The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

Related Photos

February 22, 2010

UPDATE: GOP’s governor candidate visits

By Patrick Cooley

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP — A man who could be the next governor of Pennsylvania visited Mercer County on Saturday for his first speech since being officially endorsed by the Pennsylvania Republican Party a week earlier.

State Attorney General Tom Corbett may have the party’s seal of approval but he still has to best Sam Rohrer in the May primary to win the nomination and the right to run in November.

Even then, Corbett told local Republicans gathered at Hempfield Station One for the annual Lincoln Day dinner, he has to win over independents and Democratic voters.

“They out-number us by 2.1 million (in Pennsylvania),” he said.

He wasn’t the only candidate looking for votes Saturday.

Also in attendance were: Republican congressional candidates Steve Fischer, Ed Franz, Paul Huber, Mike Kelly and Martha Moore, who are all running in the Republican primary for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional district — a seat held by Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper — and Mary Beth Buchanan, who is running for the 4th Congressional district seat held by Jason Altmire.

Dave King, the chair of the Mercer County Republican Party, said they were very happy that Corbett picked Greenville to make his first appearance since his endorsement.

“For him to come here right out of the box, that’s a pretty big honor,” King said.

When state Sen. Bob Robbins, Salem Township, R-50th District, introduced Corbett, he talked about his character. Corbett was tapped to replace disgraced former attorney general Ernie Preate, but had to pledge not to run for the office when the term was up. He waited out eight years before running again and winning the job in 2004.

Before becoming attorney general, Corbett served as the U.S. Attorney for the western district of Pennsylvania, and prior to that he was a lawyer in private practice.

Throughout his speech he talked about the issues that many Republican candidates have talked about in their campaigns, including reducing state spending, lowering the deficit, lowering taxes, taking on medical malpractice reform and removing the tax and regulatory burdens on Pennsylvania businesses to make it easier for them to create jobs.

He praised Republican members of the legislature for taking a stand against new taxes and new spending in Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposed state budget.

Some of his priorities, he said, were cutting the projected deficit and improving educational opportunities and creating jobs.

Corbett repeatedly talked about the importance of creating opportunities for young people in Pennsylvania so they stay in the state, instead of moving to states with lower unemployment, and better job opportunities.

“The youth are the future, and they’re leaving,” he said.

Corbett also responded to criticism that he hasn’t presented a plan yet, telling the Mercer County Republicans that they can log onto his Web site — www.tomcorbettforgovernor.com — where he will be posting the details of his plans.

Corbett is investigating several current and former Democratic members of the state legislature for allegedly using public money to finance campaigns in a scandal that has become known as bonusgate. There has been some controversy about whether or not Corbett should continue the investigation now that he is running for governor. He didn’t bring up the issue on Saturday.

Text Only
Local News
  • Storm blows in fast, leaves damage

    A scattered storm that started in Michigan and pulled in moisture over Lake Erie organized itself into a locally-severe storm system Sunday over Mercer County.

    May 28, 2012

  • transit Transit is once-in-a-lifetime show

    A rare celestial wonder that won’t be seen again for more than a century is set to play out before our eyes and Farrell’s resident astronomer  is giving locals a chance to get a first-hand look at a “black dawn.”

    May 28, 2012 1 Photo

  • Ominous clouds Storms rumble through parts of Mercer County

    Temperatures dropped nearly 20 degrees Sunday as storms rumbled through parts of Mercer County in the afternoon and again in the evening. Some areas experienced high gusting winds during the early storms. The later storms were less windy, but dumped a lot of rain in a short span in the Shenango Valley as well as outlying areas. Temperatures are forecast for in the 90s on Memorial Day, with a chance of storms in the afternoon. Check out Sunday's Herald both in print and here for more details.

     

     

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • Board wants pay freeze


    Sharon City School District officials are asking staff to take a wage freeze for the second year in a row to help cover a $1.9 million gap in the 2012-2013 budget in the face of further funding cuts by the state.

    May 27, 2012

  • City taps Pa. grant for downtown facelift


    The colorful flower baskets hanging in downtown Sharon are just one of the planted seeds officials hope will help the once-bustling area grow.

    May 27, 2012

  • pension graphic Pension bomb ticking for city

    The city of Sharon pays more people who don’t work there anymore than folks who still do.

    And the amount of money the city must pay to the retirees is going up about $250,000 next year, a hike that creates more problems for the cash-strapped town, City Manager Scott Andrejchak said.

    May 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • Church softball league to Mormons: You’re out!

    The Grove City Area Church Softball League’s decision to exclude a Mormon team from Slippery Rock has sparked a controversy far beyond the local sandlot.

    May 26, 2012

  • Fired bus driver files lawsuit

    A Mercer County woman fired from her job as a school bus driver over a 25-year-old drug conviction filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against a state education official and Jamestown Area School District.

    May 26, 2012

  • 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