Friday, May 21, 2010

Rape suspect has history of arrests

May 21, 2010

By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

Michael R. Tackett’s arrest on Wednesday continues a series of encounters with law enforcement dating back to 2005.

Four of those were rape cases while another dealt with stalking charges.

Tackett, 39, of 1459 14th St., West Pittsburg, is in Crawford County jail after being arraigned Wednesday night in Lawrence County. State police in Meadville filed charges against Tackett after the investigation of a May 24, 2007, rape that occurred in Woodcock Township.

He was charged with four felony counts of rape by forcible compulsion; two felony counts of sexual assault; terroristic threats; and simple assault. His bond was set at $500,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. June 1.

Tackett’s capture took place after a five-hour standoff with state police. Troopers from the Meadville and New Castle stations attempted to serve an arrest warrant at 12:30 p.m. to the West Pittsburg resident. He refused to comply with orders to leave his home.

State police then called in its Special Emergency Response Team. Seven members of the squad entered the home at 5:34 p.m. and quickly had Tackett in custody.

AWAITING TRIAL

Tackett had been free on $100,000 bond when Wednesday’s episode unfolded.

In a 19-count indictment, state police charged that Tackett repeatedly had raped a real estate agent on June 11, 2009, in Jefferson Township, Mercer County.

His trial is scheduled for July.

In December, Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Judge John C. Reed reduced his bail from $200,000 after Tackett’s defense attorney, Thomas W. Leslie, argued that the initial amount was excessive. Tackett testified that he had a back injury and that the county could not meet his medical needs, according to published reports.

State police opposed the move.

“Obviously, we were disappointed and alarmed that he bonded out,” state police Trooper Dan Sindlinger told the Sharon Herald.

At the time, Sindlinger said Tackett was potentially dangerous and may be singling out female real estate agents. The victim of the 2007 rape in Woodcock Township worked as a real estate agent when Tackett reportedly raped her.

West Pittsburg resident Stacey Maravola said she last saw Tackett when he was released from custody.

“Other than that, I haven’t seen him,” she said. “He was real quiet. He didn’t come out.”

OTHER CHARGES

The first two of Tackett’s cases involved charges filed in September and October 2005. In both instances, known prostitutes claimed Tackett had raped them.

An Ellwood City woman charged that Tackett raped her at gunpoint in late April 2005. Charges were dismissed when the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office could not locate the alleged victim.
In the second case, a former New Castle resident told police Tackett attempted to rape her on Dec. 1, 2003. During an encounter on May 31, 2004, she stated, he had succeeded.

On July 19, 2006, a jury found Tackett not guilty on the six charges.

A year after the jury verdict, an Austin, Texas, woman claimed Tackett had stalked her as she walked along Route 422 in Shenango Township. That woman alleged that in the early morning hours of July 20, 2007, Tackett was in a wooded area, following her.

Reportedly terrorizing her, Tackett allegedly said he was going to sexually assault and then kill her.

Township police filed six charges against Tackett. When the woman failed to appear at three hearings, police withdrew the charges.

Other charges Tackett has faced include:

•Burglary: State police said Tackett stole two safes containing about $10,000 in cash and business checks from a Union Township business on Feb. 25, 2002. The four charges, filed Nov. 22, 2005, were dismissed when then-District Judge James Reed ruled the allegations could not be proven.

•Receiving stolen property: State police said a trooper found a stolen semiautomatic pistol while searching Tackett’s home as part of a rape investigation. A felony charge was filed Nov. 22, 2005. The Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office dropped the charge Sept. 22, 2006, when it could not find the alleged victim.

•Harassment: State police filed a summary harassment charge on June 1, 2005. Tackett was found guilty and fined $123.50.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Standoff

May 20, 2010


By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

First came the cheers and then the obscenities.

Accused rapist Michael R. Tackett’s arrest after a standoff with Pennsylvania State Police stirred outrage among his West Pittsburg neighbors.

“He deserves everything he gets,” resident Lisa Ann Duncan said.

Tackett, 39, of 1459 14th Street, surrendered around 5:40 p.m. — more than five hours after police attempted to serve him with an arrest warrant.

