Halfway house inmate fails to return

Halfway house inmatefails to return
BEAVER, Pa. -- A 23-year-old New Castle, Pa., man escaped from the Penn Pavilion halfway house, 701 Penn Ave., late Friday evening.
Police reports say Jason D. Sims of Halco Street did not return to the facility as expected at 10:45 p.m. after attending a narcotics anonymous meeting.
Sims was being held in the facility on a delivery of a controlled substance conviction.
Lark Enterprisesgives out awards
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lark Enterprises Inc., an agency that provides jobs and job training for people with developmental disabilities, recently gave out awards to its participants.
Jerry Brightshue was named client of the year for facility-based programs. Brightshue works in Lark's food service department and was given the award for his versatility and willingness to try new jobs.
Keith Perotta was given the Richard D. Furlong Memorial Award for his work ethic as part of Lark's mobile janitorial crew.
Karen Quigley received the Loretta Gorgacz Memorial Award for her three years of successful employment at a local hospital.
Road to be closed
HILLSVILLE, Pa. -- East River Road between state Route 551 and Jacobson Road will be closed each day from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday while township road crews replace a culvert pipe.
Reading program
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The New Castle Public Library summer reading program for children will have some special guests this