ELECTION BRIEFS

DENNISTON TWP. TAX COLLECTOR: Victoria Giovannucci is seeking the Democratic nomination for Dennison Township tax collector.

Giovannucci is a retired administrative assistant with six years at Lewith & Freeman R.E. Inc. and 23 years in banking with the current Bank of America as a commercial loan operations supervisor.

As tax collector, she hopes to utilize her background in banking and real estate to benefit the township residents.

A political newcomer, she is a high school graduate and received further education through the American Institute of Banking and Execu Train.

Giovannucci is a member of Ladies Auxiliary Freeland VFW Post 5010. She is married to Fury Giovannucci, who owned and operated Ice Lake Hotel, a Dennison Township landmark, for many years.

JENKINS TWP. SUPERVISOR: Frank “Waxie” Vaxmonsky is running as a Democrat for the Jenkins Township Board of Supervisors.

Vaxmonsky is a member of the Jenkins Township Democratic Committee and the Jenkins Township Fire Department. He served as president of the Jenkins Township Little League for 14 years.

As supervisor, his primary concern would be to rejuvenate the township’s Crime Watch program.

He and his wife, Jule, reside in Port Griffith and have been married for 25 years. They have three daughters: Jacqueline, Kelley and Julie.

SUGAR NOTCH MAYOR: Mario Fiorucci is seeking the Democratic nomination for mayor of Sugar Notch.

Born in Sugar Notch, he resided in the area until moving at age 23. Before returning to Sugar Notch at age 38, he lived in Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York City and Greenwich, Conn.

Fiorucci is employed as a medical records processor. A graduate of Hanover Area High School, he attended Luzerne County Community College; College Misericordia, class of 1980, where he received a bachelor of arts; and Georgetown University, class of 1982, where he received a master of arts in political science.

As mayor, he plans to begin a recycling program by piggybacking with either Ashley or Hanover Township; reduce council from seven to five members to save money; and merge the police department with Ashley or Hanover Township.

Fiorucci has worked on the regionalization issue since 1999 and is confident it will deliver better protection to the citizens of Sugar Notch. He does not believe the town can provide all municipal services necessary for a proposed 300 home development led by Earth Conservancy.

His family has always lived in Sugar Notch. His grandfather operated the tavern in town since 1900; his father managed it until 1970.

UNION TWP. SUPERVISOR: Gary M. Hontz, a Republican, is seeking re-election on the Union Township Board of Supervisors.

Currently, he is chairman of the board of supervisors; and first vice president of Luzerne County Association of Township Officials. He is a second-generation township supervisor.

He graduated from Northwest Area High School, class of 1975, and received a certificate of proficiency from Luzerne County Community College in plumbing and heating, in 1976.

A Union Township resident for more than 45 years, he is a member of the township’s road crew with several years experience.

WILKES-BARRE CITY COUNCIL: Republican Peter Gagliardi is running for Wilkes-Barre City Council in District C, which includes the Heights.

Gagliardi said he is seeking a seat on council because it’s imperative that Republicans are elected to form a bipartisan government. He said, if elected, he will promote public security in all forms – police, fire and emergency medical services. He also supports Councilman Jim McCarthy’s proposed ordinance that would prohibit sex offenders from living too close to areas where children congregate.

Gagliardi is a magna cum laude graduate from King’s College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and politics. He received his master’s degree in government and politics from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and a diploma from the Naval War College. He served in the federal government for more than 17 years.

HARVEYS LAKE COUNCIL: Jason Boice, 31, of Kitchen Road, Harveys Lake, announces his candidacy for council.

Boice, a Democrat, is a lifetime resident of Harveys Lake and serves as chairman of its environmental committee, EAC.

For many years he volunteered in the lakeside cleanup project, which was a part of the state’s Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Day. He also participated in many of its other projects, including the lake water studies, the recycling program and the annual community Spring Cleanup Day. As a member of the current board, he participates in the well water testing program and recently worked with the Boy Scouts in the Warden Place Creek cleanup project. He is also working with members of Wilkes University’s biology department on an upcoming nitrate/phosphate study of the lake.

Boice has volunteered on many political campaigns. His most recent efforts were on behalf of Congressman Chris Carney.

Boice, a 1994 graduate of Lake-Lehman High School, completed the real estate courses at Pennsylvania Real Estate Academy. He is employed by GMAHL as a foreman. He is a member of the Sons of Legionnaires, Harveys Lake American Legion.