The latest charges result from a state police investigation of a May 24, 2007, rape in Woodcock Township, Crawford County. He is accused of rape, sexual assault, terroristic threats and simple assault.

District Judge Jennifer L. Nicholson arraigned Tackett last night and set his bond at $500,000. He was placed in Lawrence County jail. Tackett is expected to be transported this morning to Crawford County jail.

State police said additional charges will be filed stemming from yesterday’s event.

“Thank God, it’s over,” Stacy Maradola said. “We’ve all grown up with him. He’s lived down the street since we were kids.”

Tackett is awaiting trial in connection with the rape of a real estate agent on June 11, 2009, in Jefferson Township, Mercer County. He was released on $100,000 bond in December. That case is scheduled to be heard in July.

The standoff began at 12:30 p.m. when state police from the Meadville and New Castle stations arrived at Tackett’s home.

Tackett refused to come to the door, according to Lt. Kirt Snyder. He said the state police called in its Special Emergency Response Team to take Tackett into custody.

“We had intelligence that weapons were in the house,” he said.

Police ordered an evacuation of the surrounding area. Maradola was told to leave her 13th Street home at 2 p.m.

“We were watching everything there in my garage,” said Brian Trott, who lives next door to Tackett.

“We started hearing knockin’ on my front door, and we came up. It was a cop. ... He just kicked us out.”

Tackett’s wife reportedly called him from a nearby location. Meanwhile, an officer used a loudspeaker to urge Tackett to surrender.

“We have given you every opportunity to exit peacefully,” an officer told Tackett. “You need to come out of your home. We’re not going to injure you or beat you up.

“You heard from your wife. She wants you to come out.”

Canisters were fired into Tackett’s home throughout the stalemate. Some contained a chemical agent while others produced loud noises, Snyder said.

At 5:34 p.m., seven response team members entered the home. Tackett was in custody within minutes.

“He was given multiple, multiple opportunities to come out of the residence,” Snyder said.

Located upstairs, Tackett did not resist arrest. Snyder would not disclose if any weapons were found.

As police led Tackett out of his home, residents heckled him. Maradola said Tackett’s legal troubles were well known.

“I wasn’t surprised (by the response) — not in a town where everybody knows everybody,” she said.

No injuries were reported. However, Noga Ambulance transported Tackett to a local hospital. Snyder would not disclose if it was Jameson Hospital or Ellwood City Hospital.

Assisting state police were departments from New Castle, Shenango Township, Neshannock Township and the county sheriff’s office.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

District financially sound, Gabriel says

May 19, 2010

By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

The New Castle school system’s 2010-2011 budget process started in February and ends next month.

Here’s the abbreviated version.

•No tax increase
•Budget set at $39.9 million, up $1.4 million from this year
•Sixty-six cents of every dollar the district receives goes toward employee salaries and benefits
•Seven teacher positions eliminated through early retirement. Two teachers furloughed.
•District’s fund balance to increase $1.2 million for an overall total of approximately $9 million
•Athletic program requires $435,000 from district’s general fund
•Food service program self-sustaining

“We are financially sound,” Superintendent George Gabriel said. “Academically, we are preparing our students not just for the local and state marketplace, but for the global market.”

Last night, Gabriel and his administrators presented the second of two budget work sessions. The board will conduct a special meeting at noon May 25 to vote on the preliminary budget.

The district has maintained a tax rate of 17.27 mills for seven consecutive years. That comes despite a $19 million decrease in the value of district-based properties during an eight-year period.

Business manager Joseph Ambrosini said a 100 percent collection rate would bring in $9.3 million. In reality, the district collects between 80 percent to 85 percent of those funds.

Property taxes are the school system’s second major funding source. The state provides $23.8 million.

Gabriel said the district’s financial focus is the continual review of staffing needs.
“That’s where the money is in — your professional staff,” he said.

However, economics were not the reason two teachers are scheduled to be furloughed. A declining enrollment was the culprit, Gabriel said.

Because of contractual obligations with the teachers union, the two instructors will return next year as day-to-day substitute teachers. They will not see a pay reduction.

