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Dems nominate new mayors in Pa. primary, Harrisburg's first Black mayor loses
Category: Metro Written by Associated Press
Democratic candidate for Mayor of Pittsburgh, City Councilman Bill Peduto, right, walks with his communications director Sonya Toler between one of his campaign signs and one of his opponents, on his way to vote in the Pennsylvania primary election on Tuesday, May 21, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
by Peter Jackson
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrats nominated new mayoral candidates in Pittsburgh, Scranton and Harrisburg in the Pennsylvania primary election.
They tapped veteran city Councilman William Peduto as their standard-bearer in Pittsburgh and city Tax Collector Bill Courtright in Scranton, but spurned Harrisburg's first African American and female Mayor Linda Thompson's re-election bid and chose bookstore owner Eric Papenfuse instead on Tuesday.
Each is favored to win in the November election, given Democrats' heavy registration advantage in the three cities. Voters also handed Kim Bracey an apparent second term as mayor of York, where no Republican is running.
Peduto and Courtright both won four-way races that resulted from decisions by incumbent Democratic mayors — Pittsburgh's Luke Ravenstahl and Scranton's Chris Doherty — not to seek re-election. Also Tuesday, Scranton Republicans picked financial consultant Garett Lewis as their nominee in the Nov. 5 general election.
"We stood up and we said our rivers are not seas, and our hills are not mountains, we are one Pittsburgh and we'll fight for a new Pittsburgh and we did it," Peduto said in a speech Tuesday night.
In the only statewide nomination race, Allegheny County Judge Jack McVay Jr. won the Democratic nomination for an open seat on the Superior Court, defeating Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge Joseph C. Waters Jr.
Philadelphia Democrats gave city Controller Alan Butkovitz the nod for a third term.
Democrats also retained two vacant seats in the state House of Representatives in special elections that were held Tuesday. Attorney Daniel Mill won the 42nd District seat in Allegheny County while Kevin Schreiber, a York city official, captured the District 95 seat in York County.
Thompson, Harrisburg's first African-American mayor and first female mayor, has had a rocky tenure as chief executive of the financially troubled state capital, the only municipality under a state takeover. She has worked with the city's receiver to negotiate a recovery plan that avoids a bankruptcy filing.
She finished third in a four-way race, behind runner-up Dan Miller, the city controller.
"The people spoke and I respect what the people said tonight," she said Tuesday night.
Papenfuse, who is expected to face at least one independent opponent in the general election, celebrated with supporters at the Harrisburg bookstore that he founded, the Midtown Scholar.
"This city has voted for change in a big way," he said. "This city is ready for change and ready to be united."
Butkovitz overcame two challengers in his bid for a third four-year term as Philadelphia city controller — tax reform advocate Brett Mandel and former city law department attorney Mark Zecca.
In the race for Superior Court, McVay, 56, who is serving his sixth year in Allegheny County's family-court division, will face Vic Stabile, a Harrisburg lawyer who was unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Though the other primaries were local, they were the first step toward choosing judges, school board members and municipal officials who make decisions about public schools, local taxes, criminal justice, police protection, road repairs, land use and other governmental actions that can have serious consequences for residents.
"These are the elections that really touch you the most," said Jerry Feaser, the director of elections and voter registration in Dauphin County, which includes Harrisburg, the county seat and the state capital.
UNOFFICIAL ALLEGHENY COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS
Run Date:05/21/13 2013 Municipal Primary
RUN TIME:11:42 PM Unofficial Results
VOTES PERCENT
PRECINCTS COUNTED (OF 1318) . . . . 1,318 100.00
REGISTERED VOTERS - TOTAL . . . . . 879,183
REGISTERED VOTERS - REPUBLICAN . . . 238,369 27.11
REGISTERED VOTERS - DEMOCRATIC . . . 530,196 60.31
REGISTERED VOTERS - NONPARTISAN . . . 7,665 .87
BALLOTS CAST - TOTAL. . . . . . . 163,125
BALLOTS CAST - REPUBLICAN . . . . . 40,076 24.57
BALLOTS CAST - DEMOCRATIC . . . . . 122,579 75.14
BALLOTS CAST - NONPARTISAN. . . . . 470 .29
VOTER TURNOUT - TOTAL . . . . . . 18.55
VOTER TURNOUT - REPUBLICAN. . . . . 16.81
VOTER TURNOUT - DEMOCRATIC. . . . . 23.12
VOTER TURNOUT - NONPARTISAN . . . . 6.13
********** (Democratic) **********
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
Vote for not more than 4
(WITH 1318 OF 1318 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Rosemary Crawford. . . . . . . . 20,908 5.86
Patrick Connelly . . . . . . . . 32,665 9.16
Marvin Leibowitz . . . . . . . . 15,676 4.39
Marc Daffner . . . . . . . . . 9,344 2.62
Barbara Behrend Ernsberger. . . . . 26,778 7.51
P. J. Murray . . . . . . . . . 32,878 9.22
Bill Ward . . . . . . . . . . 20,848 5.84
Joe Luvara . . . . . . . . . . 10,993 3.08
Eleanor Bush . . . . . . . . . 35,079 9.83
Paul E. Cozza . . . . . . . . . 39,579 11.10
Marcia L. Cooper . . . . . . . . 13,748 3.85
Jennifer Satler . . . . . . . . 48,046 13.47
Mark V. Tranquilli . . . . . . . 49,611 13.91
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 534 .15
Mayor CITYWIDE
Vote for not more than 1
(WITH 402 OF 402 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
William Peduto. . . . . . . . . 23,597 51.80
Jake Wheatley . . . . . . . . . 3,499 7.68
Jack Wagner. . . . . . . . . . 18,060 39.65
A. J. Richardson . . . . . . . . 294 .65
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 101 .22
Member of Council DISTRICT 6
Vote for not more than 1
(WITH 47 OF 47 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Robert Daniel Lavelle . . . . . . 2,032 53.38
Franco Dok Harris. . . . . . . . 666 17.49
Tonya D. Payne. . . . . . . . . 1,101 28.92
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 8 .21
Member of Council DISTRICT 8
Vote for not more than 1
