Tie SDALLASC0ST Section 2 B School News BW Classified Ads Bm Calendar Vol. 102 No. 19 Wednesday, May 15, 1991 ~ Election Special 17 candidates are in the race for four seats on the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas. The pri- mary could result in anywhere from four to eight candidates winning a spot on the November ballot, since all 17 have cross-filed on both the Democratic and Republican tick- ets. £¢the same four candidates win oneeach ticket, they will be virtu- ally guaranteed to win the general election. If different candidates win the Democratic and Republican primaries, they will face off in November. Joseph M. Augelio Judge Joseph M. Augello of Pityston, has served as a Judge of th J of Common Pleas since February 1990, assigned to pre- side in civil and criminal trials including murder cases. Prior to becoming judge, Augello had 15 years experience as a district jus- tice and trial attorney in Luzerne County. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Scran- top aJuris Doctor, Temple Univer- sit ®Bchool of Law. James P. Blaum ¥Wgimes P. Blaum of Dallas, is a graduate of Coughlin High School and University of Notre Dame and received his Juris Doctorate from the Duquesne University School of Law. He has been a practicing attor- ney for 15 1/2 years in the civil criminal courts of Luzerne County and United States District Court; nine and a half years as Asst. Luzerne County Solicitor defend- ing the county taxpayers against oveal00 suites by criminals seek- inf@money damages from our county without one judgment being entered against our county; 10 years teaching at King's College. Determined qualified and recom- mended for nomination to court by non-partisan Trial Court Nomina- tion Commission. Nominated to Court by Governor. Charles Bufalino Attorney Charles Bufalino, 60, a lifelong resident of West Pittston, is a graduate ofWyoming Semi- nary Preparatory School, Villanova University and University of Penn- sylvania Law School. ; Actively engaged in the practice of law for 34 years, he has experi- ence in both civil and criminal areas of the law. He served as Law Clerk to the late President Judged. Harold Flannery of the Luzerne County Court and assisted him both in the courtroom and in the drafting of legal opinions. For the past several years, he has served as trial counsel for the Depart- ment of General Services of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the trial of condemnation cases. Attorney Bufalino presenly serves as an Elected Member of the House of Delegates of the Pennsyl- vania Bar Association and as Committee Member of the Penn- sylvania Bar/Association Judicial Selection and Reform Committee. Since 1984, he has served as First Assistant Luzerne County Solici- tor. He is also Solicitor to the Luzerne County Housing Author- ity and Assistant Solicitor to the Luzerne County Industrial Devel- opment Authority. Attorney Bufalino is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Luzerne County Community Col- lege; Board Member of the Luzerne County Tourist Promotion Agency; and Board Member of Northeast Baseball, Inc., Citizen Advisory Group to Triple A, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Red Barons. He is associated with many charitable and community activi- ties including Mental Health, Ro- tary and UNICO. Attorney Bufalino is married to the former Loretta Ann Knorr and is the father of five sons: Attorney Charles J. Bufalino, III: Dr. Kevin T. Bufalino; James C. Bufalino (Journalist); Brian A. Bufalino (student at Villanova University); and Mark W. Bufalino (student at Villanova University). Attorney Bufalino and his son, Charles III, maintain offices at Garden Village Professional Center, 16 Luzerne Avenue, Suite 200, West Pittston, Pennsylvania. Michael Collins The candidacy of Attorney Mi- chael Collins is unique in that heis in the contest with more than 22 years of judicial experience, more than any of the 17 others running on the Democratic and Republi- can tickets. District Justice Collins, who serves in Wilkes-Barre, has repeat- edly won election to that position. Justice Collins comes from a strong legal background. His late grandfather, Thomas Farrell served as a judge of Luzerne County. Collins’ father, John H. Collins, and uncle, J. Campbell Collins, were prominent lawyers. Collins has demonstrated time and time again his ability and experience, having handled more than 62,000 cases. Collins, 49, is a resident of Wilkes-Barre. He began his pri- vate practice in 1967 after receiv- ing his juris doctorate degree from American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C. Heis associated with numerous organizations. He and his wife, Karen, are parents of three sons and three daughters. James Geddes Attorney James F. Geddes, a Wilkes-Barre native, presently residing in Kingston, has been a practicing attorney in Luzerne County for over 23 years with firm of Silverblatt and Townend. He served as Assistant Solicitor for the City of Wilkes-Barre in 1968- 1969, and for a number of years in the early and mid 1970's was law clerk to the late Judge Richard L. Bigelow of the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas. He was Solicitor for Edwardsville Borough in the late 1970's and has been Solicitor for the Jackson Township and Dallas Township Zoning Boards. He has a broad