Area stores welcome Small Biz Saturday
WARREN - Local businesses are moving from Black Friday into another sales day - Small Business Saturday.
Today, customers are encouraged to patronize local businesses instead of larger chain stores.
Some, such as the Flaming Ice Cube in Boardman, are offering special deals for the day.
Greg Bartholomew, owner of All American Comics and Cards in Warren and Boardman, said this is his first time participating in the event, which has been running for three years.
"I don't know what kind of draw we're going to get," he said.
Several craft and antique stores in Columbiana have said they are glad a day has been set aside for them, according to Tribune Chronicle news partner WYTV 33 News.
Car theft suspects take the bait in Ohio
COLUMBUS - Some would-be car thieves in Grove City got an unpleasant surprise from the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation recently.
The agency used ''bait cars'' to help area police in cases where either vehicles are stolen or items are taken from vehicles.
The cars have cameras both inside and outside and were recently used in Grove City, where police were able to arrest two people after they broke into one of the cars.
That car was stationed in a place where a number of car break-ins had taken place over a month.
Attorney General Mike DeWine said in a news release that he hopes the cars can be a deterrent to thieves who will prowl through neighborhoods or parking lots looking for cars to break into.
Weathersfield officials meet on administrator
WEATHERSFIELD - Township trustees will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the township administration building to discuss the administrator's position.
Current administrator David Pugh will be retiring on Dec. 31. Officials have looked to combine the administrator position with duties from other departments, such as zoning.
Wife arrested in Windham man's death
WINDHAM - Police found a man dead at his Windham home on Thanksgiving Day and have arrested his estranged wife and another man on aggravated murder charges.
The Portage County Sheriff's Office says foul play was suspected when authorities found 37-year-old Blake Wolfe of Windham at his home on Thursday afternoon. The office didn't report an apparent cause of death. An autopsy was planned for Friday.
Sheriff David Doak said in a statement that authorities arrested 40-year-old Traci Wolfe of Paris Township and 42-year-old Thomas Walters of Shalersville. Both were charged with aggravated murder early Friday morning.
Firefighter responding to arson hurt in fall
COLUMBUS - The Columbus fire division says a firefighter searching a vacant building in an arson case fell between levels and suffered back and rib injuries.
The division says firefighters responding early Friday morning found heavy smoke and fire at a two-story building in a residential area southeast of downtown. A firefighter fell from the first floor into the basement during the initial search.
His injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Staff, wire reports
No other injuries were reported.
Investigators say they have "people of interest" in the case and are trying to find those individuals.
Firefighters didn't say how the blaze began. The damage was estimated at $70,000.