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Niles Times

Bank robbery suspect arrested

NILES — After a bank in Liberty was robbed Friday afternoon, police from several agencies quickly found the suspect hiding in a house on John Street. The PNC Bank on Belmont Avenue at Churchill Road was robbed around 3:30 p.m. by a white man in his 30s with blond hair, a brown jacket and a black hat who left in a blue car reported stolen the day before from a hotel in Liberty, according to a police report. Michael Scott Williams, 36, was booked into the Trumbull County Jail around 7 p.m. Friday, charged in Girard Municipal Court with felony charges of robbery, receiving stolen ...

Niles adds to fire dept.

NILES — With the recent swearing-in of a firefighter, the Niles Fire Department is up to authorized staffing levels. Dave Blados, 25, of Chardon, was sworn in last week and fire Chief David Danielson said the hiring of Blados brings the department up to a temporary authorized strength of 33, which includes a chief, three captains, six lieutenants and 23 firefighters. Blados was selected from among 16 applicants, Danielson said. Blados was the final of six firefighters hired with funding from the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant through the Federal ...

Shaker absorbs 6-figure costs from the campaign trail

WARREN — Chris Shaker, the soon-to-be sworn in judge of Niles Municipal Court, is absorbing the six-digit loan he gave himself for the campaign. Shaker spent $112,500 of his own money on the successful campaign for the judgeship after Judge Thomas Townley announced his retirement at the end of this year. Shaker did not accept any campaign contributions to fund his campaign. The majority of his costs went to advertising, printing, postage and media production. A campaign finance deadline Friday required some candidates and groups raising money for issues to turn in financial ...

Police lieutenant helps save life

NILES — Police on Dec. 11 saved the life of a man who was threatening to jump from a radio tower near Stevens Park. Police were called just after 7 a.m. to the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District property, where a suicidal man had climbed the tower. Police Chief Jay Holland said Lt. Dan Adkins, who is trained in crisis negotiation and intervention, was able to persuade the man to come down after about an hour. The man, 26, of Niles, was taken to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation. Adkins, 51, an 18-year veteran of the police force, said the man climbed about 50 feet up ...

Local students enjoy experience in Macy’s parade

Niles McKinley High School senior Mindy McGann, 18, had the experience of a lifetime Thursday when she rode on a float in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. McGann, along with family friend Lee Harrison, rode on the ‘‘Cheer America Float’’ at the parade. ‘‘It was wonderful. We had a blast being in New York. We rode the float and could see all the people watching. There were so many people as far as you could see on both sides of the road,’’ Harrison said. The two were on the float at 7 a.m. and were given bright red pep rally style jump suits, Harrison ...

Pastor grateful for ALICE training

WEATHERSFIELD — When Pastor Ron Blakeman of Mineral Ridge Church of Christ was approached about the possibility of receiving ALICE training through the police department, he welcomed the opportunity. Blakeman, 57, is one of several church leaders in Weathersfield who will participate in the training at Mineral Ridge High School Dec. 7. ALICE stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate — the five principles ALICE proponents believe empower those who might find themselves in an active shooter scenario. Several police officers are members of the 192-person ...