Wvc Seniors Enjoy Mixed Success In Indoor All-star Games

2 Men Hurt In Attack At W-b Group Home

By STEVE MOCARSKY; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Sunday, February 08, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1 





HAZLETON- From the comfort of your living room, you might soon be able to
watch Mayor Mike Marsicano and City Council members as they hash out
Hazleton's legal and political affairs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Marsicano told council at a special meeting Jan. 30 that Service Electric
CableVision is thinking about installing a line into City Hall to allow live
broadcasts from the building by WYLN Channel 13. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "(The public) will be able to see council meetings live as (they're) being
presented," said Marsicano. "Hopefully that will be done in the next two
weeks." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sam Lesante, president of SamSon Productions which broadcasts on WYLN, said
the mayor previously asked him if live broadcasts would be possible. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I see no problems on our part," said Lesante. "Once the line's in there,
we would be able to produce the show." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bob Trently, Service Electric's general manager, confirmed the company is
looking into the installation, but no plans have been finalized. Trently said
he has no idea when a decision might be reached, nor does he have any idea of
possible costs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Lesante is hopeful the installation is possible and looks forward to
broadcasting. "I think it's a fantastic idea. The more information you can
give the public, the better off everyone is." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even if a live hook-up isn't feasible for Service Electric, Lesante will
have the "important" meetings taped to broadcast later the same evening, as he
does for Hazleton Area School Board meetings, he said. Within the next year,
he hopes to air those school meetings live. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 School Board President Gloria Pesock said she's in favor of broadcasting
school meetings, as long as it's done fairly. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I have no problem whatsoever with re-broadcasting as long as they don't do
what the Standard-Speaker does and pick out specific things like all the nasty
stuff and none of the good stuff," she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 City councilmen Jake Ripa, Lou Barletta and Bill Lockwood favor the
proposed broadcasting of council meetings. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I think overall, this town would have a lot less problems if people knew
exactly what was going on," Lockwood said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Ripa thinks live broadcasts would give the public a better understanding of
issues. "(With current media coverage,) editors choose snippets of what they
think is important," he said. "This way, people can tell just by body language
how council and the mayor react to portions of the agenda." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The more information we can get out to the people, the more involved
they'll be in the issues. It's especially good for the seniors who might not
be able to make it out," Barletta said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Frits Meijer, a local photographer who has videotaped council meetings for
clients, said that a number of years ago he was mulling ways to air the
meetings. He thinks the broadcasts are a good idea "overall," but questions
the timing of the mayor's announcement. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It puzzles me why this idea came up right now," said Meijer. "The mayor
will be up for re-election next year. You've always got to keep that in mind.
For some people who like to get news out- like politicians- it's a good idea." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Meijer also questions whether people from other municipalities will benefit
from the broadcasts. "Any decision made in Hazleton doesn't concern most other
municipalities. There's usually no interest for anyone from West Hazleton,
Conyngham, Drums and so on," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Meijer said he has studied how people react to having a video camera on
them, and finds many people are more reluctant to talk while in front of a
lens. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Asked whether the presence of a camera might affect the way council or the
mayor might react, Ripa said, "It always does." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Because we basically h

Tv May Carry City Council Meetings Plans Not Yet Finalized, Says General Manager Of Service Electric, Who Also Has No Idea Of Costs At This Point