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THE TIMES LEADER www.timesleader.com
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2011 PAGE 3A
LOCAL
JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS
With Muroski focusing on family court, Amesbury again has capital case
Selenski judge changes again
By EDWARD LEWIS elewis@timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE – The capital murder case of Hugo Selenski has been reassigned to Luzerne County Judge William Amesbury, the second time the second-year judge will preside over the judicial proceedings. In a one-page letter filed Tuesday in the Clerk of Courts Office, Acting District Court Administrator John P. Mulroy reassigned the Selenski case to Amesbury. President Judge Thomas Burke Jr. said the decision to transfer the Selenski case from Senior Judge Chester Muroski to Amesbury was made last week. Burke said Amesbury was next to receive a capital murder trial in the rotation assignments of death penalty cases. Burke said Muroski has been concentrating more on family court issues and helps out Judge David W. Lupas on juvenile proceedings.
It is the fifth time the Selenski proceedings has been reassigned among county judges since he was charged in May 2006 in the slayings of Tammy Lynn Fassett and Michael Jason Kerkowski, according to Selenski court records and The Times Leader archives. Former Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. initially assigned himself the case on July 13, 2006, shortly after he presided over a trial earlier that year when a jury acquitted Selenski, 37, in the killings of two men. After public requests by the families of Fassett and Kerkowski, and a petition filed by then-District Attorney Lupas, Olszewski recused himself from Selenski’s case on Aug. 9, 2006. See SELENSKI , Page 6A
W-B to seek cash to help county raze Hotel Sterling
HANGIN’ OUT AT THE WATER COOLER
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Superior Court judges visit Judges of the state Superior Court visited Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas judges Tuesday, when the group discussed ways to “improve the quality of justice” in Luzerne County. Superior Court President Judge Correale Stevens brought other Superior Court judges to the county for a group discussion on the county court’s Stevens progress. They judges discussed the county’s mortgage foreclosure program, family court structure, attorney pro bono work and specialty court programs. The Superior Court judges, including Judge Anne Lazarus, gave suggestions to the county judges, based on court proceedings in the state Superior Court and other jurisdictions, including Philadelphia court. Stevens urged the county judges to make suggestions to the higher court on what state judges might be able to do better for lower courts. PLAINS TWP.
Life Flight open house set Geisinger’s Life Flight 3 base in Avoca will hold an open house for the public 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 17, at the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center West Entrance parking lot at 1000 East Mountain Drive, to recognize Life Flight’s 30 years of service. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the Life Flight staff, tour a stateof-the-art helicopter and enjoy light refreshments with the crew. This rain-or-shine event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Lisa Weston at 570-271-6217.
Mayor Leighton announces effort as commissioners say county cannot bear entire $1 million burden.
HARRISBURG
Chief Oil & Gas pays fines
By JENNIFER LEARN-ANDES jandes@timesleader.com
Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton has agreed to look for funds that could be used to demolish the Hotel Sterling so the entire expense won’t fall on Luzerne County government, county officials said Tuesday. Leighton conveyed the plan during a one-hour gathering of city and county officials, said county commissioners Thomas Cooney and Maryanne Petrilla. The session was not open to the public. Petrilla said the gathering was permitted under the state Sunshine Act because the two commissioners did not deliberate. County “It’s not Commissioner Steour rephen A. Urban was unsponsibil- able to attend. County officials ity. We wanted to meet with can’t take the mayor to make it clear that the county on this can’t come up with the whole pro- estimated $1 million needed to demolish ject. I the landmark former think the downtown Wilkesmayor re- Barre hotel. CityVest, the Steralizes ling’s nonprofit owner where the and developer, had asked the county to county’s take over the project and determine whethcoming er the structure will be from.” fully or partially saved Maryanne or demolished. Petrilla All three commisCounty sioners have said commissioner CityVest should make the call to tear down the structure and find the money to pay for demolition, though they agreed to explore possible funding options. Leighton will assess city funds to determine if any money is available for demolition and also contact state legislators to request state assistance, said Cooney and Petrilla. Leighton could not immediately be reached for comment after the meeting. The city is expected to receive $1.75 million in federal community development funds this year that could be used to cover infrastructure and public services, but Leighton said Tuesday morning that most of that funding is already earmarked for other projects. All three commissioners say the county can’t come up with $1 million. The money would have to come out of the See STERLING, Page 6A
AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER
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hildren cool off and swim, splash and relax at the Levy Park sprinklers in Kingston. Among those pictured are Mitchell Murphy, 10, Jay McDermott, 5, Alexander Modlesky, 10, Tyrell Modlesky, 6, Makayla Vincent, 10, Sophie Vincent, 6, Leeann McDermott, 7, and Corbin Vincent, 2.
