Rekindled Spirits

Rekindled Spirits
How have the events of Sept. 11 and afterward rekindled your giving spirit, or that of someone you know, this season? Let us know of any special efforts being made to brighten people's holidays, and we'll pick a week's worth of stories to bring readers right up to Christmas Eve. Contact The Vindicator Regional Desk by Dec. 10 at news@vindy.com or P.O. Box 780, Youngstown, OH 44501-0780. No phone calls, please.
Christmas party
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown Lions Club is having its 81st annual Christmas party for about 185 visually impaired and special needs students and clients of Goodwill Industries at noon Tuesday at the Saxon Club, 710 S. Meridian Road. Included in the activities will be the presentation of the $4,200 Pauline Powers Scholarship to Kimberly Grace Wright of New Waterford, a student majoring in special education and social studies at Youngstown State University. There also will be an appearance by Santa Claus, who will give presents to the children.
Stoppage on turnpike
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Weather permitting, traffic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) will be stopped periodically between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday near Milepost 7.2 in Lawrence County so crews can remove steel girders from an overhead bridge that will be replaced.
It is expected that four stoppages, two for westbound traffic and two for eastbound traffic, will be required. Work on the westbound side will precede work on the eastbound side. Stoppages are not to exceed 30 minutes.
Single-lane restrictions also will be put into effect as needed, starting around 5:30 a.m. for westbound traffic, to allow workers to position the crane that will be used to remove the girders.
The construction site is in New Beaver Borough, where Pa. Route 168 crosses over the turnpike. Route 168 has been closed there since Oct. 11 and will remain closed until late June 2002.
The bridge replacement project is contracted to M.A. Beech Corp. of Carnegie for $2.6 million. It is the initial phase of an extensive reconstruction and widening of Interstate 76 between the Gateway toll barrier and Milepost 10.