Local News

At a glance

10-year sentence for 3 rape counts

WARREN – A city man was sentenced to 10 years behind bars Wednesday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court after pleading guilty to three counts of rape, according to court records and the prosecutor’s office.

Jesse Young, 40, walked into the city police department with a 7-year-old girl and confessed to touching her inappropriately in May.

In November, Young was found competent to stand trial. Common Pleas Judge Peter J. Kontos handed down the sentence of 10 years on each charge, to be served concurrently.

The sentence classifies Young as a Tier III sex offender, meaning he must register with the sheriff every 90 days for life and must register any change of residential address, place of employment, or enrollment in a school.

Young, formerly of 515 Maryland St. NE, has been held in the Trumbull County Jail in lieu of a $1 million bond since his May 2 arrest.

Man kills his dog; woman bitten

WARREN – A man shot and killed his dog just after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday when it began attacking his girlfriend during an argument at their 1752 Clemmens Ave. NW home, according to a police report.

Terrance Warren, 32, told police that the argument between him and Jack’ee Moore, 29, was verbal, but that his 4-year-old mixed-breed dog got loose from his cage and began attacking the woman.

When Moore fell to the ground and the dog continued biting her, Warren feared for her life and shot the dog, the report states.

Moore was transported to Trumbull Memorial Hospital for treatment. The extent and condition of her injuries is unknown.

The dog died, according to the report.

Tribune offices

shut for holiday

WARREN – Business offices at the Tribune Chronicle will be closed Friday and Saturday, in observance of the New Year’s holiday.

The offices at 240 Franklin St. SE will reopen 8 a.m. Monday.

As always, the Tribune Chronicle newspaper will publish and be delivered every day.

The newspaper wishes all its readers a happy holiday season.

Staff reports

Staff reports

Local News

At a glance

Middlefield pedestrian killed on Route 45

BRISTOL – A Middlefield man died after he was hit by a van while running on state Route 45 around 12:45 a.m. Monday, according to the Warren post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Nathan Byler, 22, was running northwest on Hyde Oakfield Road when he entered the intersection of state Route 45 and was struck by a northbound van driven by Jonathan Pupin, 26, of Warren, according to the patrol.

Byler was transported to Trumbull Memorial Hospital where he died, a press release states.

Pupin was not badly injured and was wearing a seatbelt. According to the patrol, no charges have been filed and the incident is under investigation.

Warren man stabbed

in Christmas bar fight

WARREN – A Warren man was cut in the hand and leg after a fight spilled into the parking lot of a bar at 10:30 p.m. Christmas night, according to a police report.

A friend drove Carlos Huff, 21, after the fight at Cafe 22, 2006 Youngstown Road SE, to St. Joseph Warren Hospital, where police interviewed him. He did not offer officers much information about the cause of the fight or the people involved.

It appears Huff’s leg, near his shin, was stabbed through to the other side, according to the report.

According to court records, no one has been charged in connection to the incident.

4-car garage damaged by blaze in Warren

WARREN- A fire in a detatched four-car garage at 1123 Harrison St. NE at 5:30 p.m. Monday caused damage to the rear of the structure, according to the Warren Fire Department.

The home was not damaged by the blaze. The residents were home at the time.

The cause is under investigation, firefighters said.

Warren store clerk thwarts robbery try

WARREN – A clerk thwarted a robbery attempt Monday afternoon when she did not comply with the robbers’ demands.

Police said two juveniles wearing masks and hoods tried to rob the Quick Shop, 960 Mahoning Ave. NW, about 4:15 p.m. Police said the robbers pulled guns and pointed them at the owner, who did not comply with their order to hand over the cash in the drawer.

The gunmen then fled the scene, police said. The incident is still under investigation.

Teen slain at party; Lewsiton man arrested

BELLEFONTAINE – A man hosting an underage drinking party fatally shot a 16-year-old when the boy forced his way into the house following an earlier dispute, authorities in western Ohio said Monday.

The teen left the party early Sunday following an argument with several people, came back with his relatives and others and forced his way inside when he was shot by the party’s host, the Logan County sheriff’s office said.

The victim was identified as Brandon Doseck, 16, of Jackson Center, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Evan Hoffman, 20, of Lewiston, was charged with providing alcohol to underage people, allowing underage people to drink alcohol and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He has not been charged in the shooting, the sheriff’s office said.

Local News

At a glance

Fire destroys house being remodeled

HOWLAND – A vacant house was destroyed by fire Sunday night, with crews form Howland, Vienna and Weathersfield responding.

A 911 spokesman said firefighters were dispatched at 8:15 p.m. Sunday to 3747 Ravenwood Drive SE, a vacant one-story rental unit. A motorist saw flames and called 911, according to the report.

The house was being remodeled, according to reports.

There were no injuries. Cause of the fire is under investigation.

YSU schedules pair

of power outages

YOUNGSTOWN – Youngstown State University has scheduled two campuswide power outages so aged electrical switching equipment at the university’s main substation can be replaced.

Campus officials said the outages will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Jan. 3.

The university is closed for business both days.

New switch gear will arrive and be set this week, and the outages will allow for the high-voltage connections to occur.

Ex-teacher sentenced; secretly recorded kids

ASHLAND – A former Ohio teacher accused of secretly recording kindergarten students using the bathroom is scheduled to be sentenced after pleading no contest.

Elliot Gornall was convicted in Ashland County after pleading to 181 counts, most for illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material.

The 33-year-old man could face lengthy prison time when he is sentenced Monday.

Authorities allege that he recorded some two dozen students using a tiny camera installed in a bathroom next to his classroom in Loudonville.

Gornall denied the charges and argued that images were improperly found on his computer, but a judge refused to suppress that evidence.

The prosecutor has said Gornall pleaded no contest to allow for an appeal over the evidence issue and that it wasn’t a plea deal.

Toledo mission gets $100K for job training

TOLEDO – A northwestern Ohio group has received $100,000 to help it provide job training and reduce homelessness.

The Toledo-based Owens Corning Foundation gave the money to the Cherry Street Mission Ministries.

The mission is launching its new vocational school program in January.

The classes are intended for adults who need new skills so they can return to work as well as for those living in high-risk neighborhoods and poverty. It will offer classes in auto tech, call training, nursing and pharmacy tech, and forklift driving.

Donated funds will go toward creating a commercial kitchen for job training and serving the needy with some 1.5 million meals each year. The kitchen is expected to be completed in June.

The group hopes that 100 people will graduate in the center’s first year.

