At a glance
Two Warren fires under investigation
WARREN – City firefighters were called out twice Wednesday to two separate fires at abandoned properties.
A fire department spokesman said crews were called out at 9 p.m. to a carport fire at the condemned Westwood Apartments, 1739 Parkman Road NW.
Earlier at 3:22 p.m., crews responded to a porch fire at 260 Second St. SW, which is a vacant house.
No injuries were reported at either fire. Both fires are under investigation.
Jackson-Milton students take pre-prom trip to jail
NORTH JACKSON – Jackson-Milton High School seniors will be taking a trip to jail to prepare them for prom.
The students will tour the Mahoning County Justice Center in Youngstown and hear from Mahoning County Sheriff’s Deputies and inmates on May 7. The intention is to encourage students to make wise life choices and to avoid underage drinking as part of Prom Promise, organizers said.
Utility line project to close township road
WARREN TOWNSHIP – Palmyra Road between Kibler Toot and Hewitt Gifford roads will be closed today and Friday while Ohio Edison relocates utility lines.
The recommended detour is west on Kibler Toot Road, south on Leavitt Road and east on Hewitt Gifford Road.
EGCC board recognized with national award
STEUBENVILLE – Eastern Gateway Community College was recognized by the American Association of Community Colleges for its board’s ability to connect with the community.
EGCC was presented the Exemplary Board / CEO award for 2015 at an awards gala April 20 in San Antonio, Texas.
EGCC President Laura Meeks said AACC recognized the challenges inherent in Eastern Gateway’s 2009 expansion from Jefferson County into Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, including having to forge a new board of trustees representative of its larger geographic base.
Mental health board wins award as best
WARREN – The Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board was named Board of the Year by the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
“Our organization is honored to receive this award from NAMI. Our board, staff and network of providers works tirelessly to raise awareness and provide support and education for people in our community,” said April Caraway, executive director of the MHRB.
At a glance
Coach’s contract not renewed
LIBERTY – The Board of Education voted not to renew the supplemental contracts of more than 50 athletic-based positions, including that of their head football coach Kevin Cylar, at their Monday meeting.
Liberty superintendent Stan Watson said he would not be recommending Cylar for renewal but would not specify why.
About 50 students walked out of school mid classes March 26 after hearing rumors that Cylar might be fired.
Board of Education President David Malone previously said the nonrenewals are common policy in the district.
Fund to help victims in Nepal
YOUNGSTOWN – Catholic Relief Services, the official overseas relief and development agency of the United States Catholic Bishops, and Caritas Internationalis, the international aid and development agency of the Catholic Church, are collecting funds in response to the Saturday earthquake that struck Nepal near Kathmandu and affected nearby parts of India.
Both CRS and its Caritas partners are procuring tarpaulins / shelter kits and water, sanitation and hygiene materials. Those wanting to support CRS’s efforts in Nepal can send a donation to Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund/CRS, c/o Catholic Charities, Diocese of Youngstown, 144 W. Wood St., Youngstown 44503.
Mom incompetent in baby’s death
CINCINNATI – A woman accused of decapitating her 3-month-old daughter was found incompetent to stand trial Tuesday and will be transferred to a treatment facility.
Deasia Watkins will be treated at Summit Behavioral Healthcare in Cincinnati with the aim of restoring competency so she can stand trial on an aggravated murder charge in the death of 3-month-old Jayniah Watkins last month.
Staff, wire reports
At a glance
Police investigating reported sexual assault
WARREN – Police here are investigating the reported sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl.
According to a report, the girl’s teacher at Lincoln PK-8 told police she believes the young girl has been the victim of sexual abuse. The report, made Friday, indicates the abuse may have started March 8 at a home on Peace Avenue NW.
Parkman Road house hit with gunfire
WARREN – A house at 329 Parkman Road SW and a car parked there were hit with gunfire early Saturday, according to a police report.
Police found bullet holes in the home’s living room and to the car’s windshield after the resident, Brenna Thompson called police at 5 a.m. when she heard gunshots, the report states.
According to the report, her mother, Rhonda Thompson, 45, of the same address, told police the two just moved back to Warren and she doesn’t know who would have shot their house.
Mathews BOE to meet on negotiations
VIENNA – The Mathews Board of Education will meet 5 p.m. Wednesday at the board offices to prepare for and review negotiations with employees concerning their pay and other contract items.
The meeting will be in executive session. No action will be taken.
Tribune seeks charter school stories
The Tribune Chronicle is looking to share local families’ experiences with charter schools in an upcoming article. Teachers, students and parents of students currently attending or formerly attending local charter schools are encouraged to lend their insight on the facilities.
To submit your experience, send an email to education reporter Margaret Thompson at mthompson@tribtoday.com or call her at 330-841-1738, ext. 754. Please include your name, hometown, the charter school’s name and a contact number.
At a glance
Hydrants set to be flushed
WEST FARMINGTON – The water department plans to flush hydrants in the village starting at 10 p.m. Sunday.
Flushing will continue to May 5. Water department officials advise residents that there may be some discoloration of the water during the process.
Lordstown holds financial forum
LORDSTOWN – Lordstown School District will host its final financial forum from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in Lecture Hall B at Lordstown High School.
The forums will include information about upcoming renewal levies on the ballot. The levies currently generate 23 percent of the district’s revenues. There will also be a discussion on the impact to the district of proposed revisions in the tangible personal property tax reimbursements from the state.
YSU to screen ‘Alive Inside’
YOUNGSTOWN – Using music to reunite dementia patients with their lost memories is the topic of a documentary that will be screened 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Youngstown State University.