background of experience, including civil and criminal trial work. Representing a group of local citizens opposing the taking of a portion of the Wilkes- Barre River Common for highway purposes a number ofyears ago he tried one of the first cases before the Commonwealth Court of Penn- sylvania, created as the third ‘appellate court in the State under the 1968 Constitution. In 1980 he successfully obtained a Pennsyl- vania Supreme Court decision holding a provision of the Election Code unconstitutional as a prior restraint contrary to the First Amendment. Inother cases hehas represented Harveys Lake shore line owners in successfully fend- ing offan attempt by the Common- wealth to impose a dock tax and residents of the Southern Colum- bia Area School District in having an occupation tax being declared unconstititional. Attorney Geddes is a graduate of Haverford College and Geor- getown University Law School. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves, completing duty with the 322 MP (CID) Detachment. He isa member of the legal staff and insurance committee for Irem Temple and has been Judge Advocate for American Legion Post #132, Wilkes-Barre since 1986. He is a member of the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association, having served as Law Day Chairman and on other committees, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Chairman of his campaign committee is Dr. James S. But- ‘coski and treasurer is J. David Roskos. Edward Geist Edward J. Geist, 54, son of Edward E. Geist and the former Catherine E. Yurko of Larksville nowresiding in South Wilkes-Barre with his wife, the former Josephine Balas and seven children: Valerie, MaryJo, Edward, Christine, Rudy, Stephen and Caroline. He gradu- ated from Larksville High School, King's College and Villanova Law School. As a practicing attorney in Luzerne County for 25years, Geist has knowledge of the law and experience. He has tried approxi- mately 100 criminal/civil trials; served as a Luzerne County Dis- trict Attorney in 1968-'69 and 1973-'74; served as municipal solicitor in Larksville, Laflin and Forty Fort Borough and is cur- rently the solicitor for the Larksville Sewer Authority; serves as the designated attorney for AFSCME employees and retirees since 1986; was a member of the Luzerne County Judicial Selection Com- mittee from 1979-'87 and Chair- man from 1979-81. Geist served as an Air Force Staff Sergeant during the Korean War; is a member of the Pennsyl- vania Bar Association; a member of the State Appellate Court; ad- mitted to practice in the United States District Court, Middle Dis- trict of Pennsylvania; admitted to practice in the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals; is a cer- tified attorney in the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Farmers Home Ad- ministration; one of founding members of the Board of Directors ofthe Legal Services Association of Pennsylvania, where he served as president for several terms; one of the first members of the Board of Directors of the Health Systems Agency of Northeastern Pennsyl- vania; served as member and chairman of several committees of United Way of Wyoming Valley; served on Alumni Board of Direc- tors at King's College. He serves as lector at Church of Saint Therese in Wilkes-Barre and has been active in local Republi- can party politics. Joseph Giovannini Jr. Atty. Joseph P. Giovannini, Jr., of Kingston, Pa. is a Democratic candidate forJudge of the Court of Common Pleas, 11thJudicial Dis- trict. Hereceived a degree in Account- ing from the University of Scran- ton and University of Detroit School of Law-Juris Doctor. He served 11 years as a Crimi- nal Prosecutor for the District At- torney’s Office of Luzerne County; 4 years as First Assistant District Attorney; Appointed Chief Appel- late Counsel and argued landmark cases before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; taught Police Offi- cers as a Pennsylvania State Police Certified Instructor; legal advisor to the Luzerne County Coroner's Office. Admitted to the following courts: Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas since 1972; Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas since 1972; Supreme Court of Pennsylvania since 1972; United States District Court for The Middle District of Pennsylvania since 1972; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 1981. Giovannini holds memberships in the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers’ Association; Luzerne County Bar Association (Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association); Lackawanna County Bar Association; Lions Club, Victims Resource Center, Spark of Life Cancer Organization; League of Women Voters; Exeter Hose Co. No. 1; Exeter Ambulance Association. He is married to Joanne Bruno, R.N., and has three children. Enid Harris Enid Harris was born on July 27, 1954, in Kingston, and has lived in Kingston and Wilkes-Barre her whole life. She has been ac- tively engaged in the practice of law since graduating from law school in 1979, and she is admit- ted to the Bars of Pennsylvania, Florida, Colorado, and the Middle District Courtof Pennsylvania, and the Third Circuit Court. The emphasis of her practice as a trial lawyer for the past 12 years has been the preparation and the trial of jury cases in Luzerne County, as well