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Niles Times

The work of Bruce Stepan Jr. is featured in an exhibition at the Art Outreach Gallery. The Youngstown artist, who majored in studio art at Youngstown State University and pursued his master’s degree at Michigan State University, is influenced by horror and comic book culture as well as such 1990s cartoons as “Ren & Stimpy” and “Beavis & Butthead.” Stepan’s panel paintings simultaneously echo and parody the works of historic Flemish artists, while his stylized figures reference modern day alternative comic illustration as well as contemporary figurative painting. Stepan ...

Church accepting King Food orders

New Hope United Methodist Church, 21 Fairview Ave., Niles, is accepting orders for King Foods, formerly Smart Food Choice, with cash, check, money order or EBT card 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 16. Orders also will be taken 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. Jan. 17 at Niles Community Services, 401 Vienna Ave., Niles. Options include meat, seafood and vegetables, dessert, kid’s box, mini box, fish box, tree of life box and a super party box. Prices range from $25 to $45. There are no income requirements or guidelines. Mail orders will be accepted with payment to Jan. 13. Send payment made out to ...

Niles students ready to compete

NILES — Several Niles McKinley High School students will have their artwork entered into the Northeastern Ohio Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition Jan. 7 to 29 at Youngstown State University. The awards ceremony is set for noon Jan. 14 for high school students and 1:30 p.m. for middle school students in Bliss Hall, where the artwork will be featured on the second-floor gallery and the fourth-floor hallway. The Scholastic Art Awards program is the largest annual student art competition in the United States. Founded in 1927 by Scholastic Inc., the awards program is dedicated to ...

4 Niles officials announce exit plans

NILES — City Council’s passage of 14 pieces of legislation during the last meeting of the year, including several items that move the fiscal recovery plan forward, was overshadowed by four city officials announcing their exit plans. Council President Robert Marino and councilmen Stephen Papalas, D-at Large, and Frank Pezzano, D-1st Ward, announced they would not be seeking another term but will continue in their positions through next year. Law Director J. Terrence Dull announced he would retire in February because of health issues. The council members cited family ...

Recovery plan gets approval

NILES — If the latest version of the fiscal recovery plan is adhered to, the city could be financially solvent and start moving out of fiscal emergency next year, Mayor Tom Scarnecchia said. The state-appointed fiscal commission overseeing the city’s financial recovery voted Dec. 21 to approve the administration’s latest amendments to the plan, which includes 12 new points. Commissioner Quentin Potter said if things go well early next year, the commission could start meeting every other month and then once a quarter instead of monthly. Although the city’s general fund is ...

McDonald board names new member

McDONALD — The McDonald Board of Education Dec. 19 named Wendy Higgins to fill a vacancy on the board left by the resignation last month of Kevin O’Connell. Higgins, who was selected from six applicants, is a teacher in Salem City School District and will serve through December 2017. If she chooses to fill the remaining two years of O’Connell’s term through December 2019, she will need to run as a candidate in the November 2017 election. O’Connell had completed the first year of a four-year term after winning re-election in November 2015 and was serving as board ...