READING — Voters in eastern Pennsylvania have chosen Democrat Judy Schwank to succeed the late state Sen. Michael O'Pake.

Schwank, a former Berks County commissioner, had 20,124 votes to 14,794 for Republican Larry Medaglia, the county register of wills, with all 128 precincts reporting in Tuesday's special election in the 11th Senate District, according to unofficial results.

O'Pake, a Democrat, was the longest-serving member of the Legislature and the Senate minority whip when he died in late December of complications from heart-bypass surgery. He died halfway through his 10th Senate term, and Schwank will serve out the remaining two years of the term.

Before the special election, Republicans held 30 Senate seats and Democrats 19 seats.

ERIE — Two Erie-area state lawmakers are exploring the idea of offshore wind turbines located in Lake Erie.Monday's public hearing was hosted by Republican state Sens. Jane Earll, of Fairview Township, and Mary Jo White, of Franklin.The Erie Times-News said officials from state and federal agencies that would regulate the wind farms testified, as did those from businesses that would like to build the farms. Erie-area residents and environmentalists who oppose or are at least concerned about such plans also testified.One company said scores of jobs could be created by a plan to erect more than 220 electric-generating wind turbines in the lake, and boost other industries in the area. But environmentalists are concerned that the turbines could hurt fish, as well as bats and birds that migrate across the lake.

SCRANTON — A federal judge is allowing federal prosecutors to seek forfeiture of nearly $1 million from a former northeastern Pennsylvania juvenile court judge convicted in a kickback scheme.Sixty-one-year-old Mark Ciavarella was convicted last month of racketeering and money laundering conspiracy in connection with payments from the owner of two privately owned juvenile detention centers. Jurors said Ciavarella should forfeit $997,600 he received.U.S. District Judge Edwin Kosik on Tuesday signed an order allowing prosecutors to pursue a forfeiture action. Defense attorneys say their client is deeply in debt, but prosecutors allege that he diverted assets prior to his January 2009 arrest.Ciavarella is free on bail pending appeals and sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled. He has denied accepting money for sending large numbers of children to the detention centers.

HERSHEY — Former Pennsylvania first lady Mary Jane Leader died Tuesday after a short illness, according to a statement issued by the family's retirement home business. She was 92.She was the wife of Gov. George Leader, a Democrat who led the state for four years in the late 1950s. Mary Jane Leader, a Williamsport native, grew up in York, where she attended high school with her future husband.She held management roles in family businesses until the time of her death. She had served on the state Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators and the State Council for the Blind.Survivors include the former governor, to whom she was married for 71 years, a brother, two sons and a daughter. A third son predeceased her.George Leader was the state's chief executive from 1955 to 1959. After he left office, the Leaders lived in Gladwyne, King of Prussia and Hershey. Funeral services are planned for Saturday in Hershey.

PITTSBURGH — A German man has written to Pittsburgh City Council President Darlene Harris for help in finding three area soldiers who were kind to his family following World War II.Harris announced Tuesday that 76-year-old Horst Pehl sent her a postcard about the soldiers’ deeds when he was just a 10-year-old boy living with his family in Wiesbaden.Harris said Pehl credits the soldiers with preventing him and his brother from starving. He said the soldiers were from Pittsburgh and spent Christmas 1945 at his home.The soldiers left presents that day and continued to send care packages to Pehl’s family until 1948. Pehl wants to find the soldiers, though he knows the full name of only one of them: William Zimmerman. The second’s last name was “Worley” and Pehl can’t remember the third soldier’s name.