News

Howland board hears busing update

Local News July 2, 2026

HOWLAND — The upcoming school year is still two months away, and the district is hoping to have its transportation plans ironed out before then, the Howland Board of Education learned Monday. Superintendent Kevin Spicher reiterated how pleased school officials were with Charles Mendenhall, the district’s transportation supervisor. “We’re really appreciative of the way he’s come in and really worked to bring together some of the things and needs that we have,” Spicher said. “It doesn’t hurt that he’s a retired state trooper, because that’s really helped with our ...

Annexation issue slows Scott Street sewer work

Local News July 2, 2026

NEWTON FALLS — Newton Township trustees, the county engineer’s office and the county planning commission took their concerns to village officials Wednesday about Scott Street residents having to annex into the village to receive sewer service. Trustee Chairman Pete Augusta said a meeting took place in April 2022 between the township and the village over the Scott Street project and it was never stated that residents of Scott Street who live in the township would have to annex into the village to receive the utility service. Fifteen officials from the township, county officials ...

Liberty police search for suspect in dirt bike chase

Local News July 2, 2026

LIBERTY — Township police are looking for a suspect in a chase that ended with the person fleeing into a wooded area on foot after crashing a dirt bike early Wednesday. According to a police report, an officer traveling southbound on Belmont Avenue spotted a man riding a black dirt bike northbound with no taillights or license plate. The officer turned around and attempted to initiate a traffic stop in the Churchill Hubbard Road PNC Bank parking lot, but the rider looked back and fled, according to the report. The pursuit wound through several local areas, with the rider ...

Giant Eagle becomes part of Kroger in $1.65B deal

Business July 2, 2026

Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. announced Wednesday the $1.65 billion acquisition of Giant Eagle stores and its private label ventures. An unknown number of Giant Eagle stores will be dropped from its current roster of 197 to obtain federal regulatory approval, Kroger said in a joint news release. Giant Eagle operates 11 stores in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties and 87 in Ohio, according to real-time inventory tracker storelocators.com. Previously, Kroger sought to acquire national grocer Albersons in a $25 billion merger. The effort failed in late 2024 as it faced Federal ...

Brookfield can begin road improvements

Local News July 2, 2026

WARREN — Brookfield trustees will be able to upgrade three unimproved roads after the Trumbull County Commissioners accepted the roads into the county highway system at Wednesday’s commissioners meeting. The roads — Cherry and Owsley streets, as well as Wahabe Court — are planned to receive significant improvements. Two are now dirt roads. Brookfield trustee Dan Suttles said the township passed its first ever levy for road improvements in 2022. The 3.5-mill levy raises about $489,000 a year. “Prior to that we did not have a way to pave roads,” he said. “We promised ...