3 at-large officials in Niles re-elected

Hubbard's 3rd Ward councilwoman kept her seat.
WARREN -- There were two election night upsets in Hubbard and Girard, while in Niles all three at-large councilmen were re-elected.
In Niles there were Democrat contests for at-large council seats and in the 3rd Ward and also city treasurer.
The at-large councilmen re-elected are Michael A. Lastic, Stephen G. Papalas and Thomas A. Scarnecchia. The unsuccessful candidate was Reginald Giancola Jr.
All four men who sought the three at-large seats, however, were veteran Niles lawmakers. Giancola is 3rd Ward councilman now.
All of them talked during their campaigns about keeping a close watch on city finances.
Lastic used to be a 2nd Ward councilman and is a retiree from the Niles schools. Papalas, a Niles teacher, has been on council since 1980 and also had served the 2nd Ward in the past. Scarnecchia has had a decade at-large, is retired from the city schools and owns World of Fitness gymnasium.
Giancola has served as finance committee chairman and is employed at Trinity Industries.
In the 3rd Ward, which Giancola gave up to run at-large, two Democrats had a close race. In the end Edward D. Stredney defeated Jonathan M. Wike Jr.
In the treasurer's race, there was no incumbent and Bob Swauger defeated Robert M. Leonard. Swauger will face independent candidate Paul M. Davis this fall.
Campaign issues
Both men had campaigned on issues of continued collection of income taxes and the best investment of city money.
Swauger, a US Bank manager, previously worked for Second National Bank. Leonard is involved with two Niles businesses: McMenamy's banquet hall and Niles Mirror and Glass. He was an at-large councilman in the late 1970s.
First Ward Democrat Frank Fuda will see Republican James Morris in the fall.
Incumbent Democrats re-elected are Council President Robert L. Marino Jr.; 2nd Ward Councilman Ted Papas; and 4th Ward Councilman Ray Cox.
In Girard there was a contest for at-large council. Jeremy W. Williams, a 4th Ward councilman who ran for an at-large seat, lost.
Democrats Michael A. Costarella, Joseph P. Shelby and Louis J. Adovasio won.
"I want to thank the people of Girard for having confidence in me and voting for me," said Costarella, who spent election night at home fighting a fever. "I've been working long hours on this. This is the second time I ran -- I lost the first time -- but I learned a lot and met a lot of people. I'm looking forward to serving the people."
Democrat incumbents keeping their seats are Council President Reynald J. Paolone; Treasurer John N. Moliterno; 2nd Ward Councilman Larry L. Williams; 3rd Ward Councilman Thomas J. Seidler II; and municipal Judge Michael A. Bernard.
First Ward Councilman Frank J. Migliozzi faces independent Steve Zuppo in November.
Hubbard had at-large, 2nd Ward and 3rd Ward races.
In the at-large race, two incumbent Democrats won, Patton M. Gilliland and William J. Williams. Newcomer Raymond L. Moffitt won the third seat.
The third incumbent, Douglas L. Rohrer, didn't seek re-election. Instead he ran for the 2nd Ward council post but lost to Democrat Dick Perry.
Third Ward Councilwoman Lisha Pompili-Baumiller kept her seat by defeating Suzanne M. Wilcox.
Unopposed were council President John D. Darko; Auditor Michael C. Villano; Treasurer Marsha A. Ruha; and 4th Ward Councilman Edward F. Palestro Sr.
First Ward Councilwoman Bonnie Viele will see this fall independents James Higgins and Justin D. Silvidi.
No opponents
The Trumbull County Board of Elections in February said there was no opponents to Democrats running for four judicial posts and those candidates nominated. They are municipal court judges Terry Ivanchak of Warren, Thomas Townley of Niles, Michael Bernard of Girard and Thomas L. Old of Newton Falls.
The board also declared the candidates for Newton Falls, McDonald and Lordstown councils nominated because none of the candidates was opposed.
The field for four Lordstown council seats will be crowded in November, however. Four men, including two incumbents, are running as Democrats. They will face the challenge of seven candidates who filed by Monday's deadline as independents. Among the seven are Councilman Richard A. Morgan, former Mayor Arno A. Hill and former Police Chief Bill Catlin.