assign an officer for 2011.

“I guess you can say I’m dissatisfied with the way the city is being run,” Raup said. “But I don’t want to bash anybody. I just want to run and get my message out to the voters.”

Raup said she is putting together her team for the campaign and will unveil her platform as the campaign develops. She said she will hold fundraising events as well.

Raup ran for a seat on City Council in 2007, but lost out in the primary election to Mike Merritt.

In 2008, Raup was the recipient of the national Jefferson Award for Public Service, which is bestowed by the American Institute for Public Service. She was also named volunteer of the year by the Pennsylvania Crime Prevention Officers Association that same year.

Raup was recognized with the citizen crime prevention award by Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency in 2006, the same year she received the Governor’s Award for volunteerism.'


Everyone I've talked to about Charlotte has had only the most glowing things to say, and in my opinion having a Mayor with integrity will be a HUGE improvement.

She has been a member of the Wilkes-Barre crime watch for 16 years. Walking, at night, some of the worst areas this poor city has. When was the last time dictator Leighton has done anything like that? Never unless you count his 4 or 5 desperate "look I'm doing something so vote for me" town meetings. She knows the city (She walks it) and knows where the problem areas are. She cares about the people, or she wouldn't have been a crime watch member for 16 years.
I think she will win by a landslide.
The only downside? What our vindictive dictator do to punish all those who did not vote for him. Council has proven they WILL NOT stand up to him. Expect them to say things like,"There's nothing we can do" a lot.
Remember, I was told, by a very good source, he will sell south fire station by the end of the year, it doesn't matter if he wins or looses. Once it is gone, the south side of the city will NEVER have one again.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Gunman in Bellmore Out to Cause “Mayhem”

By Rashed Mian on March 3rd, 2011

'The gunman who Nassau County police officers killed after he shot an EMT responding to the suspect’s car crash in Bellmore on Tuesday night was armed with six assault weapons and was prepared to cause “mayhem,” Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey said.

Justin Angell, 20, responded with the Bellmore Volunteer Fire Department colleagues to a 911 call for a pickup truck that crashed into a utility pole on Bellmore Avenue shortly before 10 p.m. when the driver,whose name police have not released, shot the victim.

Angell, who collapsed on a nearby lawn, was taken to Nassau University Medical Center where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries. The suspect then opened fire on police officers before being gunned down, police said.

“It was clear to us that this man was out to commit mayhem somewhere in this county,” Mulvey said.

Police only described the suspect as a 31-year-old Suffolk County resident who just recently moved to Long Island from Florida and may be married with a young child.

“To everyone … thank u so much for the calls concerns and visits … just got up and walked a bit,” said part of a message on Angell’s Facebook page.

A K-9 officer who responded after the EMTs to the crash retreated behind his car after he “noticed the laser sights of a firearm with a long rifle honing in on him,” Mulvey said. The gunman shot at Seventh Precinct officers as well. The officers were not hit by the gunfire.

As officers returned fire, the K-9 officer shot and killed the suspect through the passenger side window of the suspect’s vehicle, Mulvey said.

The suspect fired at least eight shots and had ammunition strapped to his forearm, Mulvey said. He also had a long rifle with a scope strapped across his chest. In his pocket was a small semi-automatic pistol, a long-barreled revolver on his lap and a Tec-9 within easy reach on the floor behind the passenger seat of the car.

Mulvey said the gunman “may have some turmoil in his personal life.”

Detective Lt. John Azzata of the Homicide Squad said the suspect had a minor arrest record but had nothing on his record that is “as violent as what occurred.”

It hasn’t yet been determined where the weapons came from, police said.

Police declined to speculate on the suspect’s motives. The commissioner said “He might have had the intention of leaving that vehicle at some point because of the number of weapons, and the way they were arranged on his body.”'

And

Cops Kill Gunman Who Shot Firefighter in Bellmore
By Timothy Bolger on March 2nd, 2011

'Nassau County police officers killed a gunman who shot a fire department volunteer responding to the suspect’s car crash in Bellmore on Tuesday night, police said.

The volunteer was taken Nassau University Medical Center where he was listed in stable condition while being treated for non-life threatening injuries. The gunman was fatally shot when he threatened officers at the crash scene on Bellmore Avenue at about 10 p.m., police said.

Police said the driver hit a utility pole at the corner of Claxton Avenue. When the local fire department arrived, the man fired shots, striking the volunteer.

Investigators later uncovered numerous weapons in the suspect’s vehicle.

Police did not immediately release the names of either the volunteer or the driver.

Homicide Squad detectives are investigating.'

I'd like to bring your attention to this phrase,
"was armed with six assault weapons and was prepared to cause “mayhem,”"


This is not an assault weapon. It is a .32 caliber pistol. It is not a 'Combat' caliber but it is 'considered' to be the lowest effective caliber.


This is not an assault weapon. It is a .22 caliber pistol that looks 'Bada$$'. 'Lethal'? possibly, but not an assault weapon.


This is a Tec 9 mm. Not an assault weapon. 'Lethal' yes, but not an assault weapon. Every real 'shooter' I know hates this weapon, they call them "Jam O' Matics".


This is a hunting rifle. Not an assault weapon. 'Lethal' yes, but not an assault weapon.


This is a revolver, looks to be a .357. Not an assault weapon. 'Lethal' yes, but not an assault weapon.


This is an SKS. It fits the definition of an assault weapon.

