Paul Luvera Journal

There are a lot of ways to describe the out of control circus American voters were subjected to last night. NBC News veteran Andrea Mitchell called the debate a disgrace. NBC's Chuck Todd called it a train wreck. CNN's Jake Tapper called it “a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck.” Some called the debate the “worst thing I’ve ever seen.” With no commercial breaks, viewers were subjected to 90 minutes of uncontrolled interruptions and a total…

Read More Read More

In an article by Elizabeth Goitein in the January/February 2009 Atlantic Magazine a “national emergency" declaration was explained. The article pointed out the premise underlying emergency powers is simple: The government’s ordinary powers might be insufficient in a crisis, and amending the law to provide greater ones might be too slow and cumbersome. Emergency powers are meant to give the government a temporary boost until the emergency passes or there is time to change the law through normal legislative processes….

Read More Read More

On January 24, 2002 William "Bill" Taylor died in Anacortes. He was one of Anacortes's most successful basketball coaches. He also was a positive influence in so many young men's lives, including mine. He was a great coach and mentor to me. I've published a full account of my high school relationship to this great coach and his profound influence in my life: https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/01/william-taylor.html . In addition, I published a background of this unique man who was so important in guiding…

Read More Read More

Betty Barnett was my wife Lita's mother who died December 20, 1985. I've written about this remarkable woman many times. See https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/12/my-mother-in-law-elizabeth-barnett-1910-1995.html It was my privilege to have known her. She was extraordinary  in so many ways. She was very intelligent, wise and a great judge of people. I loved her like my own mother for her many qualities and her understanding. This is a woman who attended Holy Names in Spokane where she was taught proper table settings, good manners and social skills. She…

Read More Read More

   Nick  Petrish died in Anacortes on December 19, 2011. We had a long friendship. We went from grade school through high school together.We worked together from 1977 until his illness in 2011. He was a friend and a good man. I've written about him previously: https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2012/12/nicholas-petrish-dec-19-2011.html.html   May my friend rest in peace.

My dad's mother died December 20, 1946 in Anacortes. She was an Italian grandmother who looked and sounded like what an Italian grandmother should. she spoke no English and was a wonderful cook who was always feeding us children something whenever we visited. I've written about her before: https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/12/phyllis-flippa-luvera-1870-1946.html.htm  In the photo is Nonna, my sisters Phyllis, Anita, I and my grandfather Nicola Luvera.  

A short note about people who died this month and who had a role in my life or Lita's.  Toni Hrvatin died October 7, 2005. She was the nanny for the Barnett children and cared for Lita while working for Lita's parents Hollis and Betty.  I've published about her before for her role in my wife's family. https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/12/elizabeth-catherine-barnett-1910-1985.html  Her full name was Antonia Theresa Hrvatin (Toni) at the age of three arrived in America from Yugoslavia in the early 1920's with…

Read More Read More

On an early Friday morning, July 7th 2000, my mother Mary Thelma Babarovich, died in her sleep at the San Juan Care Center. Her  death was not unexpected. After all, she was born on December 28, 1905 and was ninety four years old when she died. She had been in failing health for some time. Her passing was, in fact, a personal blessing to her as she had been ready to meet her maker for some time. I've published an…

Read More Read More

In the mid 1960’s a counter culture blossomed throughout the United States. The movement took place in rebellion of the Vietnam War. The “Flower Power” movement was made up of teenagers and young people who became known as hippies. Peace and love was a message they wanted to get across. While largely rejected by the adult population at the time, in fact the movement did influence our culture, spirituality and even religion. I sometimes think we need another era of "hippies"…

Read More Read More

This morning I watched on a live video stream over the Internet the funeral Mass from St Aloysius church in Spokane. The church was full of people and a crowd of priests plus the Bishop all there to honor a man of God. The funeral was for a dear friend of Lita and I – Frank Costello, a Jesuit priest who died May 23, 2016 at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center infirmary in Los Gatos California at age 94. It…

Read More Read More