Courtroom roles changing in the Valley

Dec. 31—Several familiar faces were elected to new courtroom roles in the Valley this year.

Two new county judges, three new district attorneys and four new magisterial district judges will serve Northumberland, Snyder, Union and Montour counties.

Former Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch has been serving as a Court of Common Pleas judge in the 17th Judicial District since July following his uncontested bid to succeed Judge Michael H. Sholley, who retired at the beginning of the year.

Piecuch had no opposition for the 10-year position and neither did his successor for the district attorney position, Heath Brosius, who has served as acting DA in Snyder County since July.

In Northumberland County, former district judge Michael Toomey was also appointed early to the Court of Common Pleas after winning an uncontested primary to replace long-serving Judge Charles Saylor following his retirement.

Sunbury attorney Rachel Wiest-Benner became the first woman to serve as a magisterial district judge in Northumberland County after defeating former District Judge Ben Apfelbaum in the May primary for a chance to fill Toomey's seat in Sunbury. She also took the bench early following her appointment by the Senate in October.

Sunbury attorney Michael O'Donnell ousted two-term Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Matulewicz in the general election. A political newcomer, O'Donnell was recently appointed by Matulewicz to serve in the office as an assistant prosecutor before taking over the top spot Jan. 2.

In Union County, assistant prosecutor Brian Kerstetter will step into the role of full-time district attorney in January after winning a contested election against Northumberland County prosecutor Robyn Zenzinger.

Kerstetter unsuccessfully sought the county court's permission to be appointed early following the Oct. 22 death of Pete Johnson, who had served as Union County's district attorney for 28 years. Johnson died just months before his planned retirement.

New magisterial district judges in Snyder and Montour counties have been serving for months since winning both party nominations in May and being appointed by the Senate to begin their jobs early.

Scott Zeigler, a former Snyder County assistant prosecutor, succeeds John Reed, who resigned in May, eight months before the end of his second, six-year term.

Former Montour County Sheriff Deputy William Wilt has been serving in Danville, filling the seat of former district judge Marvin Shrewder.

In Northumberland County, former Shamokin Police Officer Bill Zalinski will replace longtime District Judge John Gembic after defeating him in his bid to retain his seat in Shamokin.