News
Monday, September 6, 2010
Tipster helps end bet pool at WVW
Superintendent Suppon says he will consult with the school district’s solicitor.
By Jerry Lynott jlynott@timesleader.com
Business Writer
KINGSTON – A $3,000 Super Bowl betting pool run out of the teachers’ lounge at the Wyoming Valley West Middle School was broken up Wednesday morning after a tipster reported it to the superintendent.
Money and the cardboard with a grid containing 100 blocks that cost $30 each were confiscated, said Charles Suppon, district superintendent.
“I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing to do,” he said of gambling on school property, especially with the ongoing public corruption probe in Luzerne County that ensnared a member of the school board.
Suppon said an anonymous caller alerted him and school board President Joseph Mazur of the pool.
A call to Mazur was not returned.
Suppon said he went to the middle school on Chester Street between 10 and 10:30 a.m. and “by accident” found the grid in the teachers’ lounge.
“To get to the principal’s office you have to walk past the teachers’ lounge,” he said.
Approximately seven or eight of the blocks were filled in and $45 was collected, he added. The money was placed in the safe at the middle school.
Who set up the pool was unknown, said Suppon.
He was able to confirm that all of the money paid in would be paid out with no one profiting from setting up and running the pool. It was “the first thing I checked,” he said.
Suppon said he would contact the district’s solicitor to determine what steps to take next, including discipline and contacting law enforcement.
“Right now all I have is a pool,” he explained.
Attorney Michael J. Hudacek Sr., said he had not heard from Suppon by early afternoon.
“You can’t hide it,” Hudacek said. Suppon was going to have to notify police and let them take care of it, Hudacek said.
A message was left with Kingston police Chief Keith Keiper who was not working Wednesday.
Jerry Lynott, a Times Leader staff writer, can be contacted at 570 829-7237.
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52 COMMENTS
relic said...
Suppon said an anonymous caller alerted him and school board President Joseph Mazur of the pool. Who set up the pool was unknown, said Suppon. He was able to confirm that all of the money paid in would be paid out with no one profiting from setting up and running the pool. It was “the first thing I checked,” he said. How can you verify the money would be paid out if he didn't know who did it? His words
Old Timer said...
This is way over the top,rip up the pool,give the people their money back and give the people who ran it a verbal reprimand.calling law enforcement and possibly ruining someones career over a super bowl pool is crazy.With the Feds nosing around WVW&Mazur may have bigger things to worry about than a pool.
Frankie said...
There is a RAT among them. Suppon - the ethical superintendent! This is a joke!
The lawnmower man said...
That tipster needs to get a life.. Pools for the super bowl, are all over the United States.. I would think most people might go along with this!
Larry said...
Give me a break...the state is close to passing table games in our state an we need to concern ourself with a pool in the teachers lounge.
LOL....says said...
With all the REAL corruption going on in the Courthouse, they're going to take action against a football pool and make it such big news? These pools go on all over the place, and are a yearly event. Schools, work places, parties, etc., but I guess since they can't carry out a sentence for the REAL LC criminals, those who have been STEALING from the taxpayers for years, they'll make a big thing out of a pool. What a joke.
Rich said...
Get a life . These pools have been going on way before the superbowl. Gambling can't be such a no-no or there wouldn't be an Indian casino down the road . Anonymous caller says it all ! Bottom line( can I use that term ?) ,someone had a beef with someone
BBG said...
Wow. A sports pool at a workplace. Slow news day?
Still laughing said...
this is SO DUMB... Charlie Suppon & WVW has bigger problems than this..TL, you can find better news at WVW
Now It's Getting Ridiculous said...
Where is the cardboard now? I'd like to buy a couple of blocks.
Joe Vegas said...
People need to relax and enjoy the holiday season. I bet the person that tipped people off was the bitter loser from last year's block pool.
Philip G. Pizano said...
