Don L. Hanni III to file as school board write-in

Don L. Hanni III to fileas school board write-in
YOUNGSTOWN -- Don L. Hanni III, a former Youngstown Board of Education member, said he plans to run as a write-in candidate for an unexpired two-year term on the body. Ten candidates filed to run for three four-year terms up for grabs during the Nov. 6 election by Thursday's filing deadline, but no one submitted nominating petitions for a two-year unexpired term. The person with the most write-in votes will get that seat on the seven-member board.
Hanni resigned his seat on the school board in August 2000 in the middle of his third term and then moved out of the city. But Hanni said he moved back to Youngstown last week and enrolled his children in the city school district. He plans to file as a write-in candidate next week.
Those interested in becoming write-in candidates have until Sept. 17 to fill out the necessary form at the Mahoning County Board of Elections.
Man, 72, facesobstruction charges
YOUNGSTOWN -- Charges were filed this week against the 72-year-old man who scuffled with a city police officer July 13 at the scene of his wife's DUI arrest. Booker Mitchell of Shehy Street faces charges of obstructing official business and resisting arrest.
Mitchell slipped into a coma the day after the scuffle and remains hospitalized. His family accused the officer of brutality but an internal affairs investigation showed the officer acted professionally.
DUI checkpoint planned
BERLIN CENTER -- Mahoning County Sheriff's Department will set up a DUI checkpoint from 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday on Route 224 at the Berlin Lake causeway, officials said. It is the 12th checkpoint the department has had this year.
Judge clears man
YOUNGSTOWN -- A city man accused of ignoring a subpoena to testify in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court has been cleared. Judge R. Scott Krichbaum ruled Friday that authorities didn't prove Charles Scott, 19, was aware of the subpoena that was delivered to his Guadalupe Avenue address in July by deputy sheriffs. Because there was no proof that Scott knew of the court order, there was no proof that he defied it.
Scott is to testify Monday morning in the trial of Frederick Easterly, 19, of Gypsy Lane. Easterly is charged with murder in the Oct. 1, 2000, shooting death of 19-year-old Bert King of Lora Avenue. The trial began in July but had to be suspended because three witnesses for the prosecution did not show up to testify. Scott was one of those witnesses and was later picked up on a bench warrant. The other two witnesses still have not been found.
Conservation day slated
LOWELLVILLE -- The Lowellville Rod & amp; Gun Club will have a public conservation awareness day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at their Quarry Road clubhouse. The event includes free food, drinks, sporting events, games, trophies and door prizes, and is open to the public.
Firearm charge
CLEVELAND -- A federal grand jury has indicted Bruce Clinkscale, 29, of South Avenue and charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine.
The charge states that Clinkscale possessed a weapon May 18, after being convicted of carrying a concealed weapon and attempted child endangering in April 1997.
Charges transferred
YOUNGSTOWN -- Charges against 47-year-old Peter A. Polando of Noel Drive, a Champion teacher, that were set in Municipal Judge Robert A. Douglas' court have been transferred to drug court, the judge's office said.
Police arrested Polando Aug. 1 in the Westlake housing projects on the North Side on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia (glass crack pipe), resisting arrest and criminal trespass. Police had warned Polando in June to stay away from Westlake.
In an effort to prevent drug sales, police closely monitor visitors to the complex. Polando has been a middle school teacher for five years.
Drought watch expands
HARRISBURG (AP) -- The state Department of Environmental Protection expanded a drought watch Friday to include 22 more Pennsylvania counties, including Mercer, bringing to 45 the total number of counties encouraged to restrict their water usage.
Counties affected by Friday's announcement are Armstrong, Berks, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango and Warren.
A drought watch calls for a voluntary 5 percent reduction in nonessential water use. It is the first of three stages under the state's drought-response plan. The second stage, a drought warning, calls for a 10 percent to 15 percent voluntary reduction.