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Tempers flare at two polling stations
Nov 04, 2009 (Beaver County Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
A New Sewickley Township supervisor will be cited with disorderly conduct after he threatened another supervisor Tuesday as the two were campaigning outside a poll at a township fire hall, according to a Beaver County deputy sheriff.
It was the first of two incidents that happened at polls on Election Day.
A deputy sheriff also had to break up an argument outside a poll in Hopewell Township between opposing factions, according to Sheriff George David. No one was cited in that fracas.
In New Sewickley, supervisors Vice Chairman Joseph E. Graff, 63, of 106 Kornman Road accosted another supervisor, Duane Rape, 65, of 130 Harkins Mill Road, according to Cpl. Mike Tibolet, who investigated.
Tibolet said Graff became angry over Rape's support of candidates in the election. Neither Graff nor Rape was running for election.
Rape and a witness reported that Graff twice approached Rape and threatened him, according to Tibolet. At one point, Graff told Rape he would "clean his clock," if not for other people standing nearby, Tibolet said.
However, Graff said the confrontation never happened.
"I talked to the guy (Rape) at the polls, and that was it," Graff said. "I never had an argument with any supervisor. I never threatened him."
The exchange happened around 8:45 a.m. at the Pine Run fire hall, 1691 Ninth St. Extension.
An argument also erupted Tuesday morning outside the Independence Square community building, 799 Lexington Drive.
David said he received a report that the wives of two Hopewell commissioners -- Mario Leone Jr. and Chuck Piroli -- engaged in a shouting match. He said Deputy John Fratangeli ordered the two sides to stop arguing, and the Pirolis left, ending the dispute.
However, Mario Leone said the argument erupted between his wife and Chuck Piroli after Brenda Leone challenged Piroli's residency. Voters must live within their voting district, and Leone said he believes that Piroli hasn't lived in his for several years.
Piroli recently notified the Beaver County Election Bureau that he is moving to another area of the township and received an exemption to vote one last time at his old poll, according to elections Director Dorene Mandity.
Leone, who said he was not present when the argument happened, was running for re-election. Piroli was supporting Leone's opponents.
Leone said election regulations permitted his wife to make the challenge, and Piroli, who did not return a phone call seeking comment, became outraged.
"We were just exercising the rules," Leone said. "Tempers flared, but there was no issue after that."
To see more of Beaver County Times, Pa., or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.timesonline.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Beaver County Times, Pa.
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