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MVSD discusses potential rate increase

NILES — City officials said a water rate increase would impact communities across the Mahoning Valley and a one-hour conversation wasn’t enough time to reach a conclusion. City council members ahead of Wednesday’s regular meeting heard from Mahoning Valley Sanitary District representatives, who are proposing a purchasing bulk rate of $0.37 per 1,000 gallons used. The rate would be the wholesale cost to the city, not the final rate directly billed on an individual resident’s utility bill. Brenda Duffett, MVSD’s finance manager and board secretary, said none of them want ...

Ohio AG wants to criminalize misuse of Flock cameras

While calling Flock Safety automatic license plate reader cameras effective when used properly, Attorney General Andy Wilson said the state Legislature should criminalize their misuse. In a Wednesday statement, Wilson, a Republican, said: “Misuse of Flock is rare and breaches should result in serious consequences. To that end, the Ohio General Assembly should criminalize the misuse of Flock just as it currently criminalizes the misuse of other law enforcement technology.” Wilson said: “Unauthorized use of the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway, for example, is a fifth-degree felony ...

County leans toward moving 911 center to KSU Trumbull

WARREN — Trumbull County Commissioners on Wednesday said they are strongly leaning toward placing the new Trumbull County 911 Center at Kent State University at Trumbull campus instead of the second floor of the county’s Health Department building in Cortland. Commission President Tony Bernard made the announcement during a discussion about applying for a 2026 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant through the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services. “Our next phase is we are going to sit down with Kent State officials and see if we could come up with a tentative ...

Annexation sparks process to build 100 houses in Niles

WARREN — Trumbull County Commissioners on Wednesday approved an annexation that will place 61.65 acres of land in Niles, as well as Howland and Weathersfield townships, all into the city limits. JRD Holdings Inc., which owns the property at the intersection of Niles-Vienna and Stillwagon roads, is planning to build approximately 100 market-rate homes on the land. The three communities previously agreed to the annexation to move the proposed project forward, but need commissioners’ approval to make it official. Niles will be able to provide the development water, sewer and ...

Warren councilman says date for leaving still pending

WARREN — Pastor Todd Johnson, Warren’s 1st Ward councilman, provided an update earlier this week on his move from Warren to New York City for a new pastoral role. Johnson announced in January that he was going to take on the new role in New York, but the change would not be taking effect immediately and he intended to remain in his council role until he has fully relocated to the Jamaica, Queens area for his pastoral role at New Jerusalem Worship Center, a Baptist congregation and a position at the school affiliated with the church. Johnson has been 1st Ward councilman since ...

Liberty police respond to attempted catalytic converter theft

LIBERTY — A search for two men who were attempting to steal from a local business Monday night ended because of environmental conditions. According to a police report, officers were called to The Nutrition Group on Belmont Avenue for a theft, and dispatchers said two individuals were trying to cut off catalytic converters and fled the scene. Officers were met by the caller, who said he saw two men, one wearing a hoodie and the other a long-sleeve T-shirt, around a white work van in the facility’s driveway, adding that he was working late and was leaving when he saw the ...