`impasse'  Focus In Crestwood / Teachers Union Hopes To Use Previous Ruling
Against Board's Negotiator To Union's Advantage

40 Warned To Go To Court/ Freeland Police Department Issues A List Of Names Of
People Who Owe Fines Or Have Failed To Appear.

By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@leader.net
 Monday, December 19, 2005 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





WILKES-BARRE - State Rep. Kevin Blaum, D-Wilkes-Barre, a pivotal figure in
the creation of Wachovia Arena, says he will formally announce today he will
not run for re-election in 2006. Blaum on Sunday sent a column to the Times
Leader noting some highlights during his three decades in politics and
explaining the reasons behind his decision not to seek a 14th consecutive term
in the 121st Legislative District. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "First and foremost I do not want to miss any more field hockey games,"
Blaum wrote, referring to job demands that prevented him from spending quality
time with his family. His daughters - Caroline, a sophomore at the University
of Iowa, and Elizabeth, a junior at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston - are avid
field hockey players. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Blaum, 53, said he feels he was able to accomplish "a great deal" in his
five years on Wilkes-Barre City Council and soon to be 26 years in the state
House. But the time has come to change priorities, and he doesn't foresee a
re-entry into politics in the future. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I had a great ride; 31 years is a long time. My spirit just wants to go on
some other rides." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Blaum and his wife, Beth, initially decided four years ago he would retire
from politics. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "But in early 2002, after long deliberation, I decided to remain in the
House two additional terms because of several important pending community
projects and the near certain election of a governor who might be persuaded to
help fund them," he wrote. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After Blaum's term in the House ends on Nov. 30, 2006, he plans to pursue a
career in education and volunteer his time with organizations and projects
that can benefit the community. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A 1974 graduate of the University of Scranton with a bachelor of science in
education, Blaum declined to say if he's applied to teach at any area school
districts or colleges. He said during a phone interview Sunday that he would
address questions on his future career plans at a press conference scheduled
for noon today at Wachovia Arena - the construction and success of which he
sees as one of his biggest career accomplishments. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We had a 10-year battle, and now it's something I can look at forever,"
Blaum said of his work to make the arena a reality. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After Luzerne County voters narrowly rejected a 1995 referendum seeking to
have the county guarantee a $22 million construction bond to fund arena
construction, Blaum worked as a member of the Luzerne County Convention Center
Authority to help secure other funding sources. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A career highlight of which Blaum said he's most proud is a bill he
authored to strengthen the state's child protective laws and "bring (them)
into the 21st century," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In 1994, the House and Senate passed the bill Blaum authored and had
battled for during the preceding four years. The bill required caseworkers for
children and youth agencies to complete written risk assessments of every
child-abuse report. Additionally, they were empowered to remove children
suspected to be at risk. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Blaum's legislation also reformed the old Child Protective Services Law by
improving the exchange of information between law-enforcement officials and
county children-and-youth agencies, requiring administrators of public and
private schools to report incidents of sexual abuse to law-enforcement
officials, mandating all school employees who work with children to submit to
child-abuse clearance checks through the state Department of Public Welfare
when they apply for employment, and making abuse reports available to county
judges in custody cases. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Blaum also said he relished working closely with the late former Gov. Bob
Casey, with whom he shared a "special relationship" until Casey's death in
2000. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 During the years, Blaum made many political allies and friends throughout
the county and region. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Luzerne County Commissioner Chairman Greg Skrepenak, who was surprised by
Blaum's withdrawal from politics, described him as someone who is
"intelligent, friendly, approachable and always does the right thing." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He will mostly be know, for, of course, the arena. In the midst of the
referendum, which was barely defeated, he led the charge to get the arena as
we know it now. Although, he's been supportive of the movement for several
important county projects such as the riverfront project, the Hotel Sterling
(revitalization) and the (downtown) theater project." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 State Rep. Thomas Tigue, D-Hughestown, said he was surprised to hear about
Blaum's departure. "I think the Northeast is losing an important legislator.
He earned the respect of the entire House and the Democratic Party." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Tigue said he knew Blaum was concerned about not spending enough time with
family, stating "everyone reaches a point in time when they make different
decisions. He (Blaum) will take another path. He is still young and has time
to do different things." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 County Commissioner Todd Vonderheid, who has developed a close friendship
with Blaum since they met in 1992, described him as "the quintessential public
servant. He's been able to focus on things that are really important and not
get involved in petty disputes." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "More than a decade ago during the Arena-Yes fight, Kevin taught me we
could be better. ... Now he's teaching me that at a certain time in life,
spending time with family is the most important thing you can do. He's been a
teacher to me as much as a friend." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 State Reps. Phyllis Mundy, D-Kingston; Todd Eachus, D-Butler Township; and
John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke, could not be reached Sunday night. Luzerne County
Democratic Chairman Joe Mazur did not return a call seeking comment regarding
Blaum's career and possible candidates for his office. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Blaum's district includes Ashley, Wilkes-Barre, Wilkes-Barre Township and
parts of Hanover Township. As Democratic Caucus secretary, Blaum is the
highest-paid member of the Luzerne County delegation in the House of
Representatives at a salary of $79,418. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1975 - Highest vote getter for four open seats on Wilkes-Barre City
Council. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1979 - Elected to a second term on city council. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1980 - Elected to his first term in the state House of Representatives. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1988 - Sponsored a rigid anti-underage drinking law that required a
mandatory 90-day suspension of a driver's license and a maximum $300 fine for
underage drinking. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1992 - Sponsored a bill to toughen underage drinking laws weakened by state
court rulings; the legislation said police would no longer be required to test
beverages for alcohol content in order to prove a violation of the state's
underage drinking law. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1993 - Appointed to a select House committee to deal with school violence;
House approved a bill he sponsored that imposed a minimum two-year jail
sentence on anyone convicted of selling drugs on a school bus or within 1,000
feet of a school bus stop or a public playground. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1994 - His bill aimed at strengthening the Child Protective Services Act
became law; decided not to run for lieutenant governor and instead concentrate
on leading the charge for the arena; appointed to the Luzerne County
Convention Center Authority. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1996 - Legislation he co-authored to help kids get adopted faster by
speeding the process of terminating the rights of abusive or neglectful
parents is passed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1997 - Convention Center Authority secured Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
as anchor for the arena. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 1999 - Arena hosted its first hockey game Nov. 13 with the
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins' beating the Kentucky Thoroughblades. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 2004 - Elected secretary of the House Democratic Caucus; he is minority
chairman of the Judiciary Committee and has served as Democratic chairman of
the House Aging and Youth Committee. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I had a great ride; 31 years is a long time. My spirit just wants to go on
some other rides." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kevin Blaum State representative, not seeking re-election in 2006.
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Blaum Not Seeking Re-election/ The State Representative From Wilkes-barre Wants To Spend More Time With His Family.