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Niles Times

Auditorium project moves ahead

GIRARD — The Board of Education has been interviewing architects for the planned auditorium complex at the Girard junior / senior high school building off Shannon Road and will likely name the chosen firm later this month. Board President Mark Zuppo said at the Aug. 30 meeting the board has narrowed the search to three firms and will make a selection at the Sept. 27 meeting. ‘‘We are in the final selection process and will be evaluating which firm we would like to have for the project. We are now scoring each to make a selection,’’ Zuppo said. He said the board also is ...

Italian voices block KKK’s arrival

NILES — Talk to almost any Italian-American living in Niles and they have a story about one of their relatives who participated in the effort to stop the Ku Klux Klan from entering the city and holding a parade on Nov. 1, 1924. Even the curator of the National McKinley Birthplace Museum, Patricia Scarmuzzi, has a story. “My aunt talked about it. She was little at the time and would have been 97 or 98 if she was alive today.When that (the confrontation between the KKK and anti-KKK citizens of Niles) happened, they were living on Depot Street. They knew that the KKK was coming ...

Ku Klux Klan lecture draws large crowd

NILES — Rocky Soriano was 4 and living with his family in Niles when he noticed the town seemed to vibrate with activity and the newspapers came with photos of “clowns” he thought were part of the Halloween parade. Soriano was too young and “too nosy,” his mother told him in 1924. “Mind your own business,” she said. But Soriano wouldn’t stop asking questions and took his curiosity to his grandfather. His grandfather explained the people wearing decorated white robes and pointed hoods weren’t dressed up for Halloween, and gently helped the boy understand what was ...

Police blotters

Weathersfield Police activity reported Aug.15-23: Aug. 22, 3:17 a.m. — Aggravated burglary and assault reported at 1984 Warren Ave. after the resident reported an ex-boyfriend broke in and assaulted her. The man also broke into a garage. Jonathan Dill was arrested on charges of aggravated burglary and assault. 2:56 a.m. — Telephone harassment reported at 3863 Forest Ridge Court after threatening messages were posted on social media. Aug. 21, 6:57 p.m. — Aggravated menacing reported at 80 Barcelona Ave. after a woman mowing a lawn found a bottle in the yard with a threatening ...

McKinley first president to ride in automobile

Editor’s note: This is part of a weekly series marking the 120th anniversary of Niles native William McKinley’s U.S. presidency. Early U.S. presidents traveled in carriages. The first president to ride in a train was Andrew Jackson, while Theodore Roosevelt was the first to ride in an automobile in a public procession. Year’s later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first to ride in an airplane. And, Niles native William McKinley was the first president to ride in an automobile. The automobile was a Stanley Steamer, invented by O.F. Stanley, who, according to author ...

McDonald Scouts honored for community service

McDONALD — Members of Girl Scout Troop 80172 were recognized with the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for their various service projects in the village and in Trumbull County. The award recognized their volunteer service for work done in 2016. As a result of the award from former President Barrack Obama, local, state and national elected officials presented the group with citations of achievement. State senators Joe Schiavoni and Sean O’Brien, State Rep. Glenn Holmes and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan joined McDonald Mayor Glenn ‘‘Marty’’ Puckett in recognizing the troop with ...