The free public showing of “Alive Inside” will take place in the Williamson Business College auditorium.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Cortland man killed in crash on Phillips Rice
MECCA – A Cortland man was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Warren Hospital following a car accident on Phillips Rice Road Thursday morning, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Paul Anthony Zidonis, 73, experienced a medical condition, drove off the left side of the roadway and struck a utility pole at about 11:30 a.m. He was taken to the hospital by Cortland EMS, according to the patrol.
Zidonis was wearing his seat belt.
Niles equips schools with smart boards
NILES – Young students in the district will be learning with high-tech whiteboards next school year.
Michael Shargo, the district’s technology support, updated the board of education on the status of the upgrades at their meeting Thursday.
“Hopefully, by the time the school year begins, every single classroom in the primary and intermediate buildings will have one,” he said.
Shargo said the 65 Boardshare units connect to projectors in the district already and are substantially more affordable than the earlier versions that are being used in only about eight classrooms.
The district spent about $19,000 total on the equipment as opposed to about $1,000 a piece for the old units, Shargo said.
Woman reports sexual assault of daughter
WARREN – A Central Parkway Avenue SE woman reported to police on Wednesday that her estranged husband sexually assaulted her 15-year-old daughter, according to a police report.
The mother and daughter no longer reside with the unnamed man, who the woman accuses of assaulting the girl since November 2013, according to the report.
The report states the teen has been evaluated by Trumbull County Children Services for a previous incident.
Women’s League to host event in Cortland
CORTLAND – The League of Women Voters of Trumbull County is hosting an educational event on upcoming state issues and on the proposed sales tax increase.
The meeting will be 6 p.m. Monday at the Cortland Branch Library, 578 Lakeview Drive. State Rep. Michael J. O’Brien, D-Warren, will speak with a question-and-answer period to follow.
At a glance
City resident reports being pistol-whipped
WARREN – A 25-year-old Elm Road N.E. man was pistol-whipped inside his home Sunday, according to a police report.
Terrell Hall, 721 Elm Road NE, told police he came home around 10 p.m. to find two masked men inside the house. One of the men hit Hall with a gun, knocking him to the ground, the report states. The pair demanded Hall’s money, according to the report.
According to police, the two men left without taking anything when family members of Hall came home.
One of the masked men was black, short and had his hair braided, according to the report. The other man was black, about 6 feet 3 inches tall and was thin, the report states.
The resident was injured, but did not want to comment about his injuries on Tuesday. Police are investigating.
Home in Warren hit with gunfire Monday
WARREN – A home at 872 Fourth St. S.W. was hit with gunfire Monday, according to a police report.
Police were called to the home shortly after 9 p.m. when the resident reported he heard two gunshots. Police found one bullet lodged in the front door and another in the molding around the bathroom door, the report states. The one bullet passed through a wall about a foot above where the resident was lying on the couch in the living room, the report states.
The resident told police he did not know who shot at the home. Neighbors told police they did not see anything.
Cows rounded up on I-80 after crash
AUSTINTOWN – Interstate 80 reopened overnight Monday after authorities spent hours rounding up cattle that escaped when a tractor-trailer overturned earlier in the evening.
The tractor-trailer carrying cattle went off the side of the road, hit a guardrail and overturned. Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Nakia Hendrix said rounding up the cows to get the highway reopened wasn’t easy. Several fire departments, police agencies and residents assisted in the search, along with a plane equipped with heat sensors to track the cows.
Mahoning County Humane agent Dave Nelson estimates there were about 35 cows in the trailer at the time of the crash. Some the cows were killed in the crash or are badly injured.
Authorities say are investigating the accident.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Bazetta fire chief placed on leave
BAZETTA – The township’s fire chief has been placed on administrative leave.
Trustee Chairman Ted Webb on Monday said Dennis Lewis was placed on leave Friday and he expects him to be away from the job about 15 days. Webb said a private citizen, per Ohio Revised Code 505.38, is investigating Lewis for the township, but officials have not said why. They have not named the investigator.
“We’re hoping this comes to a conclusion at some point prior to 15 days,” Webb said.
Tom Rink has been named acting fire chief in the interim, Webb said.
Cattle run loose on freeway in Austintown
AUSTINTOWN -The Ohio State Highway Patrol was called out late Monday evening after several cows were reported running loose on Interstate 80 following a tractor-trailer rollover.
A patrol spokesperson said the cows, about 20, had been in the truck, but were running loose following the crash, and it appeared the animals had all been located and rounded up.
The crash, reported around 9 p.m., forced traffic to stop. Traffic was diverted to state Route 11 south.
Police probe possible assault of 3-year-old
WARREN – Police are investigating the possible sexual assault of a 3-year-old city girl after being called to Trumbull Memorial Hospital around 5:45 p.m. Sunday, according to a police report.
Few details about the investigation have been released, but the Union Street SW girl suffered possible internal injuries, the police report states.
Farmington trustees to meet about vacancy
FARMINGTON – Trustees will meet 6 p.m. Friday at the township hall to establish procedures and deadlines for taking applications to fill the trustee position left open by the resignation of Wesley Largen.
Largen’s resignation is effective April 30. Largen, who is stepping down because of a job conflict, was in the fourth year of his second four-year term.
The person selected for the position would fill the remainder of Largen’s term, which ends Dec. 31.
Housing help provided to homeless veterans
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide $47,845 to help homeless veterans in Youngstown with rental assistance through the agency’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing voucher program, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, announced Monday.
Through the program, the Youngstown Housing Authority will be able to provide help with rent to about 10 veterans while working with the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center’s outpatient clinic in Youngstown to provide case management and clinical services.
“Even one homeless veteran is too many. Our veterans have earned our gratitude and we cannot stand by while some of them face life on the street,” Brown said in a news release.
Village to discuss administrator’s post
WEST FARMINGTON – Village council plans to meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday to consider the final reading of a job description for an administrator position.
