Barletta/Yudichak Forum On Gangs

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta and state Sen. John Yudichak held their third information session to address the growing problem of gang-related crime and violence in the region at Luzerne Community College yesterday. Veteran reporter Steve Mocarsky covered the meeting in this report.

Barletta called the session, held at Luzerne County Community College, “the most important part of the five” because “community involvement is really what we believe will drive this initiative. … As a community we have a responsibility of doing our part.”

“If we do nothing, we will see more and more gang activity creep into our neighborhoods,” Barletta, R-Hazleton, said.

The first session at Penn State Hazleton in June focused on educating the community about gangs, how they work and how to recognize them. The second, at King’s College in February, focused on what schools can and should do to prevent students from succumbing to gang recruitment efforts.
Yudichak said that since then, much has already happened.

No gang-specific law
Yudichak said Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states that has no gang-specific law on the books, but he and colleagues in the state House and Senate are working to change that.

Gang expert Darrell Dones, a supervisory special agent with the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., who helped Barletta and Yudichak launch the initiative, said he’s impressed with the interest and community involvement he’s seen here thus far.

This efffort relies on community involvement. The public can attned the nest Gang Awareness Information Session by Operation Gang Up on Sept. 23 at Hazleton Area High School. The focus will be law enforcement awareness.

To get involved right away contact the office of state Sen. John Yudichak at 740-2434 or the office of U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta at 235-1420 for more information on how to join a committee or subcommittee to help combat the local gang presence. Or visit  www.operationgangup.com – the website soon will be fully functional.

Dee Deakos- Self Advocate Part 2

At the Hazleton City Council meeting November 3, 2010 the council members passed a budget for spending federal block-grant dollars. Veteran Times Leader reporter Steve Mocarsky penned an article on November 5th about that meeting.

HAZLETON – City Council on Wednesday approved a new budget for spending federal block-grant dollars and asked the city administrator to look into the replacement of burnt-out street lights.

City officials expect to receive $1 million in community development block grant money from the federal government and $41,000 in program income.

The article lists the use of the grant money.

• $50,000 for Housing Rehabilitation Forgiveness Loans for single-family, owner-occupied homes.

• $60,000 for acquisition and rehabilitation of vacant properties for single-family homes to be sold to low- or moderate-income buyers or used as rental properties and managed by Housing Development Corp.

Dee Deakos made this comment during the meeting.

During public comment before a vote, rental property owner and Hazleton Taxpayer Association member Dee Deakos told council that limiting the acquisition/rehabilitation funds for rental properties to Housing Development Corp. was discriminatory to other rental property owners in the city.

Ms. Deakos has a habit of lobbying for money so that she may gain financially from its availability. Back in 1994 Ms. Deakos was the recipient of $7,020.00 "for the rehabilitation, preservation, and enhancement" of the property she presently resides in downtown Hazleton. Below are images of the documents filed for that money. As you can see the City of Hazleton held the mortgage/lein on her property.

Ms. Deakos evidently didn't find it discriminatory when she was the benefactor of a forgiveness loan in the amount of $7,020.00. On December 11, 2007 the City of Hazleton filed a mortgage satisfaction piece forgiving the entire amount according to the terms of the original mortgage/lein. The source of these funds came from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development agency, commonly known as HUD.

Does she feel this action by Council would be discriminatory because she would not qualify for the funds? How does a "taxpayer advocate" essentially lobby the very government she claims to be watching for money? She could personally benefit but escapes the claim of "quasi conflict of interest. Self advocating is not taxpayer advocating.

Taxpayers should scrutinize Ms. Deakos's actions more closely to see who's interest she really has in mind. How many citizens of Hazleton would like $7,020.00 of free money to fix up their own residences?

She complained to HUD about a potential conflict of interest against then councilman Joe Yannuzzi over his involvement with Crossroads Computer hired by the City of Hazleton.

Yannuzzi accused Deakos of filing a complaint with HUD so that her computer firm would get business from the city.

She denied the claim, although a valid one. The fact that she is in the computer business gives the same appearance of a conflict of interest that mirrors the essence of her complaint about Yannuzzi to HUD.

Evidently what's good for the goose isn't good for the gander.

Eachus- Frequent Flyer On Air Corruption?

In today's Times Leader there is a story by Steve Mocarsky that questions Todd Eachus's claims that he only received one ride on now admitted felon Robert Powell's jet, media coined "Air Corruption".

Contrary to a statement from state House Majority Leader Todd Eachus’ spokesman, Eachus made more than one flight on a jet owned by admitted felon Robert Powell, according to sources.

Eachus, D-Butler Township, was aboard the 1981 Sabreliner 65 for at least part of a flight from Hazleton to Allegheny County to Harrisburg, back to Allegheny County and back to Hazleton on Dec. 27, 2006, the sources said.

Last week, Eachus confirmed that he took a round-trip on the jet from Harrisburg to Hazleton and back for a press conference to announce a development plan for a cargo airport near Hazleton on Jan. 31, 2007.

Through his campaign spokesman, Dave Georges, Eachus said last week that was his only time on the jet.

For months SOP has been reporting that close sources relayed similar information about multiple flights. It isn't so much that Eachus flew on Powell's jet. It is the fact that he failed to report it on his Ethics Commission filings. Only he can answer why.

Eachus Headed For Trouble??

While Steve Mocarsky was writing a bio on Todd Eachus's career over at the Times Leader Brad Bumsted was opining on whether Eachus was in AG Tom Corbett's cross hairs. I guess authors see things differently on each side of the state.

To be fair Mocarsky did write about Eachus's silence over the corruption investigation. Judging from the comments neither Eachus nor Professor Baldino have any fan clubs.

Baldino's comment:

“If Eachus was a serious player or integral as to what was going on, why wasn’t he identified when (former state Rep. Mike) Veon and the others were announced as major defendants? It’s curious to me why Eachus’ name is just coming out now,” Baldino said.

Evidently no one told Baldino about Michael Veon's Motion To Dismiss based on selective prosecution last year that highlighted volumes of emails about Eachus and Bonusgate. CasablancaPa.com devoted a whole post to this subject in August, 2009.

Baldino's claim of ignorance earned him the top spot in CasablancaPa's post today. Maybe Mocarsky can refer to him as "NEPA Nimby" Tom Baldino.

Baldino made the same righteous claims about former Senator, now convicted felon Vincent Fumo this year.

"If Fumo is convicted, it makes you wonder how many other senators knew of it, or minimally used staff in the same way," said Baldino, who, like Fumo, grew up in South Philadelphia. "It raises doubts of why someone didn't say anything about this behavior of Fumo." Then again maybe Mocarsky can refer to him as Ostrich Tom Baldino.

Last year when the Luzerne County corruption scandal hit the news Eachus withdrew his support for the cargo airport proposed by one of the actors, Robert Powell.

"It is clear to me that all the questions need to be answered of the individuals surrounding the project. I'm going to suspend my support until all the questions are answered,"

Mr. Eachus, did you ever ask get an answer to your questions?? More importantly can you enlighten the public with the dates and times you asked those questions? Or is it that you don't want any questions asked because John Q. won't like the answers?

Could there be two investigations going on at once?? Just wondering.