Yanni defends how he managed CBSD abuse issue – Bucks Round-Up – August 21, 2025
Yanni defends how he managed CBSD abuse issue
Two days into a hearing on the potential termination of Central Bucks Superintendent Steven Yanni and Jamison Elementary School Principal David Heineman, Yanni claimed he properly managed abuse allegations at the school. Yanni told the school board he assigned the investigation to Central Bucks School District Human Resources Director Robert Freiling and Freiling staffer Christine Trawinski. Gabrielle McDaniel, a special education teacher at Jamison, and a class room assistant are accused of abusing the nonverbal son of School Director Jim Pepper. Yanni said he did not hear of the allegations until Trawinski and Freiling mentioned them to him, subsequent to personal care assistant Alyssa Kline first reporting them. Answering the suggestion that he delayed relaying the matter via the state’s child abuse hotline, Yanni said he tried to do so promptly but encountered technical difficulties. Among the allegations against McDaniel are that she permitted students to behave sexually and be undressed in her classroom. A report from the nonprofit Disability Rights PA also accuses her of using restraints on students without following protocol.
Bucks County Commissioners weigh in on SEPTA funding stalemate
Funding for SEPTA’s $213 million deficit is still nowhere to be found in the Pennsylvania Legislature after Democratic and Republican lawmakers in both chambers failed to come to an agreement to keep the mass transit system running at full service. SEPTA’s funding problems were the subject of discussion at the Bucks County Commissioners meeting Wednesday morning. “When you are negotiating a budget or other issues, compromise is not a bad word, I’ll say that again, compromise is not a bad word,” said Republican minority Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo, who served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly for fifteen budgets. “In Harrisburg they have a divided government; Republicans are in control of the Senate, and a Democratic Governor is in control of the House and there’s a compromise there to be made. I hope they get to it pretty quickly, because there are issues important to counties and school districts that we need to solve.” Democratic Commissioners Chair Bob Harvie, also a member of the SEPTA board, listed measures that have been taken to address SEPTA’s deficit. “We’ve reinstituted parking fees and raised fares that were both stopped during the pandemic,” he said. “We have carried out staff reductions from high salaried positions and through these and other measures we’ve been able to save more than $30 million, but that does not close a $200 million gap.” Harvie called on lawmakers to put an end to the funding stalemate for the benefit of families and college students who use mass transit. SEPTA will reduce service on 32 bus routes and rail lines on August 24.
Bucks County’s budget process underway in wake of federal cuts
Bucks County’s budget will face challenges for 2026 following cuts on the federal level that may impact the county. Bucks County Chief Operating Officer Margie McKevitt, who will lead the effort to present a budget to the commissioners, addressed the board at Wednesday’s meeting. “We will be looking a federal funding and potential federal funding losses and primarily funding from the federal government through the state because that is a large portion of our funding,” she said. “We hope to get this to you on time and will work very hard to do that.” During the county’s budget process, county departments, along with row offices and courts, will present their financial needs to interim Bucks County Finance Director Jeannette Weaver.
Suspect in alleged attempted murder in Trenton arrested in Bucks
Bensalem Township Police arrest a Trenton man wanted in the capital city for attempted murder and additional charges. Bensalem Township police say 31-year-old Quamere Forney was driving a vehicle with heavily tinted windows in violation of Pennsylvania code. Police pulled over Forney, who was driving a Chevrolet Malibu Saturday on 2700 of Knights Road. A check of the National Crime Information Center showed the Trenton Police Department had an active arrest warrant on Forney on a charge of attempted murder. Police took Forney to the Bucks County Correctional Facility where he’s being held without bail awaiting extradition to Trenton.
Joe LeCompte hosts LeCompte in the Morning on WBCB 1490. Bradley Vasoli is the senior editor of The Independence.
