Breaking News

Surveying the damage

LIBERTY — Ziba and Christina Watson of Youngstown-Hubbard Road lost about 10 trees in Tuesday night’s tornado, with two of them across their driveway. The National Weather Service asked them not to move or clean up the damage until after the agency viewed their property Wednesday to ...

Liberty police file charges against ex-booster president

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 ...

Warren council tables data center ban

WARREN — City Council on Wednesday unanimously tabled legislation introduced by Councilwoman Helen Rucker, D-at Large, that would have permanently banned new data centers within city limits. The measure would prohibit the granting or issuing of any new permits for data centers inside Warren’s corporate boundaries. Council members voted to table it Wednesday after discussions in caucus ahead of the regular meeting to have meetings during the August break before reconvening when council is back in session. “It’s important to me that we know more about data centers. ... The ...

Earnings report

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 ...

Commissioners approve reappropriating TNP funds

WARREN — The Trumbull County Commissioners on Wednesday approved moving $325,000 from Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership’s demolition funds to its Emergency Home Repair program. TNP received $1 million from Trumbull County’s allocation of American Rescue Plan funds for its emergency home repair program and another $2 million in ARP funds for demolition and brownfield remediation in conjunction with the Trumbull County Land Bank. TNP Executive Director Matt Martin during the commissioners workshop on Tuesday told them his organization in December requested $900,000 be moved from ...