Council also plans to discuss water treatment plant operations, the police department and a village maintenance position. The meeting will be held at village hall. A work session is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Clowder causes crash on Warren street
WARREN – A clowder – a group of cats – caused a woman from Warren to crash her Chevrolet Impala on Thursday, according to a police report.
Timea Leech, 26, of Southern Boulevard NW, swerved to avoid several cats on Stewart Drive NW and hit a tree in the front yard of 2017 Stewart Drive NW, the report states. She was taken by ambulance to Trumbull Memorial Hospital. The crash happened shortly before 1:30 p.m.
Leach was cited with failure to control, according to the report.
The cats were uninjured.
Man arrested; police seize $260
WARREN – Police arrested a 26-year-old Warren man Friday at his Colonial Street SE home on drug-related charges and seized about $260 from the residence.
The raid at 2224 Colonial St. SE ended a two-month long investigation and netted the cash, a half ounce of crack cocaine, 3 grams of heroin, prescription medication, five guns and drug paraphernalia, including a hydraulic press used to “re-rock” the drugs, according to Warren police.
Arrested on charges of possession of crack cocaine and possession of heroin charges was Anthony Skinner, who was living at the home. Skinner is being held in the Trumbull County Jail and is expected to make his first appearance in Warren Municipal Court on Monday.
Panera Bread ‘pieces’ funds for Rich Center
WARREN – Sunday is the final day of the Panera Bread “Pieces of Hope” puzzle piece cookies to benefit autism. All proceeds of the puzzle piece cookies will be donated to Autism Speaks, a national autism advocacy organization.
Panera also will collect donations for the Rich Center for Autism at Youngstown State University. Over the past four years, the Pieces of Hope cookie campaign raised more than $60,000 for the Rich Center, according to the company.
EGCC is finalist for national award
STEUBENVILLE – Eastern Gateway Community College is a finalist for the 2015 American Association of Community College’s Exemplary Board / CEO Relations Award of Excellence.
The award is given each year to a community college whose board of trustees and top administrator epitomize the collaboration and working relationship necessary to effectively promote community college governance. This year’s winners will be revealed Monday during the AACC’s Awards of Excellence gala in San Antonio.
Eastern Gateway has branches in Warren and Youngstown.
Tribune accepting A+ Teacher nominations
WARREN – The Tribune Chronicle is accepting nominations for the 2015 A+ Teacher Award program.
The teacher must be a current K-12 educator in Trumbull County at a public, private or parochial school setting. Retired, substitute and preschool teachers are not eligible.
Nominations should include the name of the teacher and school and how the teacher has influenced, supported or inspired students. Nominations can be submitted by students, parents or colleagues. Parents can assist children with nominations.
Twenty teachers will be chosen and will be featured in a Tribune Chronicle story on May 17.
Forms were sent to area schools, but submissions also can be emailed to Tribune Chronicle Events Coordinator Sue Shafer at sshafer@tribtoday.com or dropped off or mailed to the Tribune Chronicle, 240 Franklin St., Warren 44483.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Surveillance video catches copper thieves
WARREN – A surveillance camera at an Ohio Edison building on West Market Street captured images early Sunday of several people stealing about $3,500 of wire spools from a lot, according to a police report.
An Ohio Edison employee showed police the video on Wednesday. Shot at 2:50 a.m. Sunday, the video shows two or more men rolling the large spools of aluminum and copper wire across the lot and through a fence to their truck, 250 feet of aluminum wire and 950 feet of copper wire were removed.
Kemp said scrap yards should be able to easily identify the metal because of the type of wire taken.
Due to a new state law, scrap yards in Ohio are required to document and submit their daily transactions to a database police officers can access.
Champion man sentenced in rape
WARREN – A Champion man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday and will be required to register as a third tier sex offender when he is released.
Michael Jachimiak, 62, of 979 State Road NW, pleaded guilty in February to one count of rape of a 14-year-old boy in Packard Park on Aug. 16. Trumbull County assistant prosecutor Diane Barber said Jachimiak threatened to harm the boy if he told.
Third tier registered sex offenders must report to their county’s sheriff’s office every 90 days for the rest of their lives.
Niles schools on track to hire superintendent
NILES – The board of education during an executive session Thursday interviewed applicants for superintendent.
Fourteen individuals applied. The board was expected to whittle down that number over the week, but board president Tony Perrone said he did not want to disclose yet who remains out of respect for the applicants – many of whom, he said, have not informed their current employers of their interest in the superintendent position.
The process is on schedule and the second round of interviews should be concluded by April 28, with the goal in mind of voting on the future superintendent at their May board meeting, Perrone said.
Current superintendent Frank Danso will retire at the end of his contract in July, after three years.
Howland committee hosts community walk
HOWLAND – The Howland Health and Wellness Committee will team with township safety services for a walk with police officers 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Howland Township Park.
Committee members said the walk is to engage the township police department and the community in a fun and casual setting. Police cruisers will also be on display.
The goal of the committee is to promote healthier lifestyles and workplaces in the township. The committee recently received the silver level for the Healthy Ohio Healthy Community award from the Ohio Department of Health.
For information, contact township Trustee Dr. James LaPolla at james.lapolla@howlandtownship.org.
Tribune accepting A+ Teacher nominations
WARREN – The Tribune Chronicle is accepting nominations for the 2015 A+ Teacher Award program.
The teacher must be a current K-12 educator in Trumbull County at a public, private or parochial school setting. Retired, substitute and preschool teachers are not eligible.
Nominations should include the name of the teacher and school and how the teacher has influenced, supported or inspired students. Nominations can be submitted by students, parents or colleagues. Parents can assist children with nominations.
Twenty teachers will be chosen and will be featured in a Tribune Chronicle story on May 17.
