Death of Margaret Wolak, former member of the Seventh Ward Committee and Edward Frank, father of Rob Frank

From the desk of Barbara Ernsberger, Ward 7 District 2
October 26, 2010

Dear Shadyside Dems:

Margaret Wolak, a former member of the Seventh Ward Democratic committee passed away on Saturday, October 23, 2010. She lived on Wallingford Street and was a member of the committee when Jim Cunningham was a chairperson. It was a liberal and independent committee in the days when there really was a machine. They helped Pete Flaherty get elected as Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh and defeated endorsed Democratic candidate, Harry Kramer. (Harry Kramer went on to become a Common Pleas Court Judge.) The viewing will be at Freygogel's funeral home on Wednesday afternoon and evening, and the funeral is 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 28, 2010. Check the obituary for the location. On a personal note, my Mother became friends with Margaret when they were both undergraduates at Pitt on scholarships in the 1940's. Margaret lived with my Mother's family on the South side, when she needed a place to stay, (no dormitories and a housing shortage during the war) and my Mother introduced her to her husband, Michael in a blind date. The Wolaks had six children and their daughter, Maryann, was a friend on mine at Pitt in the 1970's ,and sponsored my membership for the Tri Delta Sorority. We have remained friends and in contact to this day although maryann is now a doctor in New York.

Margaret remained active her entire live: most recently in the anti-war demonstrations, and in parish committees on racial outreach. She was a volunteer on my campaign last year and specialized in phone calling.

The other news is that Edward Frank, father of Rob Frank, died on Sunday, October 24, 2010. He was a photographer for the Press. His son is a member of the Nineteenth Ward Committee, State Committee, and has worked for Gene Riccardi as a council person, and as a volunteer in campaigns for Max Baer, Bill Peduto, Dan Onorato, and Me (to name a few). The viewing is before the funeral that will take place on Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary of the Mount. Rob Frank can be reached at 116 Augusta Street, Pittsburgh, Pa 15211, or (412) 431-4828, and robfrank@winning.com.

Support Clean Water in PA

Two regulations are being considered for final passage this Thursday morning that will mean the difference for clean water across the state. And I need you to call Senator Jay Costa in Harrisburg right now to urge him to support both -- 717-787-7683.

Both regulations are under attack by the polluters and the Allegheny Conference is one of the leaders of the attack here in the west.

For those of us here in western Pennsylvania, the regulation dealing with the toxic water from drilling for Marcellus Shale, is a must. The new regulation would make the drillers clean up this water to drinking water standards if they want to discharge it into our streams and rivers.

(Throughout the state, the regulation requiring developers to leave or build a 150 protection zone of plants and trees beside our best streams, is a common sense approach for both clean water and flood prevention. Feel free to urge Jay's support on this, too, but most of the opposition to this one is coming from developers in eastern Pennsylvania.)

Click here for more detailed information about the drilling regulations, and a sample email to send to Senator Costa.

You don't need to be an expert -- just call Senator Costa TODAY and urge him to tell the IRRC to pass both regulations without delay.

Click here for a fact sheet on both regulations provided my Penn Future.