WILKES-BARRE CITY COUNCIL: John M. Yencha has announced that he is seeking the Republican nomination for Wilkes-Barre City Council District E of the city’s North End section.

Yencha served with the U.S. Marine Corps for three years during the Korean conflict. He is also a retired member of the Pennsylvania State Police, from which he served the public for 30 years.

He is a member of the Wilkes-Barre City Zoning Board, a previous member of the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board and former president of the North End Slovak Citizens Club. He is also a member of the Slovak League of America, Slovak Heritage Society and Slovak Catholic Sokols.

Yencha is also a member of the Tatra Club of Luzerne County, Fraternal Order of Police, American Legion Post 837, Marine Corps League, Knights of Columbus Council No. 302, Carpatho-Russian Citizens Club and the Polish American Veterans. He was awarded the Man of the Year Award from the North End Slovak Citizen Club and the Slovak League of Luzerne County.

RICE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: George J. Venesky is a Republican candidate for supervisor in Rice Township.

Venesky previously served as township tax collector, an office he was elected to in 2001. He also served as a board member of the Mountain Top Ambulance Association.

Venesky completed a 27-year career in law enforcement in 1998 and served 29 years in the U.S. military. He served four years active duty with the Army and 25 years in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve, retiring in 1995 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He served one tour in Vietnam and his awards include the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device, Air Medal, Airbourne Badge and Senior Army Aviator Badge.

He is a businessman and owner of Northeast Investigative Services, specializing in investigative/security counsulting and private investigator services. He is also a four-year college graduate.

Venesky’s memberships include the Fraternal Order of Police; American Legion Post 781, Rice Township; Veterans of Foreign Wars (life member); Disabled American Veterans; Retired Officers Association; and numerous conservation and sportsmen’s organizations. He has been long active in land conservation and preservation efforts in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

WILKES-BARRE CITY COUNCIL: Virgil Argenta, a Democrat, is running for a seat on Wilkes-Barre City Council District E.

Argenta, a 25-year city resident, said he is committed to the people in District E, which includes the North End, Brookside, Parsons and Miners Mills sections. He also said he is committed to improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods.

Argenta is owner and president of Wayne Oil Company and owns 16 properties in the city’s North End section.

He served as a Democratic committeeman for District 1-1 and held this position for 10 years, until the voting wards changed. He was also a council candidate in 2003.

He is a supporter of the North Wilkes-Barre Little League and a member of St. John/Sacred Heart Church.

WILKES-BARRE CITY COUNCIL: Bruce J. Reilly announced he is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Wilkes-Barre City Council, in District B.

Reilly, 50, is a lifelong city resident and graduated from Bishop Hoban High School in 1974.

After he was hired by the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department in 1981, he continued his education in public safety and attended many classes and seminars. He is a member of the Local Emergency Planning Commission of Luzerne County.

Reilly said he can offer council a new perspective on the direction the city should be headed. Some priorities he cites include restoring safety in the neighborhoods and passing ordinances so code enforcement officials can get tougher on absentee landlords. He also believes city council should not accept full pension benefits for part-time work.

Reilly has been married for 29 years to the former Paulette Hando, a GAR graduate, and has three daughters: Kristy, Colleen, and Erin.

WEST PITTSTON COUNCIL: T. Lynette Villano of Wyoming Avenue is seeking a seat on West Pittston Borough Council.

Villano, a longtime borough resident and property owner, graduated from St. Mary’s High School, Wilkes-Barre, and is a 15-year employee of the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, where she serves as a customer service representative.

Villano was a volunteer for the West Pittston Little League for more than 20 years. During her years as a Little League officer, she was one of the principals involved in the planning, acquisition and building of the West Pittston Complex.

Along with other volunteers, she initiated and helped organize the West Pittston Little League Carnival.

Villano was a founding member of the West Pittston Little League Pool Committee and served as co-chair for 10 years. She has served for more than 15 years as a member of the West Pittston Parks, Recreation and Beautification Committee and is currently its treasurer.

She is a past Republican committeewoman for the former 2nd District of West Pittston and served many years as secretary for the West Pittston Republican Committee. She was the first woman elected chair of the Luzerne County Republican Committee and is serving her ninth year in that position. She was also elected a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2004.

Villano and her husband, Ron, will celebrate their 42nd wedding anniversary in November. They have two children who live in the borough: Lisa and her husband Michael Mulvey; and Ronald. They are also the grandparents of Jimmy and Connor Mulvey.

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