2 incumbents, 2 newcomers in Pingree Grove

Pingree Grove voters endorsed two new faces, welcomed back two incumbents and sent a longtime trustee packing Tuesday.

With all precincts reporting, incumbent trustees Ricky Popilek and Greg Marston handily retained their board seats, with 158 and 161 votes respectively, according to unofficial tallies.

"I'd like to thank the residents of Pingree Grove for entrusting me in making decisions for our village going forward," Marston said.

New comer Joshua Cossiboon joined also claimed a four-year term on the village board with 145 votes. Larry Gillie earned a two-year term, scoring 134 votes to edge out Charles Jackson and former Trustee Jon Peschke, who had 32 and 45 votes respectively.

"I couldn't be happier with the results," Gillie said

Patrick Whalen and incumbent Richard Stramaglia, who ran as a write-in and had been in office since the early 1990s, lost their bid for four year terms, with 52 and 20 votes respectively.

Whalen, however, did win a seat on the Rutland Township board of trustees.

"I don't care," Whalen said of his Pingree Grove loss. "I won the one I wanted to win."

Candidates agreed that attracting retail developments to set up shop along Route 47 is critical to Pingree Grove's future. Jackson supported establishing a fire department exclusive to the village, while Gillie said the current arrangement with the Pingree Grove Fire Protection District suits the village.

Although he placed third of out three in the two-year trustee race, Jackson is determined to unseat Village President Wyman "Clint" Carey in two years.

"They can't silence me forever," Jackson said.

The election got off to an awkward start with more petition challenges than the village had ever seen - six out of eight candidates faced questions about their nominating documents.

The election board bounced Stramaglia from the ballot, but he resurfaced as a write-in candidate.

The election drama didn't end there.

Legal questions also surfaced over whether Whalen, running in Pingree Grove and Rutland Township, could hold both offices,