Eichler Scores Easy Wins in Magistrate Race; 3 Incumbent WMA Directors Lose

By Jason Togyer
The Tube City Almanac
May 20, 2015
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Voters in Woodland Hills School District chose their first school directors under a new election-by-region system, while several incumbents on the West Mifflin Area school board apparently lost their bids for re-election.

According to complete but unofficial results from the Allegheny County Division of Elections:

In a hotly contested race for district magisterial judge in North Versailles Twp., Roxanne Sakoian Eichler scored easy wins of both the Democratic and Republican nominations, defeating three other candidates. Eichler is a longtime member of the East Allegheny school board and a township attorney.

In the West Mifflin Area School District, three incumbents have apparently lost their bid for re-election, including board president Daniel McDonald and school directors Richard Crux and Harry Fast III.

Stephen Kovac, Tony DiCenzo and Debra Kostelnik won both Republican and Democratic nominations to one of five seats on the school board, along with incumbent Judy Andzelik. Nicholas Alexandroff won a Republican nomination, while Janice Gladden won a Democratic nomination.

In the South Allegheny School District, incumbent school directors Luke Riley, Russell Geary and Jim Jackson won both Republican and Democratic nominations, along with newcomer Ron Randic. Incumbent Timothy Wackowski was registered in both primaries but won only the Republican nomination. Troy E. Mitchell won the fifth Democratic nomination. Five seats are up for re-election this year.

Voters in Woodland Hills School District are choosing school directors for the first time in a system which will elect two school directors in each of three regions, plus three "at-large" directors. 

• In Woodland Hills Region 1, which includes Chalfant, Churchill, Turtle Creek and Wilkins Twp., Jeffrey Hildebrand and Andre Moore won both Democratic and Republican nominations for the region's two seats, defeating Cicely Jackson-Hanner.
  
  
• In Woodland Hills Region 2, which includes Braddock, Edgewood, Rankin and Swissvale, James W. Weems Jr. won a Republican nomination for school board, while Jeff Hanchett and Ava Johnson won Democratic nominations.
  
  
• In Region 3, which includes Braddock Hills, East Pittsburgh, Forest Hills and North Braddock, one seat is at stake. Jamie L. Glasser won both the Republican and Democratic nominations. 

John S. Gyure and Timothy Caldwell won Democratic nominations for two vacant seats on Duquesne City Council, defeating incumbent Eugene Capristo and Matthew J. Durik.

In Elizabeth Twp., incumbent Donald Similo defeated George Dukic for the Democratic nomination for Ward 1 commissioner, while Jane Blake defeated Michael T. O'Rourke in the Democratic nomination for Ward 5 commissioner. There were no Republican candidates filed.

In East McKeesport, incumbent Donna J. Ferrainolo and Kathleen Lipesky and Paul Rosa Jr.  were the top vote-winners for the Democratic nomination for three seats on borough council. Incumbent George Padezan came in fourth place. There were no Republican candidates filed.

In Glassport, where voters are choosing four representatives to council, incumbent councilman Angelo Norelli tied for fifth place with Katherine Handra for the Democratic nomination. Thomas W. Bradley Jr. and Anna Kudla won Democratic nominations along with David F. Kowalski and Keith DiMarco. There were 44 write-ins on the Republican side.

In North Versailles Twp., unofficial results showed incumbent George S. Thompson leading Darryl W. Roher by five votes, 166 to 161, in the race for the Democratic nomination for Ward 1 commissioner.

Incumbents Bryan Myers II and Kenneth J. Hresko won Democratic nominations for three seats on Port Vue borough council, along with Greg M. Lombardo.

In Wilmerding, Mayor Henry Slaczka was running unopposed for the Republican nomination for a full four-year term in office. Slaczka was appointed by council in 2014 to replace James Wright, who resigned. There was no Democratic candidate, but there were 124 write-in votes.

Current council president Michael G. Moses lost his bid for re-nomination to West Mifflin borough council, coming in fourth for the Democratic nomination. Incumbents Steven Marone and Robert J. Kostelnik won nominations, along with Frank Stupar Jr.

Originally published May 20, 2015.

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