Uploaded October 2010 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett was greeted by two groups as he arrived at Luzerne County Republican Headquarters on South Main Street by bus this morning.
One group held "Tom Corbett for governor" signs while another group from the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition held "no fracking" signs. Some of their signs read "Tom Corporate," referring to the more than $800,000 in political contributions he received from the gas drilling industry.
Kingston resident Paula Chaiken of the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition, who joined others at a protest which began on Public Square, said she believes natural gas drilling is a health and safety risk which is "detrimental to our quality of life and problematic for our children and for the future of our region."
"He (Corbett) needs to realize that it's people over corporations," Chaiken said.
As Corbett got off the bus, Chaiken and other residents concerned about natural gas drilling loudly chanted, "Protect our water!" Corbett did not address the protesters, but spoke to a group inside Republican headquarters that included state Sen. Lisa Baker, retired state Sen. Charles Lemmond; Terry Casey, chair of the Luzerne County Republican Party; Dan Meuser, president of Pride Mobility and Hal Flack, president of Diamond Manufacturing.
Corbett, the state attorney general, spoke about he wants to cut wasteful spending and reform state government.
When asked about the residents' concerns about natural gas drilling, Corbett said he wants to convene a meeting with everyone involved in natural gas drilling, including people in the industry, environmentalists and the public to "come up with a reasonable, rational plan to develop this safely, protect the environment and grow the jobs in Pennsylvania."
"Everybody is concerned," Corbett said. "I'm concerned that we do it right."
Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett was greeted by two groups as he arrived at Luzerne County Republican Headquarters on South Main Street by bus this morning.
One group held "Tom Corbett for governor" signs while another group from the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition held "no fracking" signs. Some of their signs read "Tom Corporate," referring to the more than $800,000 in political contributions he received from the gas drilling industry.
Kingston resident Paula Chaiken of the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition, who joined others at a protest which began on Public Square, said she believes natural gas drilling is a health and safety risk which is "detrimental to our quality of life and problematic for our children and for the future of our region."
"He (Corbett) needs to realize that it's people over corporations," Chaiken said.
As Corbett got off the bus, Chaiken and other residents concerned about natural gas drilling loudly chanted, "Protect our water!" Corbett did not address the protesters, but spoke to a group inside Republican headquarters that included state Sen. Lisa Baker, retired state Sen. Charles Lemmond; Terry Casey, chair of the Luzerne County Republican Party; Dan Meuser, president of Pride Mobility and Hal Flack, president of Diamond Manufacturing.
Corbett, the state attorney general, spoke about he wants to cut wasteful spending and reform state government.
When asked about the residents' concerns about natural gas drilling, Corbett said he wants to convene a meeting with everyone involved in natural gas drilling, including people in the industry, environmentalists and the public to "come up with a reasonable, rational plan to develop this safely, protect the environment and grow the jobs in Pennsylvania."
"Everybody is concerned," Corbett said. "I'm concerned that we do it right."
