Diocese: No money lost in forged check
YOUNGSTOWN - The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown on Thursday announced it did not lose $49,500 on a forged and altered check cashed at a New Jersey bank.
Patrick A. Kelly, diocesan chief financial officer, met with officials of Huntington Bank in Youngstown following a report that a forged check, drawn against a general fund diocesan account at Huntington Bank, was cashed at a Wachovia Bank branch in New Jersey.
Kelly said the money was never released from Wachovia Bank, and no money was lost by the diocese.
A police report said that the diocese received a call from a Wachovia Bank branch in New Jersey on Tuesday reporting that a check was processed for $49,500, and it appeared the check had been altered.
Police said the check was paid to the order of Soufan International Services, which is in the United Arab Emirates, according to Tribune news partner 33 News.
Police said they are not sure who cashed the check and continue to investigate.
Flames break out in Fowler, Bazetta
Firefighters were busy Thursday in Fowler and Bazetta.
Just after 7 a.m., crews were called to 3278 Bell South Road in Fowler after a home caught fire. The people inside the house and a dog managed to get out and no one was injured. The Red Cross was called for assistance.
Crews from Gustavus, Mecca, Hartford and Vienna were among those assisting. Fowler fire Chief Fred Yungbluth could not be reached for further comment.
Then about 2:37 p.m., crews were called to 3695 Hoagland Blackstub Road in Bazetta after light smoke was seen coming from the roof, according to a report. A room inside the home was on fire but was put out. No one was injured but two engines were stuck in the mud.
Officials were still working on a damage estimate and a cause.
Blaze guts Bloomfield barn
NORTH BLOOMFIELD - Five area fire departments responded to a pole barn fire at 10:14 p.m. Wednesday.
Fire departments from Bloomfield, Mesopotamia, Bristol, Middlefield and Farmington responded to the fire at 4210 Kinsman Road. They remained on the scene for about 2 1/2 hours.
Most of the damage was to the building's interior and roof, Glendon Kuhns, son of the owner said. The exterior walls are standing, but the family does not believe it is salvageable. The building was primarily a storage facility and not used for animals, the family said.
"We discovered the fire when we noticed some flickering of our lights," Kuhns said. "I went outside and saw an orange glow of a fire over some trees."
Kuhns estimates the building was valued at $65,000.
Man arraigned in South Ave. shooting
YOUNGSTOWN - Randy Bell, 24, was arraigned in Municipal Court Thursday in a shooting last month that left a man dead and two others wounded.
Bell was given a bond of $1 million and is due back in court March 12.
He is accused in the death of Mark Trulson of Crawford County, Pa., who was killed in a pickup truck Feb. 19. Two others in the truck with him were wounded.
Bell was arrested by police earlier this week while in jail on an unrelated charge.