Forms were sent to area schools, but submissions also can be emailed to Tribune Chronicle Events Coordinator Sue Shafer at sshafer@tribtoday.com or dropped off or mailed to the Tribune Chronicle, 240 Franklin St. SE, Warren 44483.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Man reports stabbing in robbery attempt
WARREN – A man walking home from a Mahoning Avenue bar about 3 a.m. Wednesday was stabbed in the arm after someone attempted to rob him on Comstock Avenue NW, according to a police report.
Darren D. Williams Jr., 21, told police he was walking to his Maryland Street NW home from the Powerhouse Bar when a white man wearing a black hoodie jumped out of a tan vehicle and demanded he give him money, according to the report. Williams described the man as 30 to 40 years old, bald, about 6 feet tall, with a medium build and no facial hair or glasses.
The robber tried to hit Williams but missed. The two struggled until the assailant pulled out a knife and cut Williams’ arm, the report states.
Williams told police that he ran until he found someone with a phone to call for help. The wound required stitches, police said.
No arrests have been made, police said.
Turnpike entrance closing for 45 days
LORDSTOWN – The east Lordstown turnpike entrance ramp will be closed Monday for about 45 days, according to the Ohio Turnpike website.
The eastbound entrance ramp will be closed as a part of the turnpike’s base replacement project and will open again on June 5.
The suggested detour is to take the westbound entrance onto turnpike, exit onto Ellsworth Bailey Road and drive south to Interstate 76, and take 76 east to re-enter the turnpike at the Niles-Youngstown entrance, which is about two miles east of Lordstown entrance.
On June 8, the westbound entrance ramp will be closed for about 45 days for the same reason, the turnpike’s website states.
Niles board to meet with educational center
NILES – The Niles Board of Education will hold a special meeting 6 p.m. today at the Trumbull County Educational Service Center, 6000 Youngstown Warren Road.
The board is in the process of preparing interviews for a new school superintendent, and the center is hosting interviews with candidates.
Current superintendent Frank Danso will be retiring at the end of his contract in July, after three years in Niles.
Ohio Edison plans area tree trimmings
Ohio Edison will trim trees and conduct other vegetation management work in its 36-county service area, including parts of Trumbull and Mahoning counties.
The utility announced its forestry contractors will conduct tree trimming work in the following local communities: Campbell, Canfield, Garrettsville, Girard, Lowellville, Poland, Ravenna, Struthers, Warren and Youngstown.
Ohio Edison will inform municipalities of tree-trimming schedules. Customers living in areas along company rights-of-way also are notified prior to the work.
Since the beginning of the year, Ohio Edison contractors have trimmed trees along approximately 1,400 miles of distribution lines, part of the company’s nearly $29 million vegetation management program for 2015. An additional 3,100 miles are expected to be completed by year end.
Closing begins Monday on Pothour Wheeler
HUBBARD TOWNSHIP – Pothour Wheeler Road between Schotten Road and Hubbard Bedford Road will be closed Monday until April 24 for culvert replacement, according to the Trumbull County Engineer’s Office.
Suggested detour routes are southwest on state Route 304, south on Creed Avenue, southeast on Hubbard Bedford Road and north on Pothour Wheeler Road.
Warren 6th Ward meeting set on school
WARREN – A 6th Ward meeting will take place 6 p.m. April 27 at King of Kings Church, 634 Hoyt Ave. SW. The agenda includes a discussion on adopting Jefferson PreK-8 School.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Girl charged after attack on CSB workers
WARREN – A 14-year-old Warren girl was charged with two counts of domestic violence Sunday, after employees at Trumbull County Children Services said she scratched and hit them, the Warren City police incident report states.
The girl, who was transported to the Juvenile Justice Center, lives in the 2282 Reeves Road facility.
Employees told police a few kids were “trying to start a riot” and the girl scratched employee Christopher Zetts and hit employee Brian Collins in the face. Collins and Zetts refused medical treatment, according to the police report.
Weapon cleaning leads to injury
NILES – A 47-year-old North Road man accidentally shot his girlfriend in the abdomen while cleaning his handgun, a Niles police report indicates.
An officer was called to St. Joseph’s Warren Hospital Emergency Room last week where a woman was being treated for a gunshot wound to her abdomen, according to the police report.
The police report states Amy Davis, 40, was sitting on the couch Wednesday afternoon when she was struck by a bullet in her abdomen. Robert Darbey, 47, her boyfriend, had been cleaning a handgun in his North Road apartment when it accidentally discharged, injuring Davis.
No charges have been filed in the incident.
Truck crash closes state Route 534
NEWTON FALLS – A semi-truck crashed into a ditch and hit a utility pole at around 1:13 p.m. on state Route 534 Monday, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.
The accident occurred on state Route 534 between state Route 82 and state Route 5. According to a trooper at the local Highway Patrol post, the road was closed for two hours while the truck was removed from the ditch.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said the road was reopened by 4:40 p.m.
There were no injuries, and nothing spilled from the truck, the trooper said.
Brookfield officials discuss aggregation
BROOKFIELD – Brookfield Township trustees are looking at possible options for gas and electric aggregation for the community.
Trustees met Monday with Barry Preston of Constellation Energy to discuss available options for residents in the future.
Trustee Chairman Gary Lees said trustees are particularly interested in gas aggregation. He said Preston is doing a comparison of gas and electric aggregation that could be provided to the community.
The township has an existing electric aggregation through 2018 with Trumbull County.
Neighborhood group sets candidates night
WARREN – The Northwest Neighborhood Association is sponsoring a candidate debate 6 p.m. today at Grace United Methodist Church, Drexel Drive N.W. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Event organizers said the candidates are expected to debate local issues during the two-hour event.
Tribune is looking for ‘One Degree’ sources
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Stand Up to Cancer recently launched the “One Degree” campaign in an effort to encourage Congress to allocate more funding for medical research, including research at the National Cancer Institute.
