Songs of sorrow, songs of love KISS Theatre presents ‘Les Mis’ THE GUIDE
807514
ONE SONg, A fEw ASSUMPTIONS ANd A rACIAL OUTCrY NEWS, 5A
THE TIMES LEADER timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE, PA
Scripture, swearing unleashed at council
FRIdAy, APRIL 12, 2013
Gun bill on track for fight in Senate
COMMUNITY STEPS UP TO THE PLATE
Wilkes-Barre meeting turns testy over towing contract, other issues. By JERRY LYNOTT jlynott@timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE — To get his point across at the city council meeting Thursday, James Gallagher quoted Scripture. Bob Kadluboski used profanity. Both speakers decried the administration’s failure after nearly four months to decide on whether to terminate the contract of LAG Towing as complaints mount against the company and its owner, Leo A. Glodzik III. Gallagher, who regularly addresses council, said he tried to steer clear of LAG but was compelled to talk about it because he was sick of hearing and seeing about it in the news. Glodzik acknowledged last week that he let city police officers use luxury cars and sold a pickup truck to an officer who still drives it with the specialty “towing repair” plate attached. Private criminal complaints were filed against Glodzik and officer John Majikes for allegedly violating the state’s vehicle code. Saying he wanted to add to the invocation read at the start of every meeting, Gallagher choose Luke 12: 2-3 to lead into his commentary. “There is nothing covered that will not be uncovered,” Gallagher read. “There is nothing hidden that will (not) be made known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light. And what you have whispered in private rooms will be proclaimed, proclaimed to the house tops.” A few people in the audience responded with “Amen!” More comes to light about LAG while nothing is being done about it, Gallagher said. “The inactions of this administration speak volumes; volumes in the street, volumes from one end of the valley to the other,” he said. “Everyone’s wondering is the mayor, is the mayor in on it too?” Replies of “Yes” came from the audience. Kadluboski, a tower who has been outspoken about the administration’s dealing with LAG, recalled what he said was a conversation with former city official Bill
50¢
Families of Sandy Hook victims witness federal lawmakers take on issue.
CLARK VAN ORDEN PHOTOS/THE TIMES LEADER
By ALAN FRAM Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Congress’ most serious gun-control effort in years cleared its first hurdle Thursday as the Senate pushed past conservatives’ attempted blockade under the teary gaze of families of victims of December’s Connecticut school shootings. The bipartisan 68-31 vote rebuffed an effort to keep debate from even starting, giving an early victory — and perhaps political momentum — to President Barack Obama and his gun control allies. Four months after 20 first-graders and six staffers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown were killed, relatives watching the vote from a gallery overlooking the Senate floor dabbed at tears and clasped hands, some seeming to pray. Even so, few supporters of the legislation are confident of victory. Several weeks of emotional, unpredictable Senate debate lie
Crews from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 163 donated time over the last week to help with the installation of new lights at the ASNWR Little League Field along Front Street in Hanover Township. The new lights are only one change at the area Little League that will be unveiled today as the ASNWR Indian Majors take on the Hanover Green Phillies. A ceremony thanking all volunteers for their help in preparing the renovated field will begin at about 5:30 p.m. and the first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Burying electrical line for the lights (in photo at right) are Michael Kwashnik, Ryan Gorski and Jamel Taylor. For more on the project, see Saturday’s edition of The Times Leader.
See GUN, Page 10A
GANG VIOLENCE
‘Ragin’ Cajun’ a hit at area fundraiser Watch for signs
James Carville entertains at Volunteers of America dinner in Plains Township.
See COUNCIL, Page 10A
By BILL O’BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com
PLAINS TWP. — It didn’t take political strategist and commentator James Carville long to get an area crowd of about 250 laughing, reacting to and anticipating his every word. “I know you all had a flood up here not too long ago and that reminds me of an old saying about my home of Louisiana, where we’ve had a pretty big flood ourselves thanks to Katrina,” Carville began in his trademark Cajun drawl. “They say half of our state is under water and the other half is under indictment. I guess you can say that about Wilkes-Barre, too.” Carville, 68, known as the “Ragin’
Cajun,” was the featured speaker at the Volunteers of America’s ninth annual Celebrity Benefit Dinner on Thursday night at The WoodCarville lands Inn and Resort. Charles Barber, president and CEO of the Luzerne Foundation, was presented the organization’s “Spirit of Youth Award.” No stranger to Northeastern Pennsylvania, Carville mentioned his friendship with U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, and the Casey family. His biography notes “his winning streak began in 1986, when he managed the gubernatorial victory of Robert Casey in Pennsylvania.” Carville was hired as the late governor’s campaign manager during a heated primary battle. After winning the Democratic nomination over Ed Rendell, Casey Sr. went on to defeat
WILKES-BARRE — The Hazleton Area school teacher looked at the test paper handed in by a student and was perplexed by the letters he had scrawled at the bottom of the page. Why on earth, she wondered, did he scribble “ALKQN”? At first she assumed it was gibberish, but she soon learned it had a far more sinister meaning, said Luzerne County Detective Lt. Christopher Lynch. She showed the paper to the school resource officer, who immediately recognized the acronym as shorthand for “Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation”
See CARVILLE, Page 10A
See GANGS, Page 10A
Flood-ravaged homes repaired with help from ‘angels’
disaster Recovery Coalition on Thursday offered a glimpse at ongoing effort to aid those in need. By BILL O’BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com
WEST PITTSTON — Connie Andrews hasn’t lived in her Montgomery Avenue home since September 2011, when the Susquehanna River backed up and filled most of her first floor with water. As volunteers from Carpenters Calling were painting, nailing and sanding inside, Andrews, 61, stood outside Thursday and talked about getting back her home.
“Thank God for these volunteers,” she said. “If it weren’t for them, I would have had to sell the house.” In late summer of 2011 Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee caused tens of millions of dollars in damage throughout the region. Irene downed trees and flooded waterways on Aug. 28, and 10 days later Lee swelled the Susquehanna River to a record 42.66 feet — inundating communities and leaving thousands with heavily damaged houses and buildings. Andrews, of West Pittston — one of the hardest hit communities — hopes to See FLOOD, Page 10A
of unwanted groups in area
Bill Scranton Jr. in the general election. Casey won by nearly 80,000 votes. “The Caseys are very dear friends,” Carville said before the dinner. Carville called Pennsylvania “Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Alabama in the middle.” He said coming back to the region brought back many memories and he was pleased to see the progress of the area. “I’ve driven that Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike many times,” Carville said. “And it’s still as narrow as it was 27 years ago. And it’s still under construction. Ain’t you ever going to finish it?” Casey called Carville “a great man and a great friend from a great family.” Carville and Casey each have seven siblings. “We keep in touch, but frankly not enough,” Casey said from his car while driving home from Washing-
By BILL O’BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com
INSIdE
A NEWS: Local 3A Nation & World: 5A Birthdays 8A Editorials: 9A B SPORTS: 1B Stocks: 9B Comics 10B C CLASSIFIED INSIDE The Guide Crossword/ Horoscope Television
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
Sharon and Joseph Schmidt of Main Street, Duryea, talk about the repairs made to their home after the 2011 flood.
6
09815 10011
wEATHEr
Cloudy with rain tapering off. High of 54. John Slovick Northwest Area Intermediate Unit