(WITH 34 OF 34 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Dan Gilman . . . . . . . . . . 2,949 59.03
Sam Hens-Greco. . . . . . . . . 1,246 24.94
Jeanne K. Clark . . . . . . . . 794 15.89
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 7 .14
School Director DISTRICT 1
Vote for not more than 1
(WITH 52 OF 52 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Sylvia C. Wilson . . . . . . . . 2,491 61.80
Lucille Prater-Holliday. . . . . . 1,525 37.83
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 15 .37
School Director DISTRICT 3
Vote for not more than 1
(WITH 53 OF 53 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Thomas Sumpter. . . . . . . . . 3,099 98.32
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 53 1.68
Magisterial District Judge 05-02-28
Vote for not more than 1
(WITH 27 OF 27 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Brian Allen Van Dusen . . . . . . 428 20.02
Oscar J. Petite, Jr.. . . . . . . 1,705 79.75
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 5 .23
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 May 2013 18:48
Hits: 467
Parham to accept highest French honor for WWII
Category: Metro Written by Ashley N. Johnson
HENRY PARHAM
More than 65 years after his participation of service in World War II, one local veteran will get his due honors at an international ceremony in Washington, D.C., as a gesture of gratitude for his personal contributions to the liberation of France.
World War II veteran Henry Parham, who has been named a “Chevalier” of the Legion of Honor, will be honored for his dedication and service in World War II when he receives the award June 6 at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., at the 69th D-Day Anniversary ceremony.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 May 2013 12:38
Hits: 174
Community Calendar 5-22-13
Category: Metro Written by Courier Newsroom
Alpha Weekend 2013
MAY 24—The Alpha Omicron Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. will host Alpha Weekend 2013. The four-day event will include a Happy Hour at James Street Gastropub; Alphas vs. NPHC at the Thelma Lovette YMCA; Church with the Alphas at Mulberry Community Church; the All Black Everything Party at 3 Lakes Golf Course; and the Alpha Cookout at the Westinghouse Lodge.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 May 2013 11:33
Hits: 211
Take a Father to School big success
Category: Metro Written by Rebecca Nuttall - Courier Staff Writer
TAKE A FATHER TO SCHOOL—Frank Battles with daughter, Amaya Springs. (Photo by J.L. Martello)
More than 5,000 were expected to turn out for the Pittsburgh Public School District’s annual Take a Father to School Day this year. And at Weil PreK-5 in the Hill District, school staff said they saw the greatest participation they’ve ever had.
“We’ve never had a turn out like this,” said Princess Hughes, a parent organizer at Weil. “We always get a lot of moms but we’ve never had this many dads.”
Now in it’s 15th year, the nationally recognized event, which received the MAGNA Award from the American School Board Journal, the National School Boards Association and Sodexo last year, was held at schools around the district on May 17. At Weil many of the dads have been involved with the event since it’s inception.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 May 2013 12:37
Hits: 193
Racism reported at Braddock Hills fire department
Category: Metro Written by Rebecca Nuttall - Courier Staff Writer
TOM EVANS
Last month, a house caught fire across the street from the Braddock Hills Volunteer Fire Department. When the short-staffed department failed to respond, it was left up to firefighters from surrounding areas to put out the blaze.
Since then, members of the Braddock Hills community have come forward with an answer on why the fire department is short staffed. They say, the department refuses to let African-Americans join.
“Right now they’re short of firemen and the problem I have is they prohibit African-Americans from becoming firemen,” said Braddock Hills Councilman Tom Evans in an interview with the New Pittsburgh Courier. “I think it is wrong that if you’re an African-American and you want to be a firefighter you should be prohibited.”
The issue was brought to the attention of the Braddock Hills Council at a recent meeting, but the council has no control over hiring at the fire department. They also have no power to change policies at the Braddock Hills Welfare and Fire Association, a club for the volunteer firefighters that some claim is responsible for prohibiting African-Americans.
“It’s a volunteer fire department and the borough doesn’t run them, but I had to speak up when I heard about it,” Evans said. “I don’t say everyone who goes into the club is a bigot. I say the policy needs to be changed. There are a lot of the firefighters now who don’t like that rule.”
Evans said he has been told there is a clause in the club’s charter prohibiting African-Americans from joining. A request for comment to the volunteer fire department was not returned.
“The Mayor and Council for the Borough of Braddock Hills believe that if these reports are accurate, that such discriminatory practices are offensive, disgusting and repulsive and are not acceptable,“ said a statement provided by Evans. “If these discriminatory practices exist, they must cease and any person, regardless of race, creed, religion, sex or national origin should be welcomed into these organizations.”
While the Braddock Hills Council cannot change the department’s policy, they are considering fire protection alternatives. A call for proposals went out in February to the fire departments in Swissvale and Forest Hills, who have already been responding to fires in Braddock Hills.
Forest Hills has not yet responded to the request, but Forest Hills submitted a proposal to provide Braddock Hills with fire protection services for an annual fee. If their request is not accepted, Swissvale will begin charging Braddock Hills for their services individually on June 1.
Braddock Hills pays their volunteer fire department approximately $30,000 annually. The council plans to hold a hearing to allow the public to provide input on the borough’s fire protection issues.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 May 2013 10:19
Hits: 359
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