Local News

At a glance

Newton Falls woman killed in Portage crash

PARIS – A Newton Falls woman has been identified as one of two people killed in a Christmas day crash in Paris Township.

Sonya Diaz was killed when her car was struck by a minivan traveling east on state Route 5. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said the minivan swerved left of center, struck Diaz’s car head on, flipped over and caught fire.

The driver of the minivan has not yet been identified because DNA tests are needed to determine the driver’s identity, the patrol said.

The crash occurred around 2:30 p.m. Friday. The cause still is under investigation.

No one injured in Niles house fire

NILES – Residents were not home when the Niles Fire Department put out a house fire Saturday morning at their High Street home.

At 9:20 a.m., Niles fire crews responded to 714 High St., arriving to the one-story residence at 9:23 a.m. to find heavy smoke pouring out of the house, said Niles fire Capt. Rodney Freel.

They arrived to discover a vehicle in the driveway, but nobody was home at the time of the fire. The majority of the fire was located in a bedroom and hallway at the center rear of the house, he said.

Crews had the fire extinguished in 7 minutes. The owners have been notified.

Damage is estimated between $40,000 and $50,000. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Freel said.

Christmas fire forces Braceville family out

BRACEVILLE – A 1 a.m. fire on Christmas Day at 5549 Shanks Phalanx Road NW in Braceville forced a family out of their home.

According to fire Chief Todd Garland, firefighters from the township, the Newton Falls Joint Fire District, Southington, Warren Township and Windham responded.

Garland said the blaze was extinguished in about an hour.

The cause is under investigation, but it appears to be an accident that started on an exterior, rear wall. Garland said the Red Cross is assisting the family and two people in the home at the time made it out safely.

Weather Service: Parts of Ohio gets flood watch

WILMINGTON – The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for parts of northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio.

The watch remains in effect night through Monday afternoon.

The weather service’s Wilmington office says periods of heavy rainfall could produce 2 to 4 inches of rain by Monday night with higher amounts locally.

Local News

At a glance

Two killed in crash on Christmas Day

PARIS TOWNSHIP – Two people were killed Friday in a head-on crash on state Route 5.

A minivan traveling east on state Route 5 swerved left of center about 2:30 p.m. and hit a Chevy Impala traveling west, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol Warren District Commander Joshua Swindell. The van flipped and caught on fire.

Names of the victims were not yet released pending notification of families. The cause of the Christmas Day crash remains under investigation, according to the patrol.

Holcomb Road to state Route 225 and Route 5 west around state Route 534 were closed while the scene was cleared.

Indicator light strands passengers in Vienna

VIENNA – Allegiant Air Flight 606 from Orlando to Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna was diverted Thursday evening to Jacksonville International Airport after an indicator light flashed in the cabin.

The plane carrying 141 passengers and six crew members landed safely about 5:15 p.m. in Jacksonville. A replacement aircraft from Clearwater, Fla., flew the passengers into Vienna late Thursday night.

However, passengers who were supposed to fly out of Vienna to Orlando Sanford International Airport on Thursday night on the regularly scheduled return trip had to wait until 12:10 p.m. Friday.

Allegiant Air said maintenance personnel in Jacksonville determined that there were no mechanical issues with the plane. The indicator light was determined to be faulty.

Allegiant is providing passengers with $150 vouchers for the inconvenience.

Tribune offices closed for holiday weekends

WARREN – Business offices at the Tribune Chronicle will be closed today in observance of the Christmas holiday.

The offices, located at 240 Franklin St. SE, will reopen 8 a.m. Monday.

The offices also will be closed Jan. 1 and 2 in observance of the New Year’s holiday.

As always, the Tribune Chronicle newspaper will publish and be delivered every day.

The newspaper wishes all its readers a happy holiday season.

Tribune Chronicle

Local News

At a glance

Warren woman robbed

outside dental office

NILES -A Warren woman leaving her car to go to Aspen Dental, 5700 Youngstown-Warren Road, was robbed of her purse by a man shortly after noon Wednesday.

Reports indicate the woman was exiting her parked vehicle when a man wearing a black stocking cap approached, grabbed her purse and yelled, ”Give it to me!”

The victim told police she attempted to maintain a grasp on her purse while screaming for help. The male was able to pull the purse from the woman and ran to a parked white Pontiac Sunfire before fleeing the scene. Reports indicate the vehicle did not have front or rear license plates.

The victim was taken to St. Joseph Health Center for broken fingers, right hand, and sprained left wrist and hand.

Reports indicate the purse contained driver’s license, credit cards and more than $120 cash.

Truck hits horse-drawn buggy in Ashtabula County

WILLIAMSFIELD – The State Highway Patrol says a pickup truck rear-ended a horse-drawn buggy in far northeast Ohio, throwing two women from the buggy and leaving one of them with life-threatening injuries.

WKYC-TV in Cleveland reports both women were taken to a hospital after the crash Wednesday night in Ashtabula County’s Williamsfield Township. A 68-year-old woman suffered life-threatening injuries, and a 44-year-old companion was less seriously hurt.

The 51-year-old Williamsfield man driving the truck wasn’t injured.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the collision, though authorities indicated alcohol doesn’t appear to be a factor.

County call center seeks

to help family recover gifts

HOWLAND – The Trumbull County 911 call center at 911 Howland Wilson Road NE, across from Hillside Hospital, is collecting for the DiMauro family, whose Christmas presents for their six children – girls ages 9, 15 and 16 and boys ages 4, 11 and 13 – were stolen from their car in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

According to the DiMauros, the Christmas gifts bought for their children through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program were in the car to keep them hidden. The grinch of Fourth Street broke a window to take the presents from the vehicle and got away with a large portion of the toys, just two days before Christmas. The 911 call center is asking that donations be dropped at the center anytime through the holidays.

Call 330-675-2730 to notify operators a donation is arriving.

Tribune Chronicle offices closed for holiday

WARREN – Business offices at the Tribune Chronicle will be closed today and Saturday in observance of the Christmas holiday.

The offices, located at 240 Franklin St. SE, will reopen 8 a.m. Monday.

The offices also will be closed Jan. 1 and 2 in observance of the New Year’s holiday.

As always, the Tribune Chronicle newspaper will publish and be delivered every day. The newspaper wishes all its readers a happy holiday season.

Pennsylvania boy, 12,

dies in crash of ATV

SPRAGGS, Pa. – Authorities say a 12-year-old boy died in the crash of an all-terrain vehicle in southwestern Pennsylvania.

