Woman files lawsuit over traffic accident

Woman files lawsuitover traffic accident
SALEM -- A Washingtonville woman is suing the Salem school board and the Salem Salvation Army over a traffic accident.
In a suit filed in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, Barbara Hull, 155 Chris Ave., describes herself as "next best friend" for Rickey Jones Jr.
The suit alleges that Rickey was injured in a February 2000 traffic accident caused by the negligence of a Prospect Elementary School teacher and the Salvation Army.
Rickey, a Prospect pupil, was struck by a vehicle when a Salvation Army driver arrived at the school and motioned the boy to cross the street to board the Salvation Army vehicle, which was to take him to an after-school activity, the suit alleges. The driver and a Prospect teacher were negligent in failing to ensure it was safe to cross the street, the suit says.
Rickey suffered broken bones and contusions. The suit seeks unspecified damages.
Officials from the school district and Salvation Army declined to comment.
Area United Way hitsthree-fourths of goal
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The Lawrence County United Way has reached 76 percent of its 2002 fund-raising goal.
Gayle Young, executive director, said volunteers reported this week that $548,352 of the $720,000 goal has been met. She believes an effort by the United Way to share stories of people who benefit from its services has helped with the fund-raising drive.
Veterans Day program
BELOIT -- State Rep. John Boccieri, a captain in the Air Force Reserve, will be the keynote speaker at a Veterans Day assembly at 8 a.m. Monday at West Branch High School.
The public is invited to the program, which will also include music by the high school show choir and band and readings of poems written by West Branch students.
Injured in accident
MERCER, Pa. -- State police said Ashley McFarland, 19, of New Wilmington, was seriously injured when her small sport utility vehicle ran off Bend Road in Lackawannock Township.
Police said McFarland, who wasn't wearing a seat belt, was southbound around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday when she lost control of her vehicle on the wet road. It ran into the ditch and rolled over three times before striking a truck parked in a driveway.
McFarland was thrown about 60 feet from the vehicle as it rolled over, police said. She was in stable condition this morning in the intensive care unit of UPMC Horizon in Farrell.
Grants for pavilions
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City council accepted two state grants that will be used to build new pavilions in the city.
Council authorized the mayor and city controller to accept a $10,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to build a pavilion at Sylvan Heights Golf Course. A second grant from the agency, $5,000, will be used to build a community shelter at the Clayton Street Playground.
State Sen. Gerald LaValle of Rochester, D-47th, and state Rep. Chris Sainato of New Castle, D-9th, secured the state money for the city.
Council also approved two applications for fa & ccedil;ade improvements to Butz Flowers and The Hudson Lunch, both on East Washington Street. Both businesses will receive up to $20,000 from the city.
Water-pump problems
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- The manufacturer of a new water pump that failed twice after being installed at the Greenville Municipal Authority's water filtration plant was scheduled to take another look at the problem today.
The authority has been on a water shortage alert since its old pump failed Oct. 26. The new pump arrived and was installed Monday but failed immediately. It was put back on line Wednesday but shut down again, leaving the authority to rely on a portable pump to draw water from the Shenango River.
Despite a lower-than-normal production, water levels in the authority's reservoirs were nearly back to normal today as water customers continued to curtail water usage. The authority has brought in portable water tanks to supply people with drinking and cooking water, if needed. A boil-water notice remained in effect for tap water.