W-B’s sale of house criticized Commissioner Urban says city sold house without advertising it and questions $7,500 appraisal.
By JENNIFER LEARN-ANDES jandes@timesleader.com
Wilkes-Barre bought a Carlisle Street double-block for $8,500 from a tax sale in October 2007 and paid another $1,500 to close out federal mortgages attached to the property. The city then sold the property to Leo A. Glodzik III for $7,500 last August without publicly advertising that the property was for sale. Luzerne County Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said he started researching the transaction as a city resident after constituents brought it to his attention. He said he will forward his findings to federal authorities because he believes an investigation is warranted. County assessors had valued the
The state Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday that Chief Oil & Gas LLC paid $180,000 in fines for a hydraulic oil spill and for not maintaining a drill pit at a natural gas well in Jefferson Township, Somerset County. A site inspection by DEP on June 10 found evidence of a hydraulic oil discharge onto the ground. Operators are required to notify DEP of any spills because the oil is classified as a residual waste. Chief did not notify DEP of the spill and did not receive permission to release residual waste at the site. Chief Oil & Gas has since corrected the site. Chief Gathering LLC, a subsidiary of Chief Oil & Gas, has plans to construct a metering station off Hildebrandt Road about 1,300 feet from the Dallas School District campus in Dallas Township. A decision is still pending from the Dallas Township Zoning Hearing Board, which will meet on July 20 and 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Dallas Middle School. PITTSBURGH
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
Leo A. Glodzik III bought this Carlisle Street property in Wilkes-Barre.
property at $74,500 for taxation purposes, prompting him to question the accuracy of a city-obtained appraisal saying the property is worth only $7,500. The property needed work but was worth more than $7,500, he said.
“The house was rented at the time of the city’s appraisal. It wasn’t an abandoned house,” Urban said. “It’s in a very nice neighborhood. The people of See HOUSE, Page 6A
Car thought to have been Nanticoke mayor’s torched A car thought to have been stolen Saturday night from Nanticoke Mayor Joseph Dougherty smolders Monday.
By EDWARD LEWIS elewis@timesleader.com
HUNTINGTON TWP. – State police at Shickshinny recovered a torched vehicle that they believe is the car stolen from Nanticoke Mayor Joseph Dougherty and then used in a burglary at a Sweet Valley service station. A vehicle in flames was found in a wooded area near Zachery Road and state Route 239 at about 8:30 p.m. Monday, state police said. Huntington Township firefighters extinguished the blaze. A state police deputy fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire and the make and model of the vehicle. State police said they believe it is the KRISTIN BOMBOY/HUNTINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
See CAR, Page 6A
Gas lease guide available The Pennsylvania Environmental Council has a free guide for landowners who are considering a natural gas lease. The Marcellus Shale Lease Guide identifies some key environmental issues in leases and offers options for landowners. The group says there is no such thing as a perfect lease, and every agreement should be designed for the unique features of the proposed property. The guide also includes a list of other sources of information on Marcellus leases. WILKES-BARRE
Music for Market listed On Thursday at the Farmers Market on Public Square, the Gracelife Praise Band will perform at 10:30 a.m. and Sister Esther goes on at noon. In addition to the live music, people can enjoy locally grown produce, food and homemade goods that are a staple of the Farmers Market. The Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Nov. 17. Visit www.wilkes-barre.pa.us for a complete schedule for the 2011 Farmers Market.