Tuesday, August 7, 2001
Blue jay testing
NEWTON FALLS -- The Trumbull County Health Department will send a dead blue jay to Columbus for testing.
A resident took the bird to the health department, which froze it for shipping to a lab at Ohio State University, said George Buccella, deputy county health commissioner.
Tests will be conducted to determine if the bird carried the West Nile Virus.
Last week, a bird found in Lake County tested positive for the disease, making it the first in the state.
Buccella said it takes at least 10 days to get test results. This is the first bird from the county sent in for testing.
The department has gotten calls about other dead birds, but birds must be reported within 48 hours of their deaths so they may be frozen to preserve them for testing, Buccella said.
Zoning amendments
MINERAL RIDGE -- Proposed amendments to Weathersfield Township's zoning ordinance will be considered at a zoning commission hearing at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the township administration building, 1451 Prospect St.
The change would allow township trustees to add two alternate members each to the zoning commission and the board of zoning appeals.
Sherri Craver, assistant zoning inspector, said the alternate members would have the power to sit in and replace an absent member on each of the two five-member boards if only three members attend, which would prevent having a quorum.
Trustees must approve the measure.
Weathersfield hearing
Mineral Ridge -- Weathersfield Township trustees have canceled their caucus for Thursday and will conduct a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 14 before their 7:30 p.m. regular meeting,
The hearing is on setting a uniform permit fee for gas and oil wells at $1,000 and requiring that a site drainage plan be submitted to the Trumbull County Engineer's Office.
The township board of zoning appeals approved the amendments in July, but they trustees also must approve them.
Abandoned 6-year-old
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A man baby-sitting his girlfriend's 6-year-old son is accused of abandoning the boy at a Union Township restaurant. Jeremy Lee Hurd, 19, of East Lutton Street, New Castle, faces a charge of endangering the welfare of a child after Pennsylvania State Police were called to McDonald's restaurant Wednesday. Matthew Mangino, Lawrence County district attorney, said when the child went to the bathroom at 9 a.m., Hurd and a 16-year-old juvenile drove off.
Hurd will appear before District Justice J.V. Lamb on Aug. 15 for his preliminary hearing.
Dealership vandalism
WARREN -- Toyota of Warren, 3810 Youngstown Road, reported to police that six cars were damaged there over the weekend.
Tires were slashed on five cars and the other had glass and body damage with a missing stereo.
Cortland equipment
CORTLAND -- City council agreed Monday to open bids for a new fire department ambulance at a cost between $75,000 and $90,000. The current ambulance will either be traded in or sold.
Council also agreed to pay All Doors and More $1,900 to paint the administration building.
School renovations
AUSTINTOWN -- The board of education will ask voters to allow it to borrow $42 million to pay for the construction of a junior high school and the renovation of Frank Ohl Middle School.
At a special meeting Monday, the board gave its first reading to a resolution to put a 3.9-mill, 26-year bond issue on the ballot this November.
The second reading will be during the board's regular meeting Aug. 21. A meeting also will be 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Fitch High School to organize the committees to run the bond issue campaign. All local residents are invited.
Indian artifacts show
NEWTON FALLS -- The park and recreation committee will have an Indian artifacts show Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. in the community center at 52 E. Quarry St.
Local collections will be displayed, and dealers will have authentic and replica items for sale. Indian dances will be performed.