Prison setbacks, political changes
While economic and education events made the top news in 2007 in Butler County, as shown in stories on Page 1 today, there were other events that impacted residents' lives.
Here are other significant newsworthy happenings from the past year.
Butler County's beleaguered $40 million project to build a new prison in the city continued to have additional delays throughout 2007, culminating in the general contractor walking off the job.County officials in February discussed the project completion, which was pushed back to March 2008 from the original Oct. 13, 2007, deadline.A.G. Cullen, the project's general contractor, in March denied responsibility for much of the delays, stating the county deadline was not realistic.In the ensuing debate over the schedule, Cullen in April filed a $1.5 million breach of contract lawsuit against the county.After a threatened walk off in June, the company remained on the job.Cullen's bonding company, Travelers, subsequently sued Cullen on June 6, seeking an injunction to have the contractor's assets held in trust.In June, the completion of the project was pushed back to April 2008. In October, the date was postponed to May.Nearing the end of 2007, the project faced further delays before suffering a major setback on Dec. 20 when Cullen left the job site, citing overdue payments from the county.
Two babies were among Butler County's four homicide victims in 2007.Lauren Jones, 24, is accused of killing her newborn girl Feb. 28 and leaving the child's remains under her bed at her parent's Buffalo Township home.Jones told state police the umbilical cord had become wrapped around the newborn's neck and the baby had no pulse or heartbeat. She said she stabbed the baby once with a steak knife "to make sure the baby didn't suffer."An autopsy, however, revealed that the baby suffered three stab wounds to the neck before being placed — apparently still alive — in a trash bag and then in a book bag and hidden under her bed.Less than four months later, 14-month-old Tyler Davis died of severe injuries at his Marion Township home while under the care of his mother's boyfriend.Jarred Knight, 23, told state police Tyler fell off his knee as he prepared to bathe the child. He claimed that as he ran to a neighbor's home with the injured toddler, he tripped over the family dog and Tyler's head hit the floor.But investigators determined the boy's death was not accidental, and arrested Knight. Police said Knight slammed the child's head against a bathroom wall with such force that it left a dent in the drywall.According to court documents, Knight, just weeks before Tyler's death, learned he was not the child's father.Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Jones and Knight, who are currently awaiting trial.In another pending capital case, 50-year-old James Borchert is accused of gunning down his wife and her boyfriend Aug. 14 at Borchert's Cherry Valley farmhouse.Prosecutors said Borchert told a 911 operator and a trooper that he shot and killed Esther Borchert, 42, and Lonnie Schwab Sr., 49, of Meadville after they told him of their affair.Esther Borchert visited her husband to demand a divorce and inform him that she and Schwab wanted him to sell the family land, District Attorney Randa Clark said.Meanwhile, in one of the county's most chilling murder cases, three friends this year pleaded guilty in connection with the 2005 torture killing of a mentally disabled man who shared a Butler apartment with two of the killers.The defendants all acknowledged their role in the death of Jason Michael Ritzert, 30, whose body was found burned beyond recognition in a Summit Township trash bin.Prosecutors said Ritzert in the last weeks of his life endured unspeakable acts of brutality at the hands of his killers — Timothy Caldwell, 31; Melissa Adams, 26; and Russell Hilliard, 37.Before succumbing to his injuries, Ritzert was repeatedly beaten and burned, and at one point forced to wear a shirt soaked with lighter fluid that was set afireCaldwell, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, is serving a life sentence. Adams and Hilliard pleaded guilty to third-degree murder. Adams is serving a 30-to-60-year sentence, while Hilliard is serving a 20-to-40-year term.
With several high-profile Butler County seats open in 2008, numerous candidates tried the political waters this year.Twelve people ran for county commissioner in the May primary as incumbent Democrat Glenn Anderson announced his retirement.In the primary, Republican incumbent Scott Lowe lost his bid for re-election.In the general election, Republican incumbent James Kennedy and challengers Dale Pinkerton, a Republican, and Jim Lokhaiser, a Democrat, won seats on the new board.Linda Volaric, former Petrolia council president, came in fourth.In another county race, Richard A. Goldinger unseated Randa Clark to become the Butler County district attorney.District Judge Kelley Streib won the seat of retiring county Judge George Hancher.On the state level, former state Rep. Frank LaGrotta on Nov. 14 was charged with hiring his sister and niece as "ghost employees" while in office.LaGrotta, 49, a Lawrence County Democrat, was charged with two felony conflict-of-interest counts.His sister, Ann Bartolomeo, 46, and her daughter, Alissa Lemmon, 24, both face single counts of false swearing for lying to the grand jury.LaGrotta served 10 two-year terms before he lost in the May 2006 primary.
In October, the Butler County Family YMCA announced plans to renovate and improve Armco Park in Slippery Rock Township.The YMCA, which bought the 67-acre park on Route 173 in 2005, is planning to spend more than $10 million, in a 10- to 15-year renovation and growth program.A master plan for the proposed improvements includes camping cabins, a chapel, a new swimming pool bathhouse, tennis courts, archery range, baseball and soccer fields, a conference center and an Armco museum.
A Marine with family in Butler County was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq on Feb. 15.Infantry Capt. Todd M. Siebert, 34, was on patrol near Anbar Province when the incident happened.Siebert, who served with the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Marines, lived at Camp Lejeune, N.C., with his wife, Darcy, and their 9-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son.His parents, Thomas and Dorothy, and brother Tom live in Harmony.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's proposal to make Interstate 80 a toll road has been heavily disputed.Under the plan, the commission would manage tolls under a 50-year lease with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.The tolls, to start in summer of 2010, would raise almost $2 billion a year for road and highway maintenance, about half of which would be used to maintain and improve I-80.However, many people oppose the plan because they fear it will have a negative economic impact on the businesses and residents of the I-80 corridor.
Of the fatal car accidents in Butler County and nearby areas in 2007, four claimed multiple lives and one killed a 13-year-old girl.Maureen Schmidt, 58, and her daughter Charity Schmidt, 35, both of Chicora, were killed in a two-car crash on Route 38 in Center Township on Feb. 4.A 4-vehicle crash on Route 422 in Middlecreek Township killed Brandon Michael Olson, 23, and Chaunise T. Calhoun, 21, both of New Castle on Feb. 6.Brian Benscoter, 26, of Hilliards, John Spinetti, 28, of New Kensington and Angela Barnhart, 24, also of New Kensington were killed in a two-vehicle accident on Route 308 in Cherry Township on April 29.Douglas Stitt, 38, of Mercer and Phillip Bacon, 31, of Sharpsville were killed when a Cranberry ambulance crashed into their car on Route 19 in Marshall Township on Sept. 23.Randi Stritzinger, 13, of Middlesex was killed when the truck in which she was a passenger crashed on Denny Road in Adams Township on Nov. 29.
Three fatal fires blazed in Butler County in 2006, one of which killed a newlywed couple. Two fires caused major property damage.Hazel "Becky" Weyand, 73, was killed when flames destroyed her mobile home on Old Route 422 in Franklin Township on Jan. 1.Four businesses in Cranberry Township were destroyed by a fire which started Jan. 10: Play It Again Sports, Beneficial, Alpine Pool and Remax. Damage is estimated at more than $2 million.Frank Piccola, 63, of Summit Township was killed in a garage fire on Freeport Road on May 26.Two houses were destroyed and a third was damaged by fire on Hansen Avenue in Lyndora on June 15.Brian Forgatch, 39, and Heather Forgatch, 24, both of Lancaster Township were killed when fire destroyed their mobile home on Route 19 on Sept. 29.
