The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

July 8, 2009

UPDATE: Two new district judges to be sworn in Monday

Arthur, McEwen will take posts early

By Monica Pryts

MERCER COUNTY — Two out of three of Mercer County’s vacant district judge posts will be filled Monday when the men who all but won them in the May primary are sworn in.

Mercer County Common Pleas President Judge Francis J. Fornelli will swear in Brian Arthur and D. Neil McEwen at noon in courtroom one at the courthouse in Mercer.

Fornelli has said he will also swear in Dennis Songer as soon as he is nominated for the appointment by the governor and cleared by the state Senate.

The three men won district judge races on both sides of the ballot in the May primary and Gov. Ed Rendell nominated and the state Senate recently signed off on Arthur and McEwen. Arthur had taken a test to qualify for the judicial post before the primary and McEwen was considered qualified because he is a lawyer.

All three men still have to run for the posts in November.

Arthur will cover the Greenville district judge’s office, last held by William L. Fagley; McEwen will take over for Lawrence T. Silvis’ Pine Township office; and Songer will replace James E. McMahon, whose office covers Sharon and Sharpsville.

The former judges retired in 2008 and their seats have been filled temporarily by senior district judges.

Arthur has been chief of police in Hempfield Township for 12 years and has submitted his resignation to the supervisors. Today is his last day working as chief and supervisors said Tuesday Sgt. David Morgan will be acting chief.

Supervisors are accepting applications from within the police department to replace Arthur.

McEwen has been working as an assistant district attorney for Mercer County.

Text Only
Local News
  • Recycling program a bit too popular

    The  county’s effort at going green by encouraging recycling in rural areas has been a tremendous success by most accounts, but isn’t without a few glitches. In Wilmington Township, residents often only have a window of a few minutes to get cardboard recyclables in before the bin is full, prompting a discussion among Mercer County Commissioners Wednesday morning.

    May 25, 2012

  • District will tap reserve fund

    Reynolds school directors plan to fill a $374,567 hole in the 2012-2013 budget with money from the district’s fund balance.

    May 25, 2012

  • School board mulls change to sports chaperone policy

    In order to comply with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, the Sharpsville Area School Board is looking to adjust a chaperone policy it implemented six months ago.

    May 25, 2012

  • Afternoon crash hurts 3 high school students

    Three Jamestown High School students were injured – one seriously – when their pickup left a roadway in southwest Crawford County and crashed into a tree Tuesday afternoon.

    May 24, 2012

  • Board sells some, holds some

    Brookfield Board of Education members voted Tuesday to accept only the bids for the elementary school and the middle school, for a total of $97,050.
    The decision came after an hour-long executive session.

    May 24, 2012

  • Levey: Kohl’s project died with school vote

    Stripped of the necessity of voting for a tax incremental finance plan by Hermitage School Board’s unwillingness to participate, Mercer County commissioners said Wednesday they would like to meet with school board and Hermitage city officials to discuss other ways they can help Levey and Co. build a retail development in the city.

    But Levey spokeswoman Jeffrey A. Mills said there is nothing to discuss.

    May 24, 2012

  • Warden expects hectic season at county jail

    With the unofficial start of summer just a few days away, Mercer County Jail officials are preparing for a busy season.

    May 23, 2012

  • Levey officially drops TIF request

    Levey & Co. has officially ended its request for a tax incremental financing plan to build a retail development anchored by a Kohl’s department store.

    May 23, 2012

  • Grant will pay to fix 12-15 homes



    The City of Farrell will be able to fix up about a dozen homes in the city thanks to a $300,000 HOME grant from the state.

    May 23, 2012

  • Hard budget choices yet to come


     
    Hermitage School Board has been fortunate in many ways during the economic downturn that has been so hard on many other schools.

    May 23, 2012