Crossing guard injured

Crossing guard injured
NILES -- A school crossing guard was treated at St. Joseph Health Center after being struck by a car. Kathleen Profato, 53, Mill Creek Drive, was crossing children in the north crossing of state Route 46 and Washington on Monday morning. A vehicle driven by Gary P. Constantino, Highland S.W., Warren, was making a left turn from Washington onto Route 46. He said he didn't see people in the crosswalk because of the sun. Constantino's vehicle struck Profato as she moved children out of the way. Constantino was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian.
Pearl Street worries
CORTLAND -- A meeting will be held soon to discuss safety concerns about Pearl Street. Mayor Melissa Long told city council during Monday's regular meeting that an exact date has not been set but she hoped the meeting will take place later this month. Lakeview schools officials are concerned because the street runs next to the playground at Cortland Elementary. School officials had wanted a portion of the street closed but council recently rejected that idea.
Police chase, arrest
CORTLAND -- City police arrested a 42-year-old man after a 30-minute chase. Michael J. Millero of Brook Drive, Brookfield, is charged with reckless operation, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, and fleeing and eluding. Millero is in the county jail and will appear in Central District Court on Wednesday. Reports state that police in Sharon, Pa., began chasing Millero around 2 a.m. today after a routine traffic stop. Millero ended up in Cortland and city police followed him into Warren. Millero was stopped on Youngstown-Warren Road around 2:30 a.m., officials said.
Candle suspected in fire
CHAMPION -- Firefighters believe an unattended candle caused a house fire at 7070 Mahoning Ave. Reports state the blaze started around 4:05 a.m. today. A man who lives at the ranch-style home was able to escape. No injuries were reported. Reports state the fire caused about $12,000 worth of damage.
Successful recycling
CHAMPION -- Elizabeth Cianciola of the Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District told township trustees Monday that a recycling bin at the Champion Alva Avenue site has been emptied 78 times since Jan. 1 and had collected 140 tons of recyclable material. Besides aluminum and tin cans, glass bottles and jars, plastics and newspapers (placed in paper bags with glossy inserts removed), the Champion drop-off site also takes magazines.
Arrested in thefts
AUSTINTOWN -- A 70-year-old Birchwood Drive man was arrested Friday afternoon after being accused of stealing Christmas decorations from two discount stores on Mahoning Avenue. He is charged by police with two counts of theft. A Wal-Mart employee told police the man walked into her store at about 2:05 p.m. and picked up an empty Wal-Mart bag. He then placed six boxes of Christmas ornaments and two paper cardinal decorations in the bag and walked out of the store, the employee said. At 2:30 p.m., police received a report that the man tried to take two packages of ornament hangers and two extension cords from Kmart. He was confronted by police in the Kmart parking lot.
Man hurt in fight
AUSTINTOWN -- Police are trying to determine how a Kirk Road man ended up in Forum Health Northside Medical Center on Saturday morning. Michael Simkins, 24, is in serious condition. A nurse told police that Simkins was admitted at 7 a.m. Saturday after an assault. A man who was with Simkins before he was admitted told police that Simkins may have been involved in a fight over a woman.
Schoolboy with knife
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 13-year-old Hillman Middle School boy was taken to the juvenile justice center Monday after a utility tool with a 3-inch fold-out knife was found on him. The East Ravenwood Avenue boy told the principal that he brought the tool to school to help a friend fix a bike. The boy had been seen pulling the weapon out of his pocket in the cafeteria. Police arrested him on a charge of conveyance of a dangerous ordnance onto school property.