State police in Greene County say the crash happened just before 5 p.m. Wednesday in a wooded area along Calico Run Road in Wayne Township. Police said 12-year-old Charles Calvert of Waynesburg was flown to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Staff, wire reports

Local News

At a glance

Fire truck crash leaves 3 injured

HUBBARD TOWNSHIP – Three firefighters were injured early Wednesday morning when the firetruck they were riding in hit a tree, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Six Eagle Joint Fire District firefighters were responding to a call about 1 a.m. when the fire rescue engine drifted off the right side of Chestnut Ridge Road and into a ditch. The truck hit a culvert and mailbox before popping back onto the roadway, but then traveled off the left side of the road and hit a ditch and a tree, the report states.

Three firefighters were treated at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital for what were listed as “non-life-threatening injuries,” the report states.

The driver, Thomas Gregory, 60, of Hubbard, was being charged with failure to maintain reasonable control, according to the patrol. Information about the call firefighters were responding to at the time was unavailable, but the truck was running without emergency lights or siren, the patrol states.

Knock on door leads to robbery

WARREN – A Warren woman reported to police Tuesday that a man she doesn’t know knocked on her door, held a gun on her and demanded her wallet, a police report states.

Officers arrived just before 11 p.m. at the Idylwild Street NW home where the 48-year-old woman said the man – who looked about 18 – got away with $500, according to the report.

The victim said the man pushed past her into the house, took the money and threatened to kill her. She said the man also pointed the gun at her nephew, who initially chased him, but stopped when the man pointed the gun at him again.

Police searched the area and did not find the man, but are continuing to investigate.

Tribune offices closed for holiday

WARREN – Business offices at the Tribune Chronicle will be closed Friday and Saturday in observance of the Christmas holiday. The offices at 240 Franklin St. SE will reopen 8 a.m. Monday.

The offices also will be closed Jan. 1 and 2 in observance of the New Year’s holiday.

As always, the Tribune Chronicle newspaper will publish and be delivered every day. The newspaper wishes all its readers a happy holiday season.

Pet parrot found in Austintown

YOUNGSTOWN – A pet parrot that flew the coop is back with its owner after a timely run-in with law enforcement in northeastern Ohio.

A State Highway Patrol trooper happened to spot the green bird in a parking lot in Austintown Township.

He picked it up and put it in the back of his patrol car, but instead of a ride to the pokey, it got a lift to the local patrol post.

Dispatchers contacted Austintown police, who knew the local owner and reached him for confirmation that the bird had been missing.

Local News

At a glance

YSU schedules power outages

YOUNGSTOWN – Two planned campuswide power outages have been scheduled for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 3, 2016.

The outages have been scheduled to allow replacement of aged electrical switching equipment at the university’s main substation, the college said in a news release. The university will be closed for business both days.

New switch gear will arrive and be set this week, and the outages will allow for all the high-voltage connections to occur, according to the statement.

Niles officials to be sworn in

NILES – A swearing-in ceremony for city officials taking office in 2016 will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Ciminero’s Banquet Center.

Judges Thomas Townley, James Fredericka, Sandra Stabile Harwood and Philip Vigorito will administer the oath of office to new mayor Thomas Scarnecchia and other administrators and council members.

Ohio gas prices remain below $2

COLUMBUS – Ohio motorists head into Christmas week with gas prices remaining below $2 and more than 10 cents less than a week ago.

The state average was about $1.81 for a gallon of regular gas in Monday’s survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX Inc. That compares with about $1.92 the same time last week.

Ohioans this time last year were paying more than $2, with the state average around $2.22.

Average gas prices nationally are around $2. That’s about 9 cents less than a month ago and around 41 cents below the average price a year ago.

The lower gas prices have been largely driven by the falling price of crude oil. Pump prices also typically fall during the winter months due to reduced demand.

Local News

At a glance

Small plane crashes in western Pa.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. – A small plane flipped over Sunday afternoon as it was attempting to land at the New Castle Municipal Airport in Lawrence County, Tribune Chronicle news partner WYTV Channel 33 reports.

The pilot said he was coming in for a landing, when the plane flipped about 2:30 p.m. Sunday. It veered off the runway and into a ditch.

The unidentified pilot was not injured, and was able to walk away from the scene.

Fire displaces Howland family

HOWLAND – No one was injured in a house fire that displaced a Howland Township family late Saturday evening.

Cause of the 9 p.m. fire at 1479 Stillwagon Road SE is still under investigation. It was reported after heavy fire was spotted in the back of the house. Crews took 20 minutes to gain control of the fire by fighting the flames from inside and outside of the house.

The American Red Cross is assisting the family.

About 26 firefighters responded from five departments, including Howland, Cortland, Vienna, Brookfield and the Youngstown Air Base, according to information released by Howland fire Chief James Pantalone.

Council calls special meeting

WEST FARMINGTON – The West Farmington village council has scheduled a special meeting 7:30 p.m. today at the village hall to address the zoning inspector and fiscal officer positions.

Council also will discuss water customer account policy and record retention police and schedule.

Local News

At a glance

Free holiday meal offered in Warren

WARREN – Anyone who is alone and does not have someone to spend Christmas with can attend the Families Helping Families free community meal 3 to 5 p.m. Friday.

The dinner will be at Aulizio’s Banquet Center, 4395 Youngstown Road SE.

A raffle will be held at Champs in the Eastwood Mall until 10 p.m. today to help raise money for the dinner.

Township seeks to fill trustee seat

VERNON – Township trustees are seeking candidates interested in filling a two-year term on the board of trustees following the recent resignation of Leroy Bradford.

Bradford, who served for more than 12 years as trustee, resigned for personal reasons. His last day is Dec. 31.

Letters of interest will be accepted through Dec. 28, and may be mailed to Vernon Township Trustees, 6915B state Route 88, Kinsman 44428.

Local News

At a glance

Fire starts in duct at Thomas Steel Strip

WARREN TOWNSHIP – Fire crews were called shortly after 7 a.m. Friday to Thomas Steel Strip Corp. on West Market Street for a fire that began in an air duct.

The fire was put out, and no one was injured.

According to Tribune Chronicle news partner WYTV 33 News, firefighters from Warren Township, Champion, Braceville and Lordstown responded to the fire.

Tribune accepting Hope Chest gifts

The Tribune Chronicle is calling on the community to help those in need this holiday season by making donations to the newspaper’s Hope Chest Foundation.

