News

Convicted sex offender will be retried on other counts

Local News July 23, 2026

WARREN — The Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that it plans to retry Danny McFadden, 76, of Niles, on 17 charges of child rape that a jury was unable to reach a verdict on during his Nov. 7 trial. A news release from the prosecutor’s office states that the Ohio 11th District Court of Appeals dismissed McFadden’s appeal of his conviction on 11 counts of gross sexual imposition for which he was sentenced to 11.5 years in prison on Dec. 17 by Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Cynthia Westcott. He also was declared a Tier 2 sexual offender, meaning he must ...

Surveying the damage

Liberty police file charges against ex-booster president

Local News July 23, 2026

Staff report LIBERTY — The Liberty Police Department has filed criminal charges against Christina Marie Merrick, 48, former president of the Liberty Local School District’s wrestling and soccer booster programs, following an investigation into embezzled funds. Liberty police Chief Ray Buhala said Merrick, of Liberty, has been charged with two counts of theft — fourth- and fifth-degree felonies — and misuse of credit cards in connection with the theft of approximately $40,000 from the booster organizations’ accounts. The investigation was launched in June after board ...

Grants, ARP funds to help with $3.4M Weathersfield sewer project

Local News July 23, 2026

NILES — Trumbull County Commissioners said they have secured as many grants and other funding for a $3.4 million sanitary sewer improvement project in the Crain Drive neighborhood in Weathersfield as they could, but residents will still have to pay their share to tap into the ...

Warren council tables data center ban

Earnings report

Business July 23, 2026

Farmers National Banc Corp. Farmers National Banc Corp. on Wednesday reported net income of $23 million, or $0.39 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2026 compared to $13.9 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2025. Net income in the second quarter of 2026 included $1.7 million of expense related to the March 2 acquisition of Middlefield Banc Corp. (Middlefield) and core conversion costs. Excluding these items (non-GAAP), adjusted net income for the second quarter of 2026 was $24.4 million, or $0.41 per diluted share. “I am extremely pleased ...