Everyone knows someone – or perhaps is someone – who has or had cancer. Members of the public have been invited to share their One Degree at the website OneDegreeProject.org. Those names will be sent as a petition to Congress.
The Tribune Chronicle is looking to share readers’ One Degrees in the upcoming issue of All About Health magazine. To submit your One Degree, send an email to Mary Beth Wyko at mwyko@tribtoday.com or call her at 330-841-1738, Ext. 747. Please include your name and hometown.
The deadline is Wednesday.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Man reports being stabbed at truck stop
WEATHERSFIELD – A man called police from an area hospital claiming he was stabbed outside the Petro truck stop near state Route 82 around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, a 911 supervisor said.
No other information was available and Weathersfield police were handling the investigating, he said.
Niles to discuss schools post
NILES Niles Board of Education will hold a special meeting 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the administration offices, 309 N. Rhodes Ave., to discuss applicants and interviews for the superintendent’s position.
In February, the board accepted the retirement of superintendent Frank Danso. His last day will be Aug. 1.
Board President Tony Perrone has said the board is looking to have a superintendent selected by mid-May.
Danso of Cortland started in Niles in October 2012 as an interim superintendent before being named superintendent in summer 2013.
One Degree stories being sought
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Stand Up to Cancer recently launched the “One Degree” campaign in an effort to encourage Congress to allocate more funding for medical research, including research at the National Cancer Institute.
Everyone knows someone – or perhaps is someone – who has or had cancer. Members of the public have been invited to share their One Degree at the website OneDegreeProject.org. Those names will be sent as a petition to Congress.
The Tribune Chronicle is looking to share readers’ One Degrees in the upcoming issue of All About Health magazine. To submit your One Degree, send an email to Mary Beth Wyko at mwyko@tribtoday.com or call her at 330-841-1738, ext. 747. Please include your name and hometown.
The deadline is April 15.
Police: Toddler kills 1-year-old boy
CLEVELAND – A 3-year-old boy picked up an unattended gun inside a home and it went off, shooting a 1-year-old boy in the head and killing him Sunday afternoon, police said.
Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams said investigators are trying to determine where the gun came from in the shooting on the city’s east side.
Staff, wire reports
At a glance
Road to close for storm sewer work
WARREN – Beginning Monday, Meadowbrook Avenue at the South Street intersection will be closed for the replacement of storm sewers and utilities.
Paul Makosky, engineering and planning director, said the road closure is expected to last two to three days.
Traffic may utilize Trumbull Avenue and Catalpa Street as detour for the Meadowbrook closing. Signage for the suggested detour will be posted.
Boy, 2, falls into cheetah exhibit
CLEVELAND – Officials say a 2-year-old boy is recovering after falling several feet into a cheetah exhibit at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
Cleveland Fire Department spokesman Larry Gray tells the Plain Dealer that the boy’s mother was holding him and another child when the boy slipped and fell into the pit Saturday. The child was rescued before firefighters and paramedics arrived and taken to a hospital.
The zoo’s executive director, Chris Kuhar, tells WJW-TV that the boy’s leg was injured but the injury wasn’t caused by the animals. The newspaper described his injuries as minor bruises and bumps.
Neither fire officials nor a zoo spokeswoman returned calls Saturday evening for further details.
The exhibit was closed following the child’s fall.
Teen takes cash, gives out $100 bills
MEDINA – Police say a middle school student took $25,000 from his grandfather and later started handing out $100 bills to his classmates.
Authorities say the 13-year-old gave out thousands of dollars this week before schools officials discovered what was happening.
Investigators in Medina have recovered about $7,000 so far.
Police told The Medina Gazette they’re still trying to figure out how the boy got the money from his 83-year-old grandfather. They say it’s too early to know if charges will be filed.
School officials heard about the cash giveaway on Wednesday. But by that time, police say some of the money already had been spent.
Staff, wire reports
At a glance
Boy taken to hospital after being hit by car
WARREN – A 6-year-old Canfield boy was hit by a car Friday afternoon on Woodland Avenue N.E., city police reported.
Warren police Lt. Martin Gargas said the car was traveling west on Woodland Avenue N.E. just after 4 p.m. when the boy ran in front of it. A witness told police that the driver did not have enough time to react.
The boy, whose name was not released, was transported by ambulance to Trumbull Memorial Hospital.
Gargas said his injuries did not appear to be serious.
Woman reports being robbed at gas station
WARREN – A 20-year-old Niles woman told police she was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday night at an East Market Street gas station.
The woman, said she was pumping gas at the BP, 1290 E. Market St., around 7 p.m. when two men one of whom brandished a long firearm approached her, according to reports.
The woman told police she grabbed her son and ran. She said the men stole her purse, book bag and car keys.
A witness who came forward returned the stolen car keys after obtaining them from one of the assailants’ relatives, reports state.
It was not clear whether the business had security footage of the incident.
Mahoning County OVI checkpoints planned
CANFIELD – The Mahoning County OVI Task Force has two sobriety checkpoints planned in the county next weekend.
More details will be made available next week. There are also plans for local patrols throughout Mahoning County for this weekend.
Support for the checkpoints, scheduled for April 17-19, will be provided by the Mahoning County OVI Task Force, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Transportation and Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency.
Readers can share One Degree stories
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Stand Up to Cancer recently launched the “One Degree” campaign in an effort to encourage Congress to allocate more funding for medical research, including research at the National Cancer Institute.
Everyone knows someone – or perhaps is someone – who has or had cancer. Members of the public have been invited to share their One Degree at the website OneDegreeProject.org. Those names will be sent as a petition to Congress.