Every one is Joking about this situation but it is still Illegal and when some people end up losing they tend to go after the winner no matter what it takes. The SuperIntendent did the Right thing. This whole Luzrene County is about not Paying Taxes and unearned Income. It maybe ridiculous over a Football Pool but you see the Domino Game being played here in Luzerne County .It's the only thing they could get on Al Capone too. If push came to shove this Guy would lose his job and every one else would just walk away.
pringle hill said...
Everyone, most everyone anyway engages in a Super Bowl football pool, as well as a NCAA play-off pool, as well as a world series pool. What's wrong with this, there are certainly more illegal activities going on in school than a Super bowl pool
me said...
Seriously. This is not news.
Bill said...
100 blocks at $30 each - 7 or 8 were full and $45 was collected. No wonder the students at WVW are having a difficult time with math.
RWilliams said...
The sqeaky wheel must go! If that person has to watch what others do, maybe they need more work to keep them occupied.
not a gambler said...
oh my gosh !! a football pool ! what is scary is that this made the paper! who was the sad person who "reported" this horror ? what are they hiding ? mmmmmmmm.
dee said...
what have we come to? really these pools had gone on for decades. it was a fun way to get interested in the game. the casinos are wiping out senior citizens soc. sec. checks each month and we get upset over this?
Ashamed I took the time to read this said...
This is stup_d. Can I buy a vowel?
JoeBoy said...
Everyone knowa gambling is unethical .... unless the State gets a cut !
wyatt said...
Big Deal!!! EVeryone That I know is in a super bowl pool!
SWB said...
I'm amazed once again at the stupidity of people in this valley. Condoning an illegal activity just because "there's bigger fish to fry" or "everyone does it?" Are you people insane? Since when can you pick and choose which laws you want to enforce? Is it any wonder why the county is in the mess it is currently in?
Jim said...
This is a non story except for the fact that it exposes Suppon as an idiot. How can someone this stupid be a superintendent uless he bought the job. It's a shame that he is the best that WVW could find for a superintendent.
WVW, what a joke said...
stupid as it is, i dare say that is the first time in wvw history that suppon ever turned against teachers behaviors. and it says suppon confirmed this and that.....yeah right. sounds like we've got a fine detective in the making here. i'm pretty sure of one thing though that while the feds are in town, valley west (suppon) will continue to be on edge because the corruption from this district is far from being gone. feds have an awful lot of work to do.
Kenny Rogers said...
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, Know when to walk away and know when to run. You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.
SAM said...
SCROOGE , GET A LIFE POOLS ARE A COMMON THING FOR SUPERBOWL PARTYS, I'M NOT A SPORTS PERSON BUT I LIKE THE SUPERBOWL POOLS
Rob said...
Its a football pool, if the superintendent is worried about this, then he needs to be replaced. Worry about the children's education, not some silly football pool. Don't try to make a crisis out of nothing. You look like an idiot.
benny16 said...
NICE JOB!WE don't want them competing w/ the state lottery & its 50% vig! Bingo's next!
Hoosier said...
I moved here from another state many years ago. I simply cannot believe the attitude in this area towards illegal gambling, kickbacks, bribes, paying for teaching jobs, etc. Sick, sick, sick area.
Paulie Walnuts said...
I would like to know the law, as related to this matter. If no one stood to profit on the deal; other than the winner of the pool, and the whole thing is simply a game of chance; is that illegal? I ask, because I don't know? In other words, as the article stated, the person or persons whom set up the pool weren’t going to make any money on it, and there was no VIG being paid out to anyone else; where is the crime? If anyone is knowledgeable in this area, please post the answer. Or perhaps the TL could do an “expose” on the subject.
Swoyersvillan said...
Everytime I come back to da Valley my decision to move away is reinforced by stories like this. The tipster probably lost last year's pool. Better get going, I have to see what's going on with that cat stuck on the telephone pole in Swoyersville - as reported by WBRE.
"YOU DID WHAT?" said...
Maybe he can it 10,000 squares and we can all play...
"YOU DID WHAT?" said...
Maybe he can make it 10,000 squares and we can all play? Please show a photo of the Board :-)
Buddy said...
