Assault case

Assault case
YOUNGSTOWN -- Reuben L. Smith, 44, accused of beating Youngstown schools Superintendent Ben McGee, will be back in municipal court Jan. 17 for a preliminary hearing on a felonious assault charge and a pretrial hearing on a misdemeanor aggravated menacing charge.
Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr. set bond at $1,000 on the misdemeanor, with 10 percent allowed to be posted. Records don't show a bond set for the felony.
McGee told police that Smith, of Lakewood Avenue, hit him in the school board parking lot Monday morning.
Weekly meetings
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- It's going to be a step backward for the Lawrence County commissioners in 2002. They agreed to go back to weekly meetings next year.
Commissioners had changed their meeting schedule to have public meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month in 2001. Commissioners said they have had requests to go back to weekly meetings by residents who attend the meetings, however. Next year commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. each Tuesday for their regular meetings. Caucus meetings, at which the agenda for regular meetings is set, will be at 10 a.m. Thursdays.
Off-duty cop hurt
SHARON, Pa. -- An off-duty Shenango Township police officer was injured when he drove his car through the side of a building at 530 S. Dock Street around 2:45 a.m. today. Police said Gary M. Palko, 35, of Roemer Boulevard, Farrell, suffered face and head injuries and was taken to UPMC Horizon in Farrell, where he was listed in good condition this morning. Police said Palko was southbound on Dock Street when his car veered off the road and slammed through the north wall of the Trinetics Group Inc. building. Police said the car traveled 80 feet through the building, coming to a stop at the south wall.
Downtown fix-up
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City council is expected to approve a $3.5 million contract with Terreri Construction Co. Inc. of North Jackson, Ohio, at a meeting Thursday.
Terreri was the low bidder for the first phase of work on downtown redevelopment which will include resurfacing streets, new sidewalks, curbs, lighting, parking and parking meters.
The work is part of a public-private redevelopment effort to bring more business to downtown.
Council members are also expected to vote on a proposed pay increase for council and the mayor. Councilman Mark Elisco has proposed increasing council pay from $2,400 per year to $5,000 per year and increasing the mayor's yearly salary from $44,331 to $55,000.
Child-sex charges
HERMITAGE, Pa. --Aaron J. Flowers, 19, of Seneca Road, Sharpsville, was freed on his own recognizance Tuesday following arraignment on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault and unlawful communications with a minor.
Police said Flowers contacted an 11-year-old Hermitage girl in an Internet chat room and arraigned to meet her in August.
Bond set in homicide
YOUNGSTOWN -- A municipal judge set bond at $10,000 cash or surety for Lorin N. Charlton, 20, of East Midlothian Boulevard on misdemeanor charges of negligent homicide and improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.
Municipal Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr. also set a pretrial for Jan. 8.
Charlton is accused of shooting his twin brother, Lawrence, as the two rode in a car early Tuesday on the South Side. Loren Charlton told police the shooting was accidental.
Late finance reports
WARREN -- William Jobe, whose examination of Trumbull County Sheriff Thomas Altiere's campaign finances ended with hearings before Ohio Election Commission, is now on the election commission agenda himself.
The Trumbull County Board of Elections has filed a complaint against Jobe for submitting pre-general election campaign finance reports one day late during his unsuccessful bid for Howland trustee.
The case will be heard by the commission Dec. 20.
Car break-ins
HUBBARD -- City police report a rash of car break-ins in the past two days.
A police spokesman said money and CDs were taken from seven cars.
Most of the cars were left unlocked.