as nearby counties and the Federal Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. She has also been trial counsel in a first degree murder case and most recently tried to verdict a civil casein Luzerne County during the trial term of May 6, 1991. During the February two-week civil trial list in Luzerne County, Attorney Harris was trial counsel in seven of the 60 cases appearing on the trial list (11.6% of the list of cases), and she spent the entire two weeks in trial as sole counsel and tried two cases to jury verdict. She is an officer in the Pennsyl- vania Bar Association, the Luzerne . County Bar Association, and has lectured on the rules of evidence for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. She is also active in the League of Women Voters, where she served on the Board of Directors for 2 1/ 2 years. Harris has coordinated the high school Mock Trial Competitions in Luzerne County and, in 1991, in the Northeast Regional Competi- tions for six years. She has spent two years compiling a Senior Citi- zens Handbook for the PBA, which is scheduled for distribution late in the Summer of 1991. She has actively campaigned that the posi- tion of Common Pleas Judge re- quires the knowledge and experi- ence of a lawyer accustomed to trying cases; in short, a litigator, as well as active involvement in the legal community and in the com- munity in which she lives. Bernard J. Hendrzak Hendrzak has been a practicing attorney for 32 years, served as an Assistant District Attorney for Luzerne County, Assistant Solici- tor Luzerne County for 14 years, Solicitor for Ashley Borough, Lau- rel Run Borough and Edwardsville Borough. He also has been a Dis- trict Justice for District 11-3-07 encompassing Wilkes-Barre Town - ship, Bear Creek Township, Buck Township and Laurel Run Bor- ough for the past 9 1/2 years. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Pennsylvania State University and Temple University School of Law-Juris Doctorate. Diane Kopcha Katlic Atty. Diane Kopcha Katlic, was born and raised in Washington, Pa. Her grandparents immigrated from Poland; grandfather died in the mines; father drove truck and later builta successful small busi- ness. Married for 17 years, hus- band Mark is a general and tho- racic surgeon. She is active in community serv- ice and volunteer organizations in Luzerne County, (e.g., Association for Retarded Citizens; Osterhout Library; Children’s Theatre Festi- val; N.E. Pennsylvania Philhar- monic.) B.A. Political Science and Soci- ology, Chatham College, Pitts- burgh, J.D., University of Balti- more School of Law. Worked days and attended law school at night while husband was a medical stu- dent. Her professional experience includes: Assistant District Attor- ney for Middlesex County, MA. Trained and supervised 42 full- time staff attorneys working in 12 courts throughout the county. Assisted in implementation and operation of Jury of Six trial sys- tem in MA (as proposed for utiliza- tion in Luzerne County); imple- mented Victim /Witness Program to assist victims of crime and wit- nesses throughout the trial proc- ess; prosecuted 100s of criminal cases, including murder, rape, armed robbery, drugs and domes- tic violence; Staff Attorney, State Ethics Commission, MA; Vice Presi- dent and Department Head, State Street Bank and Trust Company, Boston; supervised a department of over 150 people; administrative responsibility for processing thou- Race for four county judgeships draws crowded field sands of Individual Retirement Accounts, Keogh and other pen- sion plans; Associate Council, Commonwealth Telephone Enter- prises, Wilkes-Barre; General Corporate and Public Utilities Work; Associate, Hourigan, Kluger, Spohrer and Quinn, Wilkes-Barre, Commercial Litigation; private practice in Dallas. William R. Keller William R. Keller, 56, of Yeager Avenue, Forty Fort is a graduate of the University of Rochester and the Dickinson School of Law. I have practiced law for over 25 years in Wyoming Valley and pres- ently the Senior Trial Attorney in the District Attorney's Office. have tried well over 100 jury trials in both the Civiland Criminal Courts of Luzerne County. During my 13 years as an Assis- tant District Attorney, I have tried six homicide cases gaining convic- tions in all, the most recent being a third degree murder conviction of Dr. Glen Wolsieffer in Novem- ber, 1990. Ann H. Lokuta Ann H. Lokuta, of Dupont re- ceived a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics from King's College, Maxima Cum Laude; Juris Doctorate, Hofstra Law School, Hofstra University. She is a practicing attorney. She was a Federal law clerk in the United States District Court as well as an Assistant District Attor- ney in both Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties. She says her most important assets are the values her parents instilled in her as a youth; values of honesty, in- tegrity, hard work and compas- sion. Correale F. Stevens Correale F. Stevens has been District Attorney of Luzerne County since 1988. Prosections include the Glen Wolsieffer and Jose San- chez murder cases. Stevens has been an attorney for 19 years and served as State Representative. He is a graduate of Wyoming Seminary, Penn State University and the Dickinson School of Law. Continued on : page 12
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