Perhaps these teachers got the idea for a football pool from our governor who is funding the state colleges with table games.
Paul Quigley said...
Are they also banning the teachers from collectively playing the lottery too?
Artie said...
Please tell us the reason this story, in any sense, qualified as an above-the-fold piece. No, even further and more to the point, why have you resorted to such shameful and sensationalistic reporting at all? This is inconsequential back page news at best and your editor should be embarrassed to have considered it any more than that.
KM said...
For all of the people saying there are "bigger fish to fry" and tha'ts where the TL should focus it's attention: Okay, let's do it. Take all of the names of the teachers that were playing the pool, and see how they got their jobs at WVW. How many of them have ties to any of the people tied to the corruption probe ? We know that public officials have been bribed to obtain teaching jobs. Is this the case here ? You want an investigation, well let's have one.
Tom Moran said...
I think the police should be working on more important thing then a football pool. This is very common practice in many business. Look at all the legal gambling being done all over the country. In some places the money made on this gambling is used to support education. This is stupid Mr. Suppon you were never involved in a football pool. Could we have taken care of this with out it hitting the paper. Sorry just stupid
St. David said...
No one sees anything wrong here. If this pool is perfectly ok, then why not display it in the auditorium for the students to participate. No wonder we have problems in this county
EDDIE BIFFLESPINK said...
The stupidity in this valley is beyond compare! I'm glad I only come here twice a year to visit. At least in Appalachia the inbreeding gives them a valid excuse!! By the way, as it concerns the "real" corruption that engulfs this area, you people deserve everything you get (higher taxes) because you not only elected a sports hero with no budget or management experience, you fools re-elected him! I do owe you thanks for the laughs I enjoy when I pick up your papers and read them.
a said...
everyone rats on each other these days. Not one has any respence or honor anymore. When you have to "tell" on people for something like this you have quite the sad life.
tbone said...
give me a break. it a freaking football pool. Reminds me of when my mom protested Bingo at Bishop Oreilly saying it was gambling and a sin.
Albert Einstein said...
"Approximately seven or eight of the blocks were filled in"? HA! Good writing. ... "Approximately"? What, are we going to have to call in an expert to make a final calculation? It's just "seven or eight," isn't it? ... Better still, how about "seven," or "eight," hmmm? Don't know? How about "several," or "a few"? But "approximately"? What, was one block sort of halfway filled in, and you can't tell? ... I can't wait to see how much they pay to get some guy with a Ph.D. in Mathematics to come in and testify that, by his expert estimate, he counts six blocks as being filled in.
Joe G said...
What a crybaby. Get a life. The pool is an american thing to do. like a parade. But ooo wait we cant put baby jesus on the court house lawn. Too many commies here now and in goverment. We need joe mccarthy back my boys. You people better wise up and start voting these freeks out of office or this country will not stand long.
luke said...
Eliminate Suppon's job. He has too much time on his hands.
sam said...
well since hes not going to play i want to play and maybe i'll win ok srcooge !!!!!!!!!
Joe Valley said...
I wonder if Chuck burst into the teacher's lounge and did a somersault, just like he used to hot-dog it up as a football player?
FlyerTom said...
Can this be the work of "Count" Vacula?
WVW dad said...
I would agree that this is nothing..But, remember it is happening at an educational facility. Do you actually want students to start gambling too? I can recall a little while back several students got suspended for participating in a pool..these teachers were aware of this..they too should be suspended.
Bill in Larksville said...
It happens everywhere! I bet the judges and lawyers are in one at the courthouse. I bet the local police have one too.. I guess it would be OK if Mohegun downs ran it.. Don't make me laugh, this is a joke.. This is like seeing a joker poker in a bar, and thinking people play them for fun LOL
Keyser Soze said...
Smoke screen for the upcoming smackdown, eat the ham while you can.
Some Guy said...
"Since when can you pick and choose which laws you want to enforce?" Since we developed a moral sense instead of blind obedience to the state, you tragic little sycophant. The people in the betting pool were causing no harm to anyone. The state has no business interfering in private, voluntary wagers.