The foundation, created in 1981, is primarily funded through contributions from the community and works through various community agencies to provide the help.

The foundation is a 501(c)3 registered charity; all donations are tax-deductible.

Between now and Christmas, a form will be published in the newspaper that can be clipped and mailed to the Tribune Chronicle Hope Chest Foundation at 240 Franklin St. SE, Warren, OH 44483.

Ohio won’t enforce rule on fetal tissue disposal

COLUMBUS – Ohio’s health department will not enforce a state regulation requiring abortion providers to dispose of fetuses in a “humane manner,” the state’s attorney general said Friday.

The state rule, which does not further define “humane,” is at the center of a dispute over Planned Parenthood’s handling of fetal tissue.

Earlier this week, a federal judge temporarily blocked Ohio health officials from taking legal action against Planned Parenthood. The group is suing the state’s health director, accusing him of changing the interpretation of the disposal regulation and then unfairly targeting the organization.

Attorney General Mike DeWine said in a Friday statement the decision reflects the court’s temporary restraining order and the Legislature’s intention to clarify disposal procedures.

Man rents theater for ‘Star Wars’ movie

CUYAHOGA FALLS – A Kent man wanted to make sure he got a good seat to see the latest “Star Wars” movie – so he rented out an entire theater.

Craig Foreman paid about $1,300 to book an 87-seat theater at the Cinemark complex in Cuyahoga Falls for a Thursday night showing of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Besides his family, he invited members of the Ohio Star Wars Collectors Club to join him.

The 39-year-old Foreman, a high school sociology teacher who’s such a fanboy that he’s got a “Star Wars” tattoo, told the Akron Beacon Journal that he’d been talking to Cinemark for more than a year about booking a private early showing.

Infant mortality rate decreases in Ohio

COLUMBUS – Ohio’s infant mortality rate dropped slightly last year, though the rate for black babies was nearly three times that of whites, according to new state figures released Friday.

Infant mortality is measured as deaths of live-born babies before their first birthdays. The three leading causes of such deaths in Ohio are prematurity or preterm births, sleep-related deaths and birth defects.

Data released Friday from the Ohio Department of Health show the state’s overall infant mortality rate ticked down to 6.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014, compared with 7.4 deaths in 2013. But last year’s rate for black babies increased to 14.3, significantly topping the 5.3 rate for white babies in 2014.

Ohio infant mortality rate has been among the worst in the nation and exceeds last year’s U.S. rate of 6.0.

Ohio health officials say they are concerned about the continuation of the gap and cite recent initiatives to help better target the problem.

“We have to address it,” Dr. Mary DiOrio, the state health department’s medical director, said in interview. “We can’t continue to have this disparity.”

Staff, wire reports

Local News

At a glance

Hubbard requests water conservation

HUBBARD – The city of Hubbard has issued a voluntary water conservation request beginning at 7 a.m. Dec. 28. The city is asking water users to try to refrain from any unnecessary usage if possible.

The city is repairing a few minor leaks on its main water transmission line. The project should take eight to nine hours to complete.

Donations for Hope Chest sought

The Tribune Chronicle is calling on the community to help those in need this holiday season by making donations to the newspaper’s Hope Chest Foundation.

The foundation, created in 1981, is primarily funded through contributions from the community and works through various community agencies to provide the help.

The foundation is a 501(c)3 registered charity; all donations are tax-deductible.

Between now and Christmas, a form will be published in the newspaper that can be clipped and mailed to the Tribune Chronicle Hope Chest Foundation at 240 Franklin St. SE, Warren, OH 44483.

Seven spectators of dogfight sentenced

AKRON – Seven people convicted of watching a massive dogfight that drew spectators from around the country to a ring in northeast Ohio have been sentenced.

Cleveland.com reports two men were sentenced Wednesday to 90 days in jail and five others received probation, house arrest or both. All were ordered to pay fines to the Humane Society of Greater Akron.

Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Kevin Mayer says spectators fuel the dogfighting industry and a message “needs to be sent to the community.”

Local News

At a glance

Court date set for bottle tossing

WARREN – A person accused of throwing a beer bottle shard at a man and cutting him in October is scheduled to appear in Warren Municipal Court today for a hearing on charges of felony abduction and aggravated robbery.

Chamazez Scott, 19, Atlantic Street NW, Warren, has been held in the Trumbull County Jail without bond since being arrested on a warrant Dec. 7. A felony not guilty plea was automatically entered Dec. 8 for Scott.

According to a police report, Justin Gibson, 22, of Youngstown, and his brother went to visit Scott at a 320 Atlantic St. NW apartment and Scott accused them of stealing $400 as soon as they walked inside.

The report states the people in the apartment wouldn’t let the brothers leave at first, but did eventually. As they walked down the stairs, Scott broke a beer bottle on a railing and threw it at Gibson, stabbing him in the back, according to what Gibson’s brother told police in the report.

Turnpike gets improvements

BEREA – The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission Monday approved $143.5 million in 2016 improvements that include pavement replacement, bridge repairs and resurfacing on several miles of the Trumbull County portion.

The turnpike will replace pavement in 5-mile long sections in the eastbound lanes in Trumbull County from milepost 216.1 to 221 located near the Lordstown interchange at the General Motors complex. The opposite lanes were completed in 2015.

Also, another 11 bridges will be repaired and rehabilitated from milepost 197.8 to 236.7 in Portage, Trumbull and Mahoning counties.

The construction season is scheduled for April and May. Changes to traffic patterns because of daily maintenance, weather and other factors is also routinely provided on the Ohio Turnpike’s Facebook Page.

Kinsman road will be closed

KINSMAN – Burnett East Road between state Route 5 and Mayburn Corners-Barclay Road will be closed Monday and Tuesday for a sanitary line replacement, according to Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith.

The recommended detour is east on Burnett East Road, south on state Route 5 and west on Mayburn Corners-Barclay Road.

Local News

At a glance

Man steals cash register from store in Liberty

LIBERTY – Investigators are awaiting surveillance video from The Spot Carry-Out after a man walked in around 10:20 p.m. Monday night, grabbed part of a cash register holding money and ran out of the store, according to township police.

Detective Capt. Toby Meloro described the man as white, about 5 feet 8 inches and 165 pounds. Meloro said the man did not furnish a weapon, threaten or speak to an employee in the store, 3235 Belmont Ave.

Meloro did not release the amount of money taken. He said the surveillance video will be released to the public once the police department gets a copy of the footage.

