District Judges

Sue Haggerty of Saxonburg and

Kevin O’Donnell of Butler Township appear headed for new six-year terms after both won uncontested primaries May 17.Haggerty and O’Donnell, both seeking third terms, were the only candidates listed on the ballot in their individual races, and each won the Republican and Democratic nominations.District judge candidates can cross-file in the primary.Barring a long-shot write-in challenge, Haggerty and O’Donnell are certain to win re-election in the fall.Haggerty received 2,788 Republican votes and 1,020 Democrat votes. O’Donnell garnered 1,640 votes on the GOP ticket and 1,072 votes on the Democratic ballot.———State Sens.

Jane Orie, R-40th, and

John Rafferty, R-Montgomery, announced Thursday their plan to introduce legislation consisting of the recommendations released in the report from a statewide grand jury.The legislation will propose to amend the Gaming Act to include all 21 recommendations so that each issue will be considered.Included in the recommendations:• Separate the Office of Enforcement Counsel and the Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement from the Gaming Control Board and establish BIE as an independent law enforcement agency.• Prohibit any person from serving as a member of the board who was an applicant for or holds a slot machine license.• Require the board to submit an annual report listing the number of executive sessions conducted by the board, including an agenda for each session.• Expand the employment prohibition of board employees from obtaining employment with a gaming entity or any firm that represents or conducts business with any gaming entity from two years to four years.Orie and Rafferty stated that “as long as there are legitimate concerns and issues with the oversight of the gaming industry in the commonwealth, we have an obligation to continue to call for reasonable reforms and more transparency.”For the full grand jury report go to Pennsylvania Attorney general’s website, http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.———U.S. Rep.

Mike Kelly, R-3rd, is accepting applications from residents in his district interested in being nominated for admission to a military academy.Each year, members of Congress are able to nominate a limited number of people to four of the five service academies, including: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.; U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md.; U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colo.; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y.To request a nomination packet, contact Melanie Brewer at 814-454-8190, or visit Kelly’s website at www.kelly.house.gov.Applications should be completed and returned by close of business Sept. 30.———The American International Automobile Dealers Association this week recognized car dealer and U.S. Rep.

Mike Kelly with its Legislative Action Network Advocacy Award at the association’s 5th Annual International Auto Industry Summit in Washington, D.C.“(Kelly’s) leadership in the dealer community, and now in the halls of Congress, has shed light on the federal policy and legislative issues that impact dealers’ ability to serve as economic engines in their local communities,” said association President Cody Lusk.The association is a national trade group that represents 10,000 automobile dealers.