The Tribune Chronicle is looking to share readers’ One Degrees in the upcoming issue of All About Health magazine. To submit your One Degree, send an email to Mary Beth Wyko at mwyko@tribtoday.com or call her at 330-841-1738, Ext. 747. Please include your name and hometown.
The deadline is April 15.
Tribune seeks women business owners
The Tribune Chronicle is looking for female business owners to profile in an article to be published at a later date.
If you are a woman who owns her own business, or can recommend one willing to be interviewed, please contact Tribune Chronicle business editor Virginia Shank at 330-841-1763, or email vshank@trib today.com by April 24.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Home in Warren shot at Wednesday
WARREN – A home at 1211 Main Ave. S.W. was hit with gunfire shortly after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to a police report.
A woman in the home told police she was walking down a flight of steps when she heard about 10 shots and then saw a dark Chrysler Sebring drive away on Main Avenue S.W., the report states. Police found 10 shell casings on the street in front of the home and collected two bullets from the home’s deck, according to the report. Police also found a bullet hole on the second floor of the home, the report states.
OVI checkpoint set in Niles today
NILES – The Trumbull County OVI Task Force will have a check point from 6 to 10 p.m. today at state Route 422 and Robbins Avenue, according to police. Police will be looking for impaired drivers and other driving violations.
Cleanup planned at Mosquito Lake
BAZETTA – A cleanup of Mosquito Lake State Park will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Registration for the event, sponsored by Friends of Mosquito Lake State Park, is 9 a.m. at the main park office. A “thank you” lunch for the volunteers will be provided at 2 p.m. at the main office. Volunteers will be raking leaves, picking up limbs and sticks, filling in ruts and picking up litter. Those participating are asked to wear old boots or shoes, bring gloves, wheelbarrows, rakes and shovels.
Any person or group participating can also get a free night of camping either today or Saturday.
For information call 330-979-8764 or 330-360-1862.
State issues 2 local clean audits
Champion Local School District received a clean audit award by Ohio Auditor Dave Yost’s Office with the return of the audit Thursday.
Eligibility for the award included filing timely reports and audits that were returned with no findings for recovery or significant deficiencies. The school district’s management letter also contained no comments related to ethics referrals, questioned costs less than $10,000, public meetings or public records.
The Trumbull County Board of Developmental Disabilities also received a positive audit check.
Champion art show at gallery
NILES – The opening of the Champion Middle School eighth grade art show will be 6 p.m. today at the Art Outreach Gallery at the Eastwood Mall.
There will be musical performances by the seventh and eighth grade choir and band. The show runs through April 26.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Bristol places two renewal levies on ballot
BRISTOL – Voters here will be asked in November to renew levies first passed in 1976.
Trustees on Tuesday agreed to place a 1.1-mill, 5-year levy for general fund operations and a 1.1-mill, 5-year road levy on the fall ballot. The general fund pays for daily operations and the road levy is used for resurfacing, patching and other road improvements.
Each levy generates $15,000 a year. The owner of a $100,000 home pays $10 for each levy, according to the Trumbull County Auditor’s Office.
Fairhaven to expand preschool program
MINERAL RIDGE – Fairhaven will be adding a preschool class at Seaborn Elementary School in the Weathersfield School District for the upcoming school year.
“The demand is increasing so we want to make sure that we have early intervention programs to meet that need,” Superintendent Ed Stark said.
The class will consist of six typically developing children and six who are eligible for Fairhaven’s services. The integrated program allows the children to intermingle and costs are split with the school district.
Once the new classroom is added, Stark said, Fairhaven will have nine integrated classes with a total of 108 students.
Cancer Society launches ‘One Degree’ campaign
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Stand Up to Cancer recently launched the “One Degree” campaign in an effort to encourage Congress to allocate more funding for medical research, including research at the National Cancer Institute.
Everyone knows someone – or perhaps is someone – who has or had cancer. Members of the public have been invited to share their One Degree at the website OneDegree Project.org. Those names will be sent as a petition to Congress.
The Tribune Chronicle is looking to share readers’ One Degrees in the upcoming issue of All About Health magazine. To submit your One Degree, send an email to Mary Beth Wyko at mwyko@tribtoday.com or call her at 330-841-1738, Ext. 747. Please include your name and hometown.
The deadline is April 15.
Tribune seeks women business owners
The Tribune Chronicle is looking for female business owners to profile in an article to be published at a later date.
If you are a woman who owns her own business, or can recommend one willing to be interviewed, please contact Tribune Chronicle Business Editor Virginia Shank at 330-841-1763, or email vshank@trib today.com by April 24.
Awards stolen from home of filmmaker
AKRON – Police say an Emmy award and other collectibles have been stolen from the home of a late Ohio filmmaker.
Akron police say the items were reported missing from the home of Paul Jacoway last month. Among the stolen items were an Emmy, two Telly awards, and framed gold records from Tina Turner and Corey Hart that Jacoway received while working at Capitol Records.
Jacoway’s documentary on the Knight newspaper family won a regional Emmy in 2010. He most recently taught filmmaking at the University of Akron.
Treasure hunter pleads guilty to contempt
COLUMBUS – A deep-sea treasure hunter who spent years as a fugitive after refusing to testify about gold he discovered in a historic shipwreck has pleaded guilty to contempt of court.
Sixty-two-year-old Tommy Thompson pleaded guilty to the criminal contempt charge Wednesday in federal court in Columbus.
Thompson went missing in 2012 amid demands he appear in court. He and his longtime female companion were apprehended in January in Florida.
Thompson has faced accusations of cheating investors since his 1988 discovery of the S.S. Central America.
Staff, wire reports
At a glance
LaBrae earns audit award
LEAVITTSBURG – A recent financial audit of LaBrae Local School District by state auditors has returned a clean audit report and the recent presentation of the “Auditor of State Award” to the district for its accurate record keeping.
