Judge allows broadcast critical of Oakhill purchase

YOUNGSTOWN — A visiting judge has denied Mahoning County's request for a gag order to block Ohio Valley Mall Co. from airing on local TV stations deposition excerpts from OVM's lawsuit against the county.

In an order faxed to the county courthouse Thursday evening, Judge Richard M. Markus denied the motion for a protective order and sanctions. The county had asked the judge for a gag order until May 9 to bar OVM and its lawyers from publicly distributing matters from the suit.

OVM's lawsuit seeks to bar the county from spending money to renovate Oakhill Renaissance Place to accommodate the county's Department of Job and Family Services. OVM is the current landlord for the JFS located at Garland Plaza on the city's East Side.

The half-hour paid commercial broadcasts are scheduled to air at 11:30 a.m. Sunday on WFMJ-TV Channel 21 and WKBN-TV Channel 27. They will show snippets of depositions of county Commissioners David Ludt and Anthony Traficanti as they were questioned by Cafaro Co. lawyer, Tom Anastos of Cleveland, about the Oakhill purchase. Whenever the commissioners make inaccurate statements, the screen goes to black and a slide conveys the correct information, said John J. Cafaro, executive vice president of the Cafaro Co., OVM's parent.

The county bought Oakhill - the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center - last summer in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for $75,000.

For the complete story, see Saturday's Vindicator and Vindy.com. To view the Cafaro infomercial and the actual taped depositions, click here.