Penning will serve out remainder of term as sheriff

Rick Penning, who is the longest active serving sheriff in the state with 36 years under his belt, will remain in his post until the next election in 2020 after previously announcing that he would retire at the end of 2018.
           
Penning, a Wellsburg native and current resident of his hometown, cited the transition involved with the radio tower project and the ongoing implementation of a new statewide system for interoperability as the primary reasons for his change of heart.
           
“I’d just as soon finish that myself rather than burden somebody else with it,” he said.
           
He did reiterate, however, that he would not seek re-election to a 10th term in two years and added that his Parkinson’s Disease has not worsened in any significant way. 
 
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