Judge sends child porn charges to Mercer court

HERMITAGE — A man accused of having child pornography on his home computer will face charges in court.

Richard Gaffney III, 29, of 1119 Carroll Lane, Hermitage, was charged with possession of child pornography and instruments of crime. State police referred the case to Hermitage police after it determined Gaffney had a prohibited pornographic movie. Hermitage police said they obtained a search warrant May 15, 2008, and confiscated a computer on which they found a movie in which a girl in her teens has forced sex with an older man, police said.

Gaffney told police he saw an apparently pornographic movie with naked boys, but called it “awful” and said he tried to stop downloading it when he saw what it was, police said. Gaffney also said he thought the movie was legal, police said. District Judge Ronald E. Antos, Farrell, held the charges for court last week at a preliminary hearing. Gaffney is free on bond.

City hires lawyer for FOP retiree arbitration

SHARON — Sharon council Monday night hired a Pittsburgh lawyer to represent the city during arbitration with the Fraternal Order of Police over a recent grievance. Bruce Campbell will be paid $185 an hour for his services, Mayor Bob Lucas said on Tuesday. At Monday’s meeting neither Lucas nor any council members were able to answer questions about Campbell’s pay rate.

The police union filed a grievance in April after the city asked police and fire retirees to contribute $845 annually toward their health care premiums. Current police and firefighters do so under their contracts and the city has said the change also applies to retirees. The police union disagrees. Lucas said the retirees have all made payments so they all still have health insurance coverage. The issue is going to arbitration, which city solicitor William J. Madden said will start once arbitrators schedule it.

He said the city would be “lucky” if the process took six months. The result of the arbitration is binding, Madden said. Lucas said Madden is not handling the arbitration because “that’s always been policy in the past.”

2 water board members resign; cite differences

GREENVILLE — Sarah Eutsey and Joanne Price resigned Tuesday from the Greenville Water Authority board, saying the other members had a different agenda than theirs and weren’t interested in their suggestions and ideas.

The women came on the seven-member board in 2008 and often clashed with other members, most often with Richard H. Miller, board chairman and Greenville mayor. Miller said their resignations were unexpected but their reasons weren’t surprising, and Mrs. Eutsey was well-qualified because of her past experience managing a water system. The only requirement to serve on the board is to be a Pennsylvania resident, he said. Letters of interest for the two open seats, which will be filled by council, can be sent to the Greenville borough building, 125 Main St., Greenville 16125.

Condition of man injured in crash improves

EAST LACKAWANNOCK TOWNSHIP — The condition of a Batavia, Ill., man critically injured when the sport-utility vehicle he was riding in hit an embankment, flew in the air and landed on its nose has been upgraded to serious condition, a spokeswoman for St. Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown, said Tuesday.

Daniel Bacon, 70, has been in the hospital since the crash at 11 a.m. June 2 in the median of Interstate 80, East Lackawannock Township, state police said. Lois Bacon, 66, who was driving, was treated at the hospital of Sharon Regional Health System, a hospital spokeswoman said. The SUV was eastbound when Ms. Bacon fell asleep, police said.

Board extends business manager’s contract

SHARON — Sharon school board members on Monday extended the contract of business manager Tresa Templeton through June 2014. Mrs. Templeton’s first five-year term with the district is up at the end of this month. Her salary in 2009-2010 will be $83,098 with 3 percent raises each year. Board President Melvin Bandzak said there are no other major changes in Mrs. Templeton’s contract. Superintendent John Sarandrea said the district’s and his success depend on having a competent and knowledgeable business manager. Mrs. Templeton is “exactly that and we want to keep her,” Sarandrea said. Before she was hired, the district had to borrow money to make payroll, Sarandrea said, and now the district has a healthy fund balance. “I’m thrilled that you’ll be with me for another three years,” said Sarandrea, whose contract is up in 2012.

Board: Hiring speech therapist will save money

SHARON — Sharon school district will hire a full-time speech therapist and end a contract for such services with Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV for the 2009-2010 school year.

School directors Monday approved the move, which will save the district money, officials said. There are enough children in Sharon to hire another full-time therapist (the district already employs one and another at four-fifths time) to work with students in the district, curriculum supervisor Michael Calla said. The position will be paid for the next two years with federal stimulus funds through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Calla said. Because the therapist through the IU has many years of experience, the new person’s salary should save the district about $45,000 after the federal funds dry up, Calla said.