The quality of educational instruction will not suffer, said Terence Meehan, assistant to the superintendent.

“We’ve enhanced our programs tremendously,” he said. “Our students have an opportunity that doesn’t exist in other schools.”

Sixteen courses have been added on the secondary level during the past three years. Meehan also pointed to the district’s SAT preparation program conducted in cooperation with the Princeton Review and the high school’s partnership program with Seton Hill University.

“We’ve eliminated teachers and maintained classroom sizes,” he said. “We’ve just worked smarter as far as the way we’ve scheduled people and use the staff we have.”

Based on an enrollment of 3,350, the district will spend an average of $11,766 per student in the 2010-2011 school year.

Sports programs attract the most students in terms of extracurricular activities. However, they are poor funding sources. Of the district’s 11 varsity sports, football along with boys and girls basketball are the primary moneymakers.

The three squads are expected to collect $47,000 in admissions next season. The district will provide $435,000 to supplement the programs.

Unlike sports, food services is self-supporting operation. Costs are expected to run $1.7 million, with revenues pegged at $18,000 under expenses. The difference will be made up from the food service’s fund $140,000 balance.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

District seeks to overturn ruling

May 18, 2010


By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

Lawrence County’s common pleas court has been asked to referee an open records dispute.

The New Castle Area School District filed an appeal last week in response to a ruling from the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. Last month, the agency ordered the district to honor board member Barbara Razzano’s request for records involving its New Castle Youth Football League.

The school board approved the legal challenge during its April 21 executive session. Razzano said she was not present when the decision was made.

Solicitor Charles Sapienza said the district does not possess the records. What has been obtained came from Red Hurricane head football coach Frank Bongivengo Jr. Those documents have been turned over to her.

During its March 12, 2008, meeting, the school board agreed to take over the city’s youth football organization. Razzano supported the move as part of the board’s 9-0 vote.
Bongivengo volunteered to run the program. He established a booster club, New Castle Football, to fund the operation. The group earns revenue during the football season from Taggart Stadium concession sales.

The district spent approximately $23,000 on equipment, uniforms and others supplies for participating students. That has been its investment in the program.

In a right-to-know request dated Nov. 11, 2009, Razzano asked for information on the youth program’s operations, dating back to March 12, 2008. Superintendent George Gabriel had to contact Bongivengo for the documents.

Sapienza said the district cannot legally compel Bongivengo or the New Castle Football boosters to produce and provide records.

A hearing to determine if the appeal will move forward is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. June 7 in Courtroom No. 3 in the Lawrence County Government Center.

Through Bongivengo, the district has provided records dating from October 2008 through March 6. They include deposits, receipts, bank statements and meeting minutes.

However, Razzano said in a May 6 correspondence that the records still do not satisfy her request.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Consolidation talk ends – for now

May 17, 2010


Patrick E. Litowitz
New Castle News

A plan to consolidate New Castle’s primary centers is no longer considered feasible.

Although the project was well received, its downfall was the $29 million price tag. Unknowns over the economy, funding sources and the state government’s fiscal management prompted city school board members to question the wisdom of moving ahead.

“We’re in one of the most volatile conditions this country has ever seen,” board member Brad Olson Jr. said at Thursday’s committee of the whole meeting.

“Our state, in and of itself, is in one of the worst conditions – if not the worst condition – it has ever been.”

Although a consensus vote wasn’t taken, Superintendent George Gabriel viewed the proposal as dead.

“I don’t see votes for this project to move forward,” he said. “I think we need to put it to rest.

“I think the administration needs to move forward on a capital improvement plan for our existing facilities.”

Contacted after the meeting, board members were asked how they would have voted on Gabriel’s recommendation to create an early learning center while closing three primary centers.

Barb Razzano, Dr. Marilyn Berkely, Fred Mozzocio, Mark Kirkwood and Olson said they disagreed with implementing the plan now. Kirkwood was out of town when the meeting took place.

Board President J. Allan Joseph, Karen Humphrey and Anna Pascarella supported the move. Attempts to contact Maryann Tofel were unsuccessful. However, in past meetings, she was one of the consolidation project’s strongest supporters.

