Although Election Day was more than two weeks ago, not every race in Mercer County was decided. In fact, the race for 22 municipal offices ended in ties.

Those ties will be broken today when the county's election office casts lots to determine the winners.

The event is scheduled for noon in the commissioners' conference room on the first floor of the courthouse.

Elections Director Jim Bennington said most of the races entail ones like assessor or constable, where a number of people might have received one write-in vote.

Perhaps the most significant race that will be decided, he added, is in for the fourth and final seat on Jamestown council.

Democrat Del Swartz and Republican William R. LeBarron each polled 94 votes. The other three seats went to Democrats Michael L. McClimans, 145 votes, and David J. Meadors, 137, and Republican Chad Randall, 143.

There was almost a three-way tie for the fourth seat as Republican Harry D. McLemore finished only one vote back with 93.

Dec. 4 is the final day for all candidates and treasurers or political committees and lobbyists to file their 30-day post-election finance reports in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth and/or with the county board of elections.

Reports must be complete as of Nov. 24. Information: 724-662-3800.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In response to the World Trade Organization's ruling against U.S. steel tariffs, U.S. Rep. Phil English introduced a House resolution.

The resolution calls for immediate reform of the WTO dispute-resolution mechanism, condemns the Nov. 10 decision against U.S. steel tariffs and declares the European Union threat of immediate retaliation legally flawed.

The 3rd District Republican from Erie is a member of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee and chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus.

WTO on Nov. 10 issued a decision that the United States safeguard tariffs on certain steel imports violate WTO rules. The EU, one of seven plaintiffs in the case, has threatened to immediately impose $2.2 billion in retaliatory tariffs on American products.

English said the threat of imposing tariffs is not legally sound as the EU did not abide by the rules and procedures of the Dispute Settlement Understanding. This gives the United States up to 15 months to implement any adverse WTO decision and must undergo proceedings to obtain WTO authorization to retaliate and the appropriate level of retaliation.