Road closed in Bazetta for culvert replacement

BAZETTA – Morrow Drive between state Route 305 and Williams Drive will be closed 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. today for culvert replacement work.

The Trumbull County Engineer’s office is recommending the following detour: West on state Route 305, south on McCleary Jacoby Road and east on Williams Drive.

Tribune accepting annual Hope Chest gifts

The Tribune Chronicle is calling on the community to help those in need this holiday season by making donations to the newspaper’s Hope Chest Foundation.

The foundation, created in 1981, is primarily funded through contributions from the community and works through various community agencies to provide the help.

The foundation is a 501(c)3 registered charity; all donations are tax-deductible.

Between now and Christmas, a form will be published in the newspaper that can be clipped and mailed to the Tribune Chronicle Hope Chest Foundation at 240 Franklin St. SE, Warren, OH 44483.

Attorneys ask DOJ to probe Cleveland police

CLEVELAND – The attorneys for the family of a 12-year-old black boy who was fatally shot by a white Cleveland police officer while carrying a pellet gun have asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate both the killing and the conduct of the prosecutor in charge of the case.

In a letter released Tuesday, the attorneys claimed that Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim McGinty “has abdicated his responsibility to conduct a fair and impartial investigation and has severely compromised the grand jury process.” A grand jury has been hearing evidence about whether the officer and his partner should be charged criminally.

Rookie patrolman Timothy Loehmann killed Tamir Rice after he and training officer Frank Garmback responded to a 911 call about a man waving a gun and pointing it at people outside a Cleveland recreation center in November 2014. Footage from a surveillance camera shows Loehmann shooting Tamir within two seconds of a police cruiser skidding to a stop next to the boy.

The family attorneys assailed prosecutors in the letter to the DOJ for not questioning Loehmann and Garmback after the officers read statements about their versions of the shooting to the grand jury. The letter also criticized the “hostile, unprofessional and unfair questioning” of the family’s use-of-force experts during their testimony last week.

Staff, wire reports

Local News

At a glance

Juvenile caught with stolen gun

WARREN – A 17-year-old was transported to the Juvenile Justice Center over the weekend after a stolen gun was found inside the Trumbull County Children Services building on Reeves Road, according to a police report.

What the boy was charged with and whether he appeared in court is unclear because he is a minor.

The gun, valued at $200, was reported stolen from 785 Elm Road on Saturday and was recovered Sunday after a “brief investigation,” according to the report. Police also confiscated ammunition and a backpack, the report states.

$3,000 stolen from Warren car wash

WARREN – Police are investigating the theft of $3,000 in coins and cash from a car wash at 2317 Youngstown Road SE, according to a police report.

The owner of the car wash drove by the business Saturday and noticed the maintenance door bolt lock was pried open, the report states.

An alarm sounded around noon Saturday, a neighbor told police.

The contents of two coin / dollar bill machines and a bucket of quarters were taken, the report states.

Man dies after being hit by cars

NORTH RIDGEVILLE – Authorities say a 51-year-old man has died after he was struck by two cars in northeast Ohio.

The crash happened near a gas station in North Ridgeville around 9 p.m. Saturday.

Local News

At a glance

Newton trustees to meet on policies

NEWTON – Township trustees will meet 9 a.m. today at the township hall, 4410 Newton Falls Bailey Road, to approve purchasing paint for the township building and to review and adopt a personnel policies and procedures manual.

The monthly work session will follow the meeting.

Applicants sought for trustee seat

VERNON – Township trustees are seeking candidates interested in filling a two-year term on the board of trustees following the recent resignation of Leroy Bradford.

Bradford, who served for more than 12 years as trustee, resigned for personal reasons. His last day is Dec. 31.

Letters of interest will be accepted through Dec. 28, and may be mailed to Vernon Township Trustees, 6915B state Route 88, Kinsman, OH 44428.

GM, Isuzu join; 150 jobs to be expected

MORAINE – A joint venture between General Motors and Isuzu says it expects to add 150 jobs over the next three years in the Dayton area.

Local News

At a glance

Water boil alert lifted Saturday for Girard residents

GIRARD – The boil alert for all Girard water customers was lifted Saturday afternoon, one week after a water main break on Tibbetts Wick Road.

Girard Service Director Jerome Lambert said the city tested the water on Friday afternoon to ensure it was safe to drink. After a 24-hour period following the testing, the boil alert was lifted.

The main water line from Niles to Girard broke Dec. 5, closing Tibbetts Wick Road and leaving thousands without water. The repair took longer to fix because two leaks were found instead of one and a part needed to be shipped here. The job cost the city $25,000 and am outside contractor had to complete the work because the break was so extensive.

Domestic partner of former university dean suing insurer

YOUNGSTOWN – The domestic partner of a former Youngstown State University dean says an insurance company is wrongly withholding death benefits.

Philip Ginnetti, former dean at YSU, and Albert Celec were domestic partners when Ginnetti died in 2012.

A Pennsylvania lawsuit says Ginnetti left for Edinboro University in 2010, which recognized their domestic partnership and provided Ginnetti with life insurance.

According to an area report, Celec’s attorney says the insurance company Cigna is refusing to pay his client now since no beneficiary was listed. The policy states that death benefits are to go to the first surviving class.

The insurer says Celec does not meet the definition of spouse since same-sex marriage was illegal in Ohio and Pennsylvania when Ginnetti died. A Cigna spokesman declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Man accused of stealing sapphires from museum

CLEVELAND – Police say they’ve charged a part-time university employee with stealing sapphires from Cleveland’s natural history museum.

Investigators say the suspect smashed a display case just over a week ago and made off with seven of the gemstones worth $81,000.

Police say they arrested 36-year-old Hans Wrage on a grand theft charge Friday.

Wrage is a part-time employee in the physics department at John Carroll University near Cleveland. A message seeking comment was left through his university email address on Saturday. He does not have a publicly listed home telephone number.

The gemstones were part of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s mineral collection. Police did not say whether the sapphires were recovered.

Ohio research project seeks to control deer population

CINCINNATI – A suburban neighborhood in southwest Ohio is participating in a study to determine if the state’s deer population can be controlled by sterilization.

The Clifton section of Cincinnati is joining the three-to-five-year study to determine the feasibility of managing the burgeoning deer population through fertility control. The effort is focusing on three parks in the area.

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Cars shot by BB or pellet gun in Girard

GIRARD – The Girard Police Department is asking the public to help find the person responsible for shooting a BB or pellet gun at cars, including a police cruiser, in the 100 to 300 block of Churchill Road.