“I’m frightened, just like all the other board members are about it,” Joseph said. “But I also have faith in George, Joe (Ambrosini), Stan (Magusiak) and Terry (Meehan).

“I saw how they turned (the district) around when they got here.”

As a formality, Gabriel said he will ask the board for a recommendation at its June work session.

Former board member Donna Donati questioned the project’s demise. Donati formed the ad hoc committee that examined the district’s building needs.

“I think he was emotional at the time,” she said of Gabriel. “Perhaps there wasn’t an overwhelming ‘Let’s go for it!’

“It was my impression that we’re just delaying it. I don’t feel like it’s dead. It’s premature to look into long-term debt whenever you have so many variables.”

During the meeting, Gabriel and his administrators reiterated the educational need for a kindergarten-through-second-grade center, which would have been built at Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center. Business manager Joseph Ambrosini also outlined how the closures of Thaddeus Stevens, West Side and John F. Kennedy primary centers would create the savings to make the consolidation possible.

“Stop and think for a minute about our current structures,” said Terence Meehan, assistant to the superintendent. “(They are) the remnants of an old neighborhood school system.

“We approach education entirely different – not just here in New Castle, but everywhere – in the delivery of instruction. We’re trying to operate schools in the remnants of those days and that doesn’t work academically.”

Gabriel said he won’t be revisiting the topic.

“I hope nobody asks me to do another presentation,” he said in a semi-joking manner.

“The presentation was beautiful,” Donati responded.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Questions slow consolidation effort

May 8, 2010



By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

The million-dollar question is whether it’s prudent to move ahead on a $29 million school district consolidation plan.

That was the worry expressed earlier this week to members of a New Castle Area School Board sub-committee. The five-member panel is reviewing plans to overhaul the district’s elementary schools.

The proposal features the creation of an early learning center while closing three primary centers: West Side, John F. Kennedy and Thaddeus Stevens. Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center would be renovated to hold students in kindergarten through second grade.

The district’s third-graders would be moved to George Washington Intermediate Elementary School.
The cost to upgrade Lockley and make improvements to George Washington is estimated at $29 million.

“We can all agree for the past eight years, the writing on the wall has told us our No. 1 financial and policy concern involves a declining enrollment,” said former board member Donna Donati. “That alone dictates that a consolidation is imminent.”

However, economic realities forced Donati and others in attendance to question if it is time to move ahead.

She cited the state government as the culprit of her uneasiness — a looming spike in the state-funded pension plan, deficit spending, a potential reduction in education subsidies and an upcoming election. They are all reasons for concern and their potential effects on taxpayers, she said.

“You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” said Lawrence County Controller David Gettings, who served on the ad hoc committee that examined the district’s building needs. “I’m to the point now where I don’t know what the right answer is.”

Last month, business manager Joseph Ambrosini outlined how the closure of schools and a reduction in staff would pay for the venture. He pegged the savings at $800,000 annually.

The yearly expense of the consolidation would be $700,000 to $900,000 during a 20-year period. That amount includes state reimbursement.

Ambrosini said if the consolidation plan was scrapped, the district would still spend the same amount to run the primary centers. The district would have to upgrade those buildings, which generates additional expenses.

“The issue comes down to what is the responsible position for where you are going and can you support it in some degree or fashion,” Gettings said.

Board member Dr. Marilyn Berkely said the committee should consider two points — can the district afford consolidation and will it improve the children’s education.

“As parents, we want the best for our children, but it should be only the best we can afford,” she said. “Bricks and mortar may make a new school, but they do not ensure an improved product.”
Stan Magusiak, assistant to Superintendent George Gabriel, expressed frustration with the ad hoc committee.

“You’re saying we can’t do it, because we can’t pay for it,” he said. “You had to think we could pay for it when you’re making those decisions.

“There’s all good questions here. But what are we trying to do? We’re spinning our wheels and not making decisions.”

The committee’s next meeting is at 6 p.m. Thursday in the district’s administration building, located at 420 Fern St.