The award is presented to local governments and school districts upon the completion of a financial audit that contains no findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, single audit findings or questioned costs.
Nominate your A+ teachers
WARREN – The Tribune Chronicle is accepting nominations for the 2015 A+ Teacher Award program.
The teacher must be a current K-12 educator who teaches in Trumbull County in a public, private or parochial school setting. Retired, substitute and preschool teachers are not eligible.
Nominations should include the name of the teacher and school and how the teacher has influenced, supported or inspired students. Nominations can be submitted by students, parents or colleagues. Parents can assist children with nominations.
Twenty teachers will be chosen and featured in a Tribune Chronicle story on May 17.
Forms were sent to area schools, but submissions also can be emailed to Tribune Chronicle Events Coordinator Sue Shafer at sshafer@tribtoday.com or dropped off or mailed to the Tribune Chronicle, 240 Franklin St., Warren 44483.
Tribune Chronicle
At a glance
Warren police exam applications available
WARREN – Applications will be accepted from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday for those who would like to test to become a police officer in Warren.
Applications for the exam should be handed in during those periods at the desk inside the front doors of the Warren Municipal Building, 141 South St. S.E. The test will be 10 a.m. April 25 at Warren G. Harding High School.
Applications can be picked up at the safety service director’s office or the Human Resources Department in Warren City Hall and at the Warren Police Department.
Call 330-841-2536 with any questions.
St. Demetrios plans fireworks on Sunday
WARREN – St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 429 High St. N.E., will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ with a fireworks display midnight Sunday. The fireworks will last about 10 minutes.
The church is welcoming citizens of Warren to celebrate the Service of the Anastasi with parishioners and enjoy the fireworks celebration, which will be visible in the entire downtown area.
Jailed politician’s home under marshals’ control
INDEPENDENCE – The home of a former northeast Ohio politician imprisoned in a corruption probe is now controlled by federal authorities, who will sell it to recoup some of the costs of prosecuting him.
On Monday, U.S. marshals took control of former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora’s home in the Cleveland suburb of Independence. It includes a patio and outdoor kitchen area whose discounted construction was brought up in court.
The 59-year-old former Democratic party leader is serving 28 years in federal prison for corruption- and bribery-related charges.
The U.S. Supreme Court in October rejected Dimora’s request to review his convictions. His agreement with prosecutors called for his wife to move out of the home six months after the appeals process ended.
She’ll get half the proceeds of the sale.
Kasich appoints new commerce director
COLUMBUS – Gov. John Kasich has named a new commerce director as the state agency’s current leader is set to return to a regulatory board.
Kasich said Monday he has picked Jacqueline Williams to lead the Ohio Department of Commerce. She will replace Andre Porter, who was appointed to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in February. Porter previously served as a commissioner on the board before he became commerce director.
Williams, a Columbus resident, currently is chief of the Minority Business Development Division in the Ohio Development Services Agency. The administration said her efforts have contributed to agencies’ improved compliance with Ohio’s minority purchasing requirements for state government. She previously was executive director of the Ohio Liquor Control Commission.
Williams will start her new job on Saturday.
Teen shot after birthday party dies
CINCINNATI – Police say a 17-year-old girl who was shot when a fight broke out after a birthday party at a southwest Ohio YMCA has died.
Cincinnati police say 17-year-old Kelsie Crow died Monday. She was one of three teens shot when the fight broke out late Saturday night at the YMCA in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Walnut Hills.
Police say a 17-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl also sustained gunshot wounds and are listed in stable condition.
Officers say hundreds of teens were at the party and estimate that at least 50 shots were fired.
A YMCA statement said that the shooting followed a private birthday party, and the Y is cooperating with police and community members to determine facts of the incident.
Police say no arrests have been made.
Staff, wire reports
At a glance
YPD: Sources hinder fatal fire investigation
YOUNGSTOWN – Police said the unnamed sources feeding information to the public are hindering their investigation into the March 30 fatal fire at 3631 Powers Way.
Capt. Brad Blackburn stated Friday that the police have no further update and “legally, there is information that cannot be released at this time.”
William, 63, and Judith Schmidt, 61, and their 10-year-old granddaughter were killed by smoke inhalation in the blaze.
A man accused of raping the 10-year-old girl was due in court to answer the allegation the day after the fire. The Mahoning County Pleas Court case has been continued.
The investigation of the fatal fire is continuing.
Hiram monitored for financial aid usage
HIRAM – Hiram College was listed among about 540 institutions being monitored by the U.S. Department of Education for financial reasons, and the Federal Student Aid office will receive additional oversight.
“Heightened cash monitoring is not necessarily a red flag to students and taxpayers, but it can serve as a caution light. It means we are watching these institutions more closely to ensure that institutions are using federal student aid in a way that is accountable to both students and taxpayers,” Ted Mitchell, under secretary of education, said via a news release.
Christine Boyd, spokeswoman for Hiram, said the college was not placed there due to misuse of student financial aid.
The results are based on 2013 finances, and new President Lori Varlotta since has made changes to the budget, she said.
“Hiram has always been very fiscally conservative. Like most small colleges, we’re very lean,” Boyd said.
The Department of Education will not disclose specifics about why institutions are under program review.
Lordstown schools set financial forums
LORDSTOWN – Lordstown school district administrators will discuss their finances during several financial forums.
The meetings will be held 5 p.m.Tuesday and April 14 and at both 5 and 7 p.m. April 21 and 28 at the high school lecture hall B. The meetings will include a question-and-answer session as well.
The district has two renewal levies on the ballot in May that make up about a quarter of the budget.
At a glance
Vigil set in memory of young beating victim
WARREN – A candlelight vigil will be held Friday in the memory of Tiffany Sue Banks Cross, a 21-month-old child who died of asphyxiation as a result of a beating by her foster mother, Bonnie Pattinson, 31, on April 2, 2009.
Pattinson pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to nine years in jail.
The candlelight vigil will be 4 p.m. Friday at her grave in Oakwood Cemetery on Niles Road S.E. Her family has been holding a vigil annually since her death.
Portman’s campaign names Trumbull leads
WARREN – The re-election campaign for Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman announced Wednesday the three people who will lead the campaign in Trumbull County.
John Blue of Girard, Karen Combs of Cortland and Robert Tucker of Warren are the volunteer local co-chairs who will be the campaign’s “eyes and ears” on the ground, according to a release from the campaign. Each of Ohio’s 88 counties has a campaign chair or co-chairs.
Supermax inmates continue hunger strike
COLUMBUS – Inmates at Ohio’s highest-security prison are continuing a hunger strike protesting recreation and programming restrictions that include a ban on religious gatherings.
A prisons department spokeswoman says eight inmates at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown were continuing to refuse meals as of Wednesday, in a protest that began March 19. The prison houses Ohio’s super-maximum security lockdown.
Spokeswoman JoEllen Smith says most inmates have been prohibited from roaming their enclosed housing units freely, and group programming has been halted for the highest-security inmates. She cites safety and security concerns, including a serious assault on staff, in the decision.
Striking inmates argue religious programming is a constitutionally protected right.
Smith says inmates still have access to one-on-one religious services.
Murder suspect passes on bond
COLUMBUS – A jailed suspect in the death of a 1-year-old Maryland boy found inside a backpack in a central Ohio creek has passed on having bond set.
Columbus resident Kurt Flood didn’t enter a plea during arraignment Wednesday in Franklin County. The 24-year-old is charged with murder, assault, endangering children, evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse.
Court records list no attorney for him. A message seeking comment has been left for a lawyer believed to be representing him.
Prosecutors say Flood thought 1-year-old Cameron Beckford had demons and beat him to get rid of them.
Flood was charged after Cameron’s mother pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and agreed to cooperate. She had stayed with Flood at a home near where Cameron’s body was found on New Year’s Eve.
Police: Man shot by officers killed 2
COLUMBUS – Police in Ohio’s capital city say Columbus officers shot and wounded a gunman who had killed his estranged wife and another man.
A police statement says officers heard gunshots Wednesday while driving on the city’s south side and confronted a suspect who appeared to be shooting another man in a parking lot.
Police say three officers fired at the suspect to end the confrontation. He was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound but was in stable condition.
The suspect’s estranged wife and the other man were pronounced dead at the scene. Police identified them as Jenea Harvison and Donell McDonald but didn’t release their ages or hometowns.
Police say criminal charges are pending against the suspect. His name was not immediately released.
Staff, wire reports
At a glance
Girl claims she was touched inappropriately
WARREN – Police are investigating a 14-year-old girl’s claim that her mother’s boyfriend touched her inappropriately from 2012 to 2014 at 1214 Parkman Road N.W., according to a report.
The girl’s aunt, who obtained full custody of her in 2014, told police that the teen lived with her mother at the time the assaults took place in Warren.
Police took the complaint over the phone Monday. The girl and her aunt now live in Florida.
Cortland lifts boil order from over weekend
CORTLAND – At 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, the city lifted the boil advisory that was in effect since a water line break Friday morning.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency suggested a boil advisory and to flush the distribution system so that any contamination that could occur would be gone, although there was no contamination, Cortland Service Director Donald Wittman said.
“The boil advisory was precautionary,” Wittman said. “There was no contamination but there was potential.”
The break in an 8-inch water line adjacent to the city’s well field drained the high storage tank.
ODOT announces area road closures
The Interstate 80 east exit ramp to U.S. Route 62 in Hubbard Township will be closed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today for pavement repairs, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The detour will be exit 234A.
Also, the exit ramp from state Route 11 north to 80 west in Liberty will be closed between 8 and 11 p.m. for guardrail repairs. A detour will be posted.
In Mahoning County, the left lane of Interstate 680 south of Glenwood Avenue in Youngstown will be closed between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. for pothole patching.
Weekend nursing program offered
YOUNGSTOWN – Nursing students will be able to study during the evenings and weekends at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital. Mercy College, based in Toledo, announced the new program times in addition to the daytime format already offered to earn an Associate of Science in Nursing degree.
“We hope to meet the needs of those who are unable to attend classes during the day but want to become a nurse,” said Patricia McAllen, dean of Mercy College’s Youngstown location.
According to the college, more than 85 percent of graduates from the Youngstown location remain in the area to work.
“St. E’s Youngstown has literally hired all of the graduates who want jobs here. We are happy that students can get both the education they want and easily find jobs close to home,” McAllen said.
Portman staff member holds hours in Warren
WARREN – A staff representative for U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, will hold office hours 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday on the fifth floor of the Trumbull County Administration Building, 160 High St. N.W.
Residents will be able to share their thoughts and concerns with the district representative, who will provide the feedback to Portman.
Appointments are not required.
Group seeks to stop Medicaid benefit cuts
COLUMBUS – A group wants a federal judge to block Ohio officials from terminating the Medicaid health coverage of thousands of low-income residents.
The request comes as the state’s Medicaid agency works to “re-determine” eligibility for recipients of the federal-state program, as required by the federal government.
The Legal Aid Society of Columbus filed a lawsuit Monday on behalf of three recipients claiming their benefits were put at risk after the state failed to follow federal law and Medicaid regulations. Among other issues, the group argues that the agency failed to conduct a certain renewal procedure.
Staff, wire reports
and provide adequate notice for terminating their coverage.
Attorneys for the state say the individuals already have been renewed or re-enrolled in Medicaid, and the judge has no reason to issue a temporary restraining order.