STRUTHERS – James Melone, a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court magistrate, is the apparent winner in the Democratic primary for Struthers Municipal Court judge, beating incumbent Dominic R. Leone III.

This was Malone’s first time running for office. Leone is serving a six-year term as municipal court judge and before that won three two-year terms as Struthers law director.

Melone was ahead 55 percent to 45 percent with more than half of the votes counted, according to unofficial results Tuesday from the Mahoning County Board of Elections.

Waiting to challenge in the Nov. 7 general election is Republican Jennifer Ciccone of Poland.

The court’s jurisdiction includes Struthers, Lowellville, New Middletown, Springfield Township and Poland village and township.

For more on this story, read Wednesday’s Vindicator print edition and www.vindy.com.