Several reports have been made in the past week, according to Girard Police Capt. John Norman. He said he is asking the public to come forward with any other reports of damage from a BB or pellet gun in order to help narrow the search for the person responsible.

At least two car windows have been shattered in that block of Churchill Road this month, including an incident at 1:30 a.m. Sunday and at 11:25 p.m. Dec. 1.

A police cruiser was struck by a pellet 11:44 p.m. Dec. 1, while the officer was investigating the 11:25 p.m. incident. The pellet left a small dent and chipped the paint.

Girard police can be reached at 330-545-0211.

Woman’s hair ripped out in parking lot

WARREN – A 52-year-old man charged with domestic violence pleaded not guilty Thursday in Warren Municipal Court after he was arrested in an incident in the parking lot of CVS Pharmacy, 3933 Parkman Road, according to court and police records.

Police responding 10:15 a.m. Wednesday saw a “large chunk of hair” pulled from the head of a 38-year-old woman, who called police after running across the street to Circle K, according to the report. The woman told police he grabbed her, threatened her and bent her wrist, the report states.

Richard Lorraine is being held without bond in the Trumbull County Jail, according to jail records. Court records do not state why Lorraine, with addresses on Gillmer Road in Leavittsburg, Reo Vista Drive in Warren and Russell Street in Niles, is being held without bond on the misdemeanor charge. He is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 29 for a hearing.

Jail records show this is the ninth time Lorraine has been booked into the jail since 1990. He has been charged with domestic violence and assault, among other charges, in the past.

TNP deal brings antiques store to city

WARREN – A grand opening for 1717 Antiques, Youngstown Warren Road, is scheduled 9 a.m. to 4 pm. today.

Larry Montecalvo invested $30,000 into a formerly “derelict vacant commercial structure,” to bring the “high- quality item” store to the city, according to a release by Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership.

“This is another great story about the reactivation of a dead space into a productive one. This gentleman has invested in one of our neighborhoods and brought a business to an important corridor in Warren,” said Matt Martin, director of TNP.

Among Montecalvo’s inventory are books, electronics, musical instruments and “thousands of records,” the release states he has been collecting for more than 30 years.

Father pleads guilty in infant’s death

AKRON – A Northfield man has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the death of his infant daughter last year.

Cleveland.com reported that 24-year-old Louis Delery of Northfield entered the plea in an Akron courtroom Wednesday for the August 2014 death of 4-month-old Addison Delery.

The Cuyahoga County medical examiner said the infant stopped breathing after her chest was compressed and ruled the death a homicide. The medical examiner said the girl had skull and rib fractures.

Delery initially told investigators that Addison fell out of bed while he prepared a bottle for her, but later said he was playing video games when he realized she’d stopped breathing.

Delery faces up to 11 years in prison when he’s sentenced Jan. 27.

Staff, wire reports

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Liberty attorney will seek Capri Cafaro’s senate seat

WARREN – The first candidate seeking to replace state Sen. Capri Cafaro announced her candidacy Thursday at the Trumbull County Board of Elections.

Cafaro, D-Hubbard, is facing term limits and will end her term in the Ohio Senate in December 2016.

Liberty Township attorney Kristen Rock is seeking the seat, saying her focus will be economic development and social issues, such as drug addiction. Rock served as trade advisor with the Ohio Department of Development’s International Trade Division in Columbus, and most recently the Ohio Department of Education appointed her to serve as the parent representative to the Fiscal Oversight Commission for the Liberty Local School District.

Rock is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and earned her law degree from Capital University in Columbus. She is married with four children.

Dangerous driving after overdose in Niles

NILES – A Girard man was found Thursday morning in Niles stopped on the wrong side of the road after taking heroin.

Kendall Reid Reviere, 24, 1411 Tomilu Drive, was found by Niles police around 8:30 a.m. after multiple calls that a vehicle was driving east into oncoming traffic on U.S. Route 422, a police report states.

According to the report, police found Reviere passed out in his car, a black Dodge, facing east in the westbound lane in front of High Pointe Restaurant and Tavern on Route 422. The car was stopped, but still running and in drive.

Reviere regained consciousness after paramedics gave him a dose of Narcan. He told police he had taken heroin before driving, the report states.

Charges against Reviere, who was driving with a suspended license, are still pending until he is released from the hospital.

Howland school board places levy on ballot

HOWLAND -The Howland Board of Education this week took the final needed action to place a 1-mill, continuing permanent improvement renewal levy on the March 15 primary ballot.

School Superintendent Kevin Spicher said Thursday with a renewal levy, there is no increase in taxes. He said the levy is projected to generate $537,000 annually with the owner of a $100,000 home paying $3.50 annually and a $250,000 home $8.75 per year.

Spicher said the permanent improvement levy originally was passed in November 2010 as a five-year levy, which expires Dec. 31. The board decided to make the levy continuous.

The superintendent said levy money only can be used for school building and property improvements, not salaries.

Spicher said the district has had $300,000 in work done on the roof at the high school, $150,000 for the alarm system at the high school and $120,000 for the alarm system at the middle school. The current levy will have its last collection in calendar year 2016.

Firefighters help with holiday boot collection

WEATHERSFIELD – Weathersfield Township firefighters will be collecting donations from motorists near the intersection of Tibbetts-Wick Road and Route 422 in McKinley Heights as part of the annual boot drive to help Niles Community Services. The collection will continue from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday and Dec. 20.

Deals on Wheels

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Grand jury to consider case

WARREN – A city man remains behind bars as a Trumbull County grand jury contemplates the felony child endangering charge against him that was upheld after a preliminary hearing this week.

Arthur Harper, 43, is accused of causing the death of Russell Cottrill Jr., who would have turned 4 today. Cottrill died Nov. 30 in a Cleveland hospital, after suffering what police said was “severe head trauma” Nov. 28 at the High Street home he shared with Harper and his mother.

Police and the Cuyahoga County medical examiner have released few details surrounding the boy’s death. More charges could follow, depending on what a final autopsy report shows.

Harper has been assigned a public defender and is being held in the Trumbull County Jail without bond, according to court records.

Two found dead in Warren Wednesday

WARREN – The body of a 37-year-old man was discovered by his employer and landlord after he failed to show up to work Wednesday, according to a police report.

Joseph Roach, 120 Parkman Road NW, was found dead around 12:30 p.m. His body was transported to the morgue. The report states the use of drugs is suspected.

