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Niles Times

School collects pennies for a cause

MINERAL RIDGE — Elementary school students and staff are using their pennies to fund cancer research. Seaborn Elementary School is partnering with the American Cancer Society Niles Relay For Life in a school-wide penny collection. Jim Aleshire, Niles Relay For Life sponsorship and recruitment chair, developed a “fun but serious” contest, with help from Principal T.J. Koniowsky, for students to raise money for ACS. Since November, collection buckets were placed in 21 homerooms throughout the building, with the hope students would get involved and donate. Whether it’s ...

Opening communication over coffee

NILES — Local residents were given the chance to speak with police from area departments at a Coffee with a Cop event March 1 at the city wellness center. The free event was hosted by the General Federation of Women’s Club Ohio Warren Junior Women’s League. Officers from Niles, Girard, Weathersfield and Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office attended to answer questions and hear suggestions from attendees. Niles police Lt. Jim Villecco said he received questions about his job and also about different crimes in the area, including breaking and enterings to a recent shooting in ...

Cameras installed at gas pumps

NILES — The meter reader fired after he was accused of improperly using the pumps was reinstated, and cameras have been installed at the city’s fill-up station. Although there were cameras at the station Jan. 20 and Jan. 31, when Matthew Marrara, 53, is accused of allowing his brother use his city gasoline allowance, they were not working. The report led to new $2,000 digital zoom cameras installed last week by the city’s information technology supervisor, Mike Dibble. Fired in February, Marrara was brought back Monday after Mayor Tom Scarnecchia heard a grievance filed by ...

Law chief resigns

NILES — The Niles city prosecutor became the interim law director March 1. J. Terrence Dull resigned from the position effective March 1 after citing health concerns in December. Terry Swauger, the city’s prosecutor, is acting interim law director. Both positions are part time. Because the city’s law director is elected by voters, the Niles Democratic Central Committee will meet to appoint a new director before 45 days have passed since Dull’s resignation. Swauger said he intends on submitting a letter of intent to the Trumbull County Democratic Party for consideration ...

Remembering former Niles chief

NILES — Friends and co-workers are remembering former longtime fire Chief Charles L. Semple, 79, who died Feb. 20 at Trumbull Memorial Hospital, as a leader who who cared about his city and firefighters long after retirement. Fire Capt. Todd Thomas said Semple was a city firefighter for 39 years, serving 22 years as chief. “He was a good man, who always cared about the guys and asked after them even after he retired. If someone got hurt, he was the first to call and would show up at the hospital,” Thomas said. Semple oversaw the response to the May 1985 tornado. “It ...

New Niles service director is familiar

NILES — City Council by a 6-1 vote Monday gave final approval to reinstate the part-time safety director positions, with retired police officer George Kaniclides appointed to the post by Mayor Thomas Scarnecchia. Because the safety director positions was previously dissolved, council officially had to act to bring it back. On Friday, Scarnecchia named former city councilman Edward Stredney as the new full-time service director. Council met in special session, voting 6-0 to place into first reading legislation to re-establish the separate positions of safety director and service ...