Fire hits carwash in Sharpsville

Fire hits carwashin Sharpsville
SHARPSVILLE, Pa. -- Damage is expected to exceed $50,000 in a fire that gutted a portion of Ken's Car Wash at 2128 Buckeye Drive in South Pymatuning Township.
Fire Chief Jerry Zahnizer said the fire started in an equipment room in the carwash around 3:30 p.m. Thursday. The business is owned by Dick Loutzenhiser of Greenville. The chief said a state police fire marshal ruled that the fire was an accident that was electrical in origin.
Sharpsville firefighters assisted South Pymatuning. No one was hurt.
New Castle councilweighs pay raises
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City council members will consider raising their salaries and the mayor's yearly pay. Councilman Mark Elisco introduced the pay increase Thursday. It would take effect in 2004. Elisco wants to increase city council pay from $2,400 to $5,000 per year. The council president would earn $5,300 per year under the proposal. The mayor's salary would also go up to $55,000 a year from $44,331. Council is expected to vote on the pay increases at its Dec. 20 meeting.
Accident injuresHermitage woman
SHARON, Pa. -- Louise Saborsky, 79, of Oakview Drive, Hermitage, was in fair condition today in Sharon Regional Health System after a four-car accident at Smith Avenue and the Shenango Valley Freeway around 3:15 p.m. Thursday. Police have charged her with making an improper left turn, which caused the accident. Police said she was eastbound on the Freeway and tried to make a left turn onto Smith Avenue. Her car collided with a westbound vehicle and sent it spinning into a third vehicle stopped on Smith Avenue facing south. Saborsky's car did a complete spin and struck another eastbound vehicle, police said. The accident shut down the freeway for nearly an hour, but no one else suffered injuries requiring hospital treatment.
Arrested in break-in
SHARON, Pa. -- Police arrested a Hermitage man accused of breaking into and damaging a former girlfriend's apartment on Sterling Avenue on Aug. 31. He is also accused of taking $100, police said. Calvin Wade Jr., 27, of Bolde Drive, was picked up by Southwest Mercer County Regional Police on Thursday for a traffic warrant, and they learned he was wanted on a warrant in Sharon on burglary and theft charges.
Greenville burglary
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Police found the back door of the Country Hair Shak at 15 Canal St. kicked open around 2:45 a.m. today. A computer, keyboard, printer and cash were taken, police said.
Library grant resources
YOUNGSTOWN -- Representatives of nonprofit organizations can learn more about library resources and grant-seeking in a Grant Center orientation program scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Public Library Youngstown & amp; Mahoning County's meeting room, 305 Wick Ave.
The program, a basic orientation to the center's collection of grant materials, is free. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (330) 744-8636 and pressing "2" at the phone prompt for reference information.
Tax lien notification
YOUNGSTOWN -- About 2,100 property owners who are delinquent in paying property taxes will be notified this week that the land will be included in a tax lien sale, said Mahoning County Treasurer John Reardon. The county will sell the county's lien against the delinquent property to a private investor for the full amount of back taxes plus an administrative fee.
In turn, the buyer will either collect from the land owner within a year, or have the right to foreclose on the property to recoup his or her investment. The total taxes owed on the affected property is about $3.6 million, Reardon said. The sale is tentatively scheduled for February.
Boot camp for dads
YOUNGSTOWN -- St. Elizabeth Health Center's Boot Camp for New Dads will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the hospital, 1044 Belmont Ave. The program pairs dads-to-be with "veteran" dads for training and advice. Call (330) 480-5367 for more details.
Pain management
NILES -- St. Joseph Health Center's Pain Management Center is offering a symposium for surgeons, neurologists and medical internists from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Alberini's Restaurant, 1201 Youngstown-Warren Road. Call (330) 841-4032 for more details.