Judge Cox denies a retrial for Perry Ricciardi in Kos murder case

Judge Cox denies a retrial for Perry Ricciardiin Kos murder case
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A former Struthers man convicted of murder was denied a retrial Monday in common pleas court.
Perry S. Ricciardi, 23, was convicted in February in the stabbing death of 12-year-old Shannon Leigh Kos of Youngstown. Her body was found in October 2000 in a culvert in Mahoning Township, Lawrence County.
Judge J. Craig Cox ruled to deny Ricciardi a new trial after Ricciardi's attorney, Dennis A. Elisco, and prosecutors argued their positions in court July 23.
Elisco had vowed to take the case to the Pennsylvania Superior Court if the common pleas appeal was denied. He could not be reached to comment Monday after the ruling.
Ricciardi was sentenced to life in prison February. Also convicted in the murder were former Struthers residents David Garvey, 22, now serving 20 to 40 years in prison, and William Monday, now serving a life sentence.
Bridge closed for paving
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The East Washington Street Bridge at the former Troutman Building will be closed until further notice to allow for the deck to be repaved. The closing went into effect today.
Use Croton Avenue, North Mercer Street or Mill Street as alternative routes.
Board hires assistant
SHARPSVILLE, Pa. -- It didn't take the Sharpsville Area School Board long to find a new assistant superintendent to replace Dr. Douglas Hazlett, who resigned in April to take a curriculum supervisory position with the Baldwin-Whitehall School District near Pittsburgh.
The board voted Monday to rehire Hazlett as assistant superintendent. He comes back with the same $85,375 annual salary he was earning when he left, said Dr. Derry Stufft, superintendent. Hazlett has worked 12 years in the district.
Road work postponed
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has postponed repair work to the Pine Run section of Lamor Road just west of Pa. Route 18 that was damaged by heavy rains July 4.
The job was to start today and take up to three days to complete repairs of berms and support around the bridge across the creek.
The state said Sunday's storms that hit Mercer County caused numerous washouts and some partially closed roads that must take precedence over the Lamor Road work.
Gas station robbed
FARRELL, Pa. -- Police said a masked man stole an undisclosed amount of cash from a lottery drawer at McQuaid's Sunoco, 1050 Division St.
Police said a clerk was leaving a supply room in the store around 11:30 p.m. Sunday when she was confronted by a black man wearing a black face mask who pushed her to the floor and tried to open the cash drawer.
When he couldn't get it open, he took money from the lottery drawer, police said.
The robber was described as being about 5 feet 5 inches tall and wearing blue jeans and a gray, hooded sweat shirt.
Frog-jump competition
LISBON -- The Salem Lions Club will be hosting its second frog-jump competition of the summer this weekend.
The Lions' first frog jump was in Salem. This time the venue will be the Columbiana County Fair.
The old-time competition is set for noon Saturday at the fairgrounds.
The frog jump is open to children and adult frog owners. Winners are declared based on the total distance a frog covers in three successive leaps.
Cost to participate is $2 per frog for children through age 10 and $3 per frog for owners age 11 and over.
Proceeds will benefit the Lions efforts to help people with vision problems.
For more information, contact organizer Greg Shaffer at (330) 337-0093.
Reporting storm damage
LISBON -- Columbiana County's emergency management agency is asking residents, businesses, agencies and local governments to report any storm damage they experienced by calling (330) 424-7139 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.
The request is being made after storms Sunday that resulted in flooding in the western area of the county.