Why did I post this? Because the main stream media knows nothing about firearms and they just play for ratings. What we hear is often not accurate, but is sensationalized.



To all my 'brothers and sisters' in Fire/EMS and police, keep your situational awareness cranked 'up to eleven', because this is becoming more and more commonplace.
Thank God the EMT survived, and it sounds like they will make a full recovery.

Dan Emplit WBFD

America's Third War

Texas Farmers Under Attack at the Border
By Kris Gutiérrez

'Published March 03, 2011 FoxNews.com In Texas, nearly 8,200 farms and ranches back up to the Mexican border. The men and women who live and work on those properties say they’re under attack from the same drug cartels blamed for thousands of murders in Mexico. “It’s a war, make no mistake about it,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said. “And it’s happening on American soil.” Texas farmers and ranchers produce more cotton and more cattle than any other state, so Staples is concerned this war could eventually impact our food supply, and calls it a threat to our national security. “Farmers and ranchers are being run off their own property by armed terrorists showing up and telling them they have to leave their land,” Staples said. To raise awareness, Commissioner Staples launched the website ProtectYourTexasBorder.com. It’s a place where frustrated and scared farmers can share their stories. One Texas farmer, who asked not to be identified, said it’s common for him to see undocumented immigrants walking through his property. “I see something, I just drive away,” he said. “It is a problem, I’ve learned to live with it and pretty much, I’ve become numb to it.” Another farmer, Joe Aguilar, said enough is enough. After walking up on armed gunmen sneaking undocumented immigrants into the United States through his land, Aguilar decided to sell his farm.“It’s really sad to say, you either have to beat ‘em or join ‘em and I decided not to do either,” Aguilar said. Aguilar's family farmed 6,000 acres of land along the Texas-Mexico border for nearly 100 years. “Our farmers and ranchers can’t afford their own security detail,” Staples said. “We’re going to become more dependent on food from foreign sources. Americans don’t like being dependent on foreign oil, they won’t stand for being dependent on foreign food.” For more on the battle at our border, visit http://www.ProtectYourTexasBorder.com.'

We need to bring our troops back and face this INVASION. That's right, I called it an invasion. Somewhere along the way, the U.S. became the worlds peace keeping force. This is wrong. There are war fighting forces and Justice forces. They are not the same. Justice is about punishing those who break the rules.

War is about removing their ability to break the rules. It doesn't matter if the steps you have to take to render them impotent are unjust, because War is not Justice.

If we really wanted to make "War" on the drug problem, we'd do it by taking crop dusters and glyphosphating huge swaths of the jungle that showed up as a certain albedo in satellite photography (This tech can tell you what 'kind of crops' are being grown), and then killing the drug loads, shooting down the smuggling planes, shoving a Maverick up the ass of the smuggling boats, gunning down pushers in the streets, etc.

But we are making "war" instead, and we are doing it with our "Justice" people. And so we pervert both the idea of War and the idea of Justice.

So bring our troops back, suspend Posse comitatus (I think this CAN be done in time of invasion), have our warriors make war and wipe out the problem.

For those who do not know a Federal statute known as the Posse Comitatus Act forbids the use of the United States Army, and through it, its offspring, the United States Air Force for law enforcement purposes.

The current 'solution' is like trying to make a cookie out of cat-sh!t. It might look like a cookie, but it still tastes like cat sh!t. If something is not done, and SOON, one of two things will happen. We will lose the border farms (that's why it is an INVASION) or people will start defending what is theirs. Remember my post about Don Alejo?
John F. Kennedy said, "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
This is the type of thinking we need if our beliefs and (with drug gangs) lives are to continue.


Happy Birthday to "The Star-Spangled Banner", it was officially adopted as our national anthem 80 years ago today.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Where's the online budget?

OK it's now March 1 and still no online budget for Wilkes-Barre. Fiction Day was back on December 9, you remember the day that city council passes whatever fiction dictator Leighton puts in front of them.
But now, after almost 3 months, The budget isn't online. Going to city hall and getting it is a joke. Last year a Firefighter went and asked for a copy, was told it would be ready in a week, and what he got was the total expenditures for the budget. One numerical sum........ on a post it note........ and he had to pay for it.
So here we are starting the third month of the year and it is still not posted. Makes you wonder 'WHY'? My take? Leighton doesn't want anyone seeing his fiction before the primary.
To quote an older post of mine, "Well look at what he has done in the past, in 2009 the city payed $322,000 in overtime because we didn't have enough fire fighters. He didn't hire any. So for 2010 you can expect to pay around $322,000 in overtime. That's common sense. Obviously he lacks that trait, because he budgeted only $125,000. Then complained the FD had gone through that amount in 3 months. We have no reason to believe that the common sense fairy has visited him in the last few months."
And would I point that out? Are you kidding me, of course I would. With this administration pulling games like selling the Old River Road bakery to his campaign contributors for 8 cents on the dollar? Violating contracts so he can give them to a campaign contributor? Remember that cost the city $225,000 (Which if you add the $50,000/ year the city gets from LAG, after 5 years we just broke even!!) And don't forget Leighton believes Constitutional Rights are an inconvenience, costing us $220,000+.
Oh and lets not forget Leighton patting himself on the back for getting $50 million to replace 4 bridges AND FIX SOLOMAN CREEK. The bridges were fixed (costing about $11.2 million) and NOTHING WAS DONE TO THE CREEK. So where's the rest of the $50 million? $38.8 million MIA or never recieved.
There is just TOO much for one post.


Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote