Woman Shot By Dart Gun

2 Injured Drivers Cited Following Collision

Sunday, January 05, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1B 





Democratic chiefs divide on choice for wills office &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A classic political scrap is taking shape within the ranks of the Luzerne &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; County Democratic leadership over the party's nomination for county
Register of Wills in the May 20 primaryThe names of three women -- including
incumbent Register of Wills Dottie Stankovic of Nanticoke -- are being heard
as Democratic candidates for the four-year post that will pay $36,821 in 1997
and something around $38,000 the year after. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Expected to challenge Stankovic for the nomination are Ellen Mondlak of
Jenkins Township and Loretta Chmura of Nanticoke. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Mondlak was a serious candidate four years ago, but pulled out of the
nominating primary when she lost the endorsement of the 51-member county
Democratic Executive Committee to Stankovic by a mere three votes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even with that endorsement, though, Stankovic still had to do her homework
to defeat two Democratic primary opponents for the nomination -- Lynn
Muchler-Stash of Edwardsville and Louise Cookus of Jenkins Township -- before
going on to win for Register of Wills in the November General Election over
Republican Johanna Yendrick of Plymouth. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In that primary and in the General Election that followed, Stankovic pretty
much had Democratic organizational support down the line. But it may not be
like that this time. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 While she still should have such heavy hitters as Ray Musto, Stanley
Jarolin, and Joe Mazur with her, Stankovic is more than likely to have guys
like Joe Joyce and Frank Castellano and some of their allies in the Third
District against her. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Joyce and Castellano and much of the Pittston city crowd are said to be
ready to fully back Mondlak, who claims she's staying in the race from start
to finish this time. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The third candidate -- Chmura -- might be in this deal only to draw votes
away from Stankovic in Nanticoke, where they both live. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Chmura is involved in community activities there, which means she gets her
picture in the papers about every other day. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Her supporters for the nomination are Joe and John Yudichak. Joe, who runs
the Regional Equipment Center for U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, is
John's father. John is the guy who challenged Jarolin for the Democratic
nomination for state representative in the Fourth District in last spring's
Democratic primary, but lost. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With the Yudichaks for Chmura, you'd have to guess Kanjorski might be for
her as well. The last time around, Kanjorski was for Stankovic as were almost
all the other important Democrats in the county. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Besides returning a favor to Chmura, who was for John Yudichak against
Jarolin last spring, the Yudichaks probably figure Chmura can beat Stankovic
in Nanticoke and then pick up enough votes elsewhere in the county to have a
good chance of winning, which is really a stretch. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The first open skirmish in this three-way showdown probably will come when
the Democratic Executive Committee meets to make its endorsements some time
just before the primary election. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the days before that meeting, then at the meeting as well, Musto will
flex his considerable political muscle to get the endorsement for Stankovic. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At the same time, Joyce, the man with the fat bankroll, and probably Frank
Crossin too, will be maneuvering on behalf of Mondlak while the Yudichaks and
Kanjorski, if he's really for Chmura, try to do however much they can for her. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So who will win the Executive Committee's endorsement then? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In a three-way heave like this, that's anybody's guess. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Still, you'd have to give the nod to Stankovic as things stand right now. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 She says Mazur, chairman of the Fourth District, the biggest Democratic
district in the county, is for her 100 percent. If that is so, she should come
out of that district like gangbusters. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the Third District, Musto's home ground, Stankovic should be alright
with him in her corner despite Joyce and some of the other Democratic heavies
in the Third going for Mondlak. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Musto also will help Stankovic in Hazleton by enlisting Todd Eachus on her
behalf. Musto worked really hard to get Eachus elected state representative
down there, so he'll be able to rely on Eachus to return a favor. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As for Mondlak, the word around is that she has Democratic support
"everywhere," which means she's got the backing of everybody who's mad at
Stankovic for one reason or an another. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 How much of that there is is tough to gauge right now, but one gigantic
plus for her is Joe Joyce. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For a long time now, Joyce, a Pittston area insurance company owner, has
been putting up important money for the Democratic candidates he likes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If he continues to do that this time out, Mondlak at least won't have any
money worries for her campaign. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Mondlak also has the solid backing of former Register of Wills Helen
O'Connor and her family. In fact Helen is her campaign chairperson. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Stankovic and Chmura no doubt will have to go the traditional money-raising
route: pizza and beer parties for $10 and get-togethers like that. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In any case, this is a fight within the Democratic Party that's guaranteed
to leave blood on the walls before it's over. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Democratic Chiefs Divide On Choice For Wills Office 
A Classic Political Scrap Is Taking Shape Within The Ranks Of The Luzerne 
County Democratic Leadership Over The Party's Nomination For County Register 
Of Wills In The May 20 Primary.

Democratic Chiefs Divide On Choice For Wills Office A Classic Political Scrap Is Taking Shape Within The Ranks Of The Luzerne County Democratic Leadership Over The Party's Nomination For County Register Of Wills In The May 20 Primary.