PREMIER PERFORMERS Male Athlete of the Year finalists announced. PAGE B1
ZONE 2
@SHillsAlmanac Our 49th Year
www.thealmanac.net
April 23, 2014
Beating bullying Charges on SF victim to be dropped
Bethel Park man to walk at Pitt ceremony – 64 years after taking his last class By Terry Kish For The Almanac writer@thealmanac.net
By Deana Carpenter For The Almanac writer@thealmanac.net
Close friends and classmates, as well as people who didn’t know Christian Stanfield, were on hand for a celebratory gathering Tuesday evening at Bubba’s Burgers in South Fayette Township. They were celebrating the dismissal of charges against the 15-year-old South Fayette High School sophomore, who was found guilty of the summary offense of disorderly conduct by District Judge Maureen McGraw-Desmet March 19. The conviction stems from a Feb. 11 incident at South Fayette High School in which Stanfield’s mother, Shea Love, said her son used his iPad to record two students bullying him during math class. It was announced Tuesday the charges against Stanfield of which he was convicted in magisterial court are being dropped by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office. He had appealed the conviction and was expected to go before an Allegheny County Common Pleas Court judge April 29. That
Making history
DEANA CARPENTER / FOR THE ALMANAC
Shea Love and her son, Christian Stanfield, outside of Bubba’s Burgers
hearing will no longer happen. On Feb. 12, Love said she was called to the school after administrators learned of the recording, where high school principal Scott Milburn told her Stanfield committed wiretapping. Stanfield said Milburn made him delete the recording. Also present was South Fayette police Lt. Robert Kurta, who charged Stanfield with disorderly conduct. On March 19, Stanfield was found guilty and ordered to pay fines and court costs. Love said, during the hearing, Kurta admitted DEANA CARPENTER / FOR THE ALMANAC to never hearing the audio and just went on the word Shea Love hugs Diana Yanosko, a junior at South Fayette High School who is friends with her son as Christian Stanof the principal. field watches. SEE BULLY PAGE A4
As John Downs’ daughters were sorting through memorabilia in preparation for his 90th birthday, they discovered paperwork from 1950 that was sent to their father to apply for his degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Downs, who grew up in Wilkensburg and graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1943, was a radar mechanic with the Air Force during World War II. After returning to Pittsburgh, he attended Pitt on the GI Bill, completing all of his credits for a history degree between 1946 and 1950. While his classmates were attending graduation ceremonies, Downs’ was working as a salesman for a South Side mill and mine supply house, where he met and soon married stenographer JoAnne DuScheid. After working in a variety of sales jobs, he took a position at Pittsburgh’s historic J. R. Weldin Company, where he put his love of history to use throughout his career as a pen specialist. During their 63 years of marriage, he and JoAnne raised five daughters in Baldwin – Darlene
Arnoni sworn in as district justice By Susan Schmeichel For The Almanac writer@thealmanac.net’
Newly appointed District Justice Ron Arnoni said he looks upon his new position as a culmination of his 25 years of community service “I want to continue to serve and to make a difference in people’s lives,” he said. Arnoni, who was appointed by Gov. Tom Corbett to finish the unexpired term of the late District Justice Rob Wyda, was sworn in April 16. Wyda, who died in August 2013, had presided
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over the district that includes Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair, for more than 13 years. Arnoni, who has been appointed to a two year term, said he considered Wyda a close, personal friend. The judicial seat will next be up for election in the May 2015 primary. Now a Bethel Park resident, Arnoni formerly served as mayor of Brentwood, as well as a council member in that borough. He has worked in both the public and private sector in business and law enforcement. Arnoni is a graduate District Justice Ron Arnoni was sworn into office on April 16. He fills the vacancy left by the SEE ARNONI PAGE A5 late District Justice Rob Wyda.
Roamin’ the South Hills
Group reaches out with compassion, support. Page C1
At a Glance..................... A8 Classifieds...................D1-6 Deaths............................. A2 Deed Transfers............ B4,5 Entertainment................ C4 Opinion........................... A5 Milestones...................... C2
Police beat...................... A2 Real Estate................... B4,5 Religion........................... C2 Sports........................... B1-3 Summer camps.......... C5-8 Together.......................... C1
PHOTO COURTESY EMILY EPPARD
John Downs of Bethel Park reacts to the news that he will receive his history degree from the University of Pittsburgh at commencement on April 27.
(Kent), currently living in Winchester, Va.; Dianne (Lynch) of Upper St. Clair; Donna (Eppard) of Winchester, Va.; Denise (Edgar) of Bethel Park; and Dana (Buckman) of Dalla, Pa. As their daughters married, they couple welcomed son-in-laws Dick Kent, Rich Lynch, Kevin Eppard, Mark Edgar and Freddy Buckman; and 21 grandchildren: Katie (31), Steven (29), David (27), and Johnny (25) Kent; Ryan (31), Lindsay (27), Elissa (23), and Michael (19) Lynch; Emily (22), Elizabeth (20), Daniel (18), David (17), Catherine SEE DOWNS PAGE A5
Castlegate proposal worries residents By Nick Lewandowski For The Almanac writer@thealmanac.net
Brookline residents remain uneasy over development plans for eight acres of land on Castlegate Avenue, despite a community meeting on April 21. Representatives from Oxford Development and Green Development took questions from residents throughout the evening, touching on issues from traffic congestion to SEE WORRIES PAGE A4
USA! USA!
Mt. Lebanon’s Dori Oldaker to lead American basketball team in China. Page B2