A woman’s boyfriend discovered her body on the bathroom floor at 8:10 a.m. Wednesday at 2313 Stephens Ave. NW, according to a police report.

Christine Tyson, 47, was also transported to the morgue. The police report states alcohol may have been involved.

Man arrested after hospital release

WARREN – A city man was arrested Wednesday after he was released from St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital on charges of felonious assault and domestic violence.

Stephen Rowe, 28, of 2311 Kenwood Drive SW, pleaded not guilty in Warren Municipal Court to the misdemeanor domestic violence charge and an automatic not guilty plea was entered for the felony charge.

Rowe is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 17 for a hearing. He is being held in the Trumbull County Jail without bond, because there are warrants for his arrest in Mahoning County and Pennsylvania.

Rowe was in the hospital recovering from injuries sustained during an incident Dec. 1 at his home. According to a police report, Rowe stabbed a 45-year-old man and choked and punched his fiance during an altercation. Rowe was injured when he grabbed onto the hood of a car fleeing the scene and then fell off.

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Police investigate a reported rape

WARREN – Police are investigating after a 31-year-old Youngstown woman told authorities she was raped last week.

The woman told police Monday the incident occurred 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the home of a man she knows.

She told police she was sick in the bathroom of the man’s home when he assaulted her and she had to fight him off, the report states.

The woman told police she was too upset to report the assault at first.

City man charged with trafficking

WARREN – Following a raid on his 970 Tod Ave. NW apartment, a 37-year-old city man was charged Tuesday with trafficking heroin in Warren Municipal Court.

Joe P. Williams Jr. is scheduled to appear before municipal Judge Terry F. Ivanchak today on the felony charge.

According to a police report, officers in the Warren Street Crimes Unit and the Warren Tactical Entry Team searched Williams’ apartment 8:10 a.m. Monday. The effort ended a six-week investigation following information provided by a confidential informant, according to city police.

A gram of heroin and a digital scale were confiscated, the report states.

Williams is being held without bond in the Trumbull County Jail, according to jail records.

In September, he was placed on three years of probation after pleading guilty or no contest to misdemeanor disorderly conduct. According to court records, a probation violation hearing is scheduled for today.

Williams has been booked into the county jail 35 times since 1997, according to jail records.

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Man, 38, found dead

WARREN – Police are investigating the death of a 38-year-old man who was found dead in his home.

Marlon Hugley, 1259 Palmyra Road SW, was found by his father just before 1 p.m. Friday, according to a police report. Hugley’s father went to check on his son after his calls went unreturned. Hugley’s father said his son hadn’t been feeling well Thursday, the report states.

Woman, 28, found dead in window at her home

WARREN – After the unresponsive body of a 28-year-old woman was found “hanging out” of a window at her home Sunday, the Trumbull County Coroner’s Office is investigating.

The office confirmed a case has been opened for Cierra Smith, 1561 Bonnie Brae Ave. NE, but representatives said Monday an autopsy has not been completed.

Police responded to the house at 6:48 p.m. when the woman’s boyfriend called 911. According to a police report, the first officers at the scene and emergency medical technicians tried unsuccessfully to revive Smith. Detectives were called to the scene to investigate, the report states.

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Pearl Harbor Day tribute being held

WARREN – The Trumbull County Veterans Services will host a Pearl Harbor Day ceremony 10 a.m. today at the Sam Lanza Veterans Services Building, East Market Street, Warren.

Mayor Doug Franklin and a representative of the American Red Cross will be among the speakers to discuss the significance of the day.

Water control director to speak

WARREN – The Northwest Neighborhood Association will meet 6:30 p.m. today at Grace United Methodist Church, 1725 Drexel Ave NW.

The speaker is Ed Haller, Warren’s water pollution control director, who will answer residents’ questions.

Driver evading police crashes

GIRARD – A pickup truck driven by an individual city police said was fleeing from officers Sunday night crashed into the side of a local pizza business owned by the mayor.

The male driver, whose name and age were not available, was traveling at a high rate of speed around 7 p.m. when he struck the Melfi and Santangelo Pizza Parlor, 909 N. State St., owned by Mayor Jim Melfi, police reported.

Melfi said the driver was taken to the hospital, but information about his condition was not available Sunday night. The mayor said there was structural damage to the side of the 1930s double brick building. He said the crash left a 15-by-5 foot hole.

Reports indicate the driver sped off after he was pulled over by Weathersfield police, who stopped him because of an alleged traffic violation. He was being pursued in Girard when he crashed, police said.

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Man walks with guns in Akron

AKRON – A man walking around Akron with a rifle strapped across his back and carrying a gun says the weapons are for self-protection.

Daniel Kovacevic said Friday he doesn’t pose a threat to the law-abiding community and questioned why someone would take guns away from someone who bears weapons responsibly.

The 25-year-old Kovacevic says he’s never been a crime victim but started wearing a pistol about two years ago and added the rifle recently after he thought someone was about to steal the pistol.

Edwards says Kovacevic is within his rights to carry the weapons in Ohio, which doesn’t prohibit openly displaying a firearm.

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Youngstown records 22nd

homicide of the year

YOUNGSTOWN – The city has recorded its 22nd homicide of the year with the Thursday morning shooting death of Jeffrey Averette.

Averette, 48, was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds just before 9 a.m. at 807 High St. on the south side. The Mahoning County Coroner’s office said the victim was found on the floor of an upstairs kitchenette and he had been dead for several hours.

An autopsy conducted Friday confirmed Averette died nearly instantly from a gunshot wound to the head and multuple gunshot wounds to the chest, according to a report from the coroner’s office.

The death is still under investigation, but police said they do not believe it is connected to other violent deaths the past several weeks, including two other shooting deaths last week. One of them was on Thanksgiving Day, when police found the charred remains of a man on Wardle Avenue.

Tribune accepting

annual Hope Chest gifts

The Tribune Chronicle is calling on the community to help those in need this holiday season by making donations to the newspaper’s Hope Chest Foundation.

The foundation, created in 1981, is primarily funded through contributions from the community and works through various community agencies to provide the help.

The foundation is a 501(c)3 registered charity; all donations are tax-deductible.

Between now and Christmas, a form will be published in the newspaper that can be clipped and mailed to the Tribune Chronicle Hope Chest Foundation at 240 Franklin St. SE, Warren, OH 44483.

Police: Toddler shoots

self in Columbus

COLUMBUS – Authorities say a 3-year-old boy is in stable condition after accidentally shooting himself inside his Columbus home.

The Columbus Dispatch reports the shooting happened just before 7 p.m. Thursday.

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Man robbed of $40 at gunpoint

WARREN – An 18-year-old city man told police he was robbed at gunpoint when a friend asked him to pick up another man 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Deer Run apartments.

Kerby Lee told police the man, who has not been charged, got into his car and then pointed a small silver revolver to his head.

He took $40 from Lee and then made him drive to Save-A-Lot, 1020 N. Park Ave. Lee got out of the car and started shouting, the report states. The man ran east.

Man kills ex’s boyfriend, self

COLUMBUS – Police in Columbus say a man who fatally shot his ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend later killed himself.

A report says 27-year-old Hector Flores was shot to death Wednesday night, his body found on the porch of a home on the city’s southeast side.

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Warren Mega Wash robbed Monday

WARREN – Following the armed robbery of Mega Wash, 2492 Youngstown Road, police said Wednesday they are working to identify the four men involved.

Employees of the car wash called police 6:21 p.m. Monday to report they were robbed by four masked men, according to a police report.

The men carried handguns, according to police radio traffic. The police report states $400 was taken.

Police use Taser on incoherent man

WARREN – Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of a 35-year-old Niles man charged with felony burglary after police responded to reports a man was taking off his clothes and following people used a Taser on him Tuesday.

Joshua Merrick, with addresses on Youll Street in Niles and Addison Road in Masury, was taken to Trumbull Memorial Hospital after the 9:40 a.m. incident, according to a police report.

Officers found Merrick at 1050 Central Parkway Avenue SE, and after speaking to him for a moment, he ignored their orders to stop as he went into the home, claiming his father lived there, the report states.

Merrick went into the house and a woman screamed, the report states. Police followed and used a Taser on him, hitting him with the probes in his back.

The homeowner, Robert Speicher, 66, told police Merrick had shown up before and broke a storm window on the porch.

In both incidents, police and Speicher said Merrick was rambling incoherently.

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Students uninjured in school bus crash

WARREN TOWNSHIP – Four Warren City school children escaped injuries Tuesday afternoon when their school bus was hit by a 1986 Chevrolet Blazer on Lovers Lane near West Market Street, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Amber Moyer, 35, was driving the bus north on Lovers Lane about 3:15 p.m. when it was hit by the southbound Blazer. The Blazer, driven by James Kovalak, 46, of Warren, had lost control and traveled left of center, according to the patrol.

The bus stopped in the middle of the roadway, and the Blazer went off the west side of the road, the patrol reported.

The four students were released to their parents.

Moyer was treated for minor injuries at the scene, and Kovalak was released from Trumbull Memorial Hospital with minor injuries, according to the report.

Kovalak was cited for failure to control his vehicle.

VCS plans expansion into Trumbull County

Youngstown-based Valley Christian Schools, which has four campuses in Mahoning County, will expand its footprint into Trumbull County for the 2016-17 school year, VCS President Michael Pecchia announced Tuesday.

The school at Warren First Assembly Church on Parkman Road NW will initially serve students in grades kindergarten to sixth, with plans to expand to seventh and eighth grades.

“We view this as a tremendous opportunity, and we look forward to providing families there with a high quality, Christian-based educational alternative,” Pecchia said.

Ex-lottery worker sentenced in ticket theft

YOUNGSTOWN – A former Ohio Lottery Commission employee has been sentenced to probation for stealing $115,000 in instant lottery tickets and cashing in winners.

Reports say a judge in Mahoning County ordered David Dragelevich on Monday to pay restitution and serve five years of probation.

An Ohio Inspector General’s office report released last May said Dragelevich would keep tickets returned from an unidentified retailer, then enter in a lottery database that they’d been resold and cash out winning tickets. The report says Dragelevich told State Highway Patrol investigators he cashed some tickets.

The 40-year-old man from Poland resigned from the lottery in January 2014.

Authorities say the scheme was uncovered after a supervisor found scratched-off instant tickets in his state-issued van.

Patrol: 9 deaths over Thanksgiving holiday

COLUMBUS – The State Highway Patrol says fewer motorists were killed on Ohio’s roadways over this year’s Thanksgiving holiday period than in recent years.

The patrol says provisional numbers show nine people were killed in seven crashes during the five-day reporting period from Wednesday, Nov. 25, until Sunday, Nov. 29. That was a decrease from the past three years. A patrol release says 23 people were killed in 2014, 17 were killed in 2013 and 12 were killed in 2012.

The patrol made 498 arrests for OVI and 688 for aggressive driving this year and issued more than 1,600 citations for not wearing safety belts. The arrests and citations increased from last year.

A complete statistical analysis of the patrol’s enforcement activity over the holiday weekend is available on the agency’s website.

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Veterans Resource Center opens today

WARREN – The grand opening and dedication of the Samuel E. Lanza Veterans Resource Center, 253 E. Market St., Warren, will be 11 a.m. today in the Paul E. Heltzel Community Room inside the center. The center houses the Trumbull County Veterans Service Commission.

BOE terminates school bus driver

AUSTINTOWN – The Austintown Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to terminate contracted employee Deborah Bundy during a special session called to discuss only that issue.

According to information released by Superintendent Vince Colaluca, Bundy was terminated due to inappropriate use of sick time. The firing is official retroactive to Aug. 24.

Local boy injured, taken to TMH

WARREN – Police have released few details about their investigation into a felonious assault that injured a 3-year-old boy over the weekend.

Police and an ambulance were called at 6:39 p.m. Saturday to 591 High St. The boy was “unresponsive and possibly not breathing,” according to a police report.

The ambulance took the boy to the emergency room at Trumbull Memorial Hospital, the report states. His condition is unknown.

Man was former security guard

COLUMBUS – Ohio State University says the ex-employee who killed himself inside a gallery at the campus’ contemporary art museum was a security guard who resigned in 2009 to avoid being fired.

In a statement Monday the university identified him as 63-year-old Dean Sturgis. The school says he had worked as an unarmed security guard, but no other details about his employment were released.

Sturgis apparently vandalized artwork before he shot himself. Wexner Center officials are still assessing the damage.

State reports $2.3B in unclaimed funds

COLUMBUS – State officials say unclaimed funds totaling $2.3 billion are waiting to be claimed in Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Unclaimed Funds says unclaimed funds are money or the right to money that may have been dormant in bank checking or savings accounts or forgotten.

Those who think they may have unclaimed funds can check the department’s website or call the state agency. There is no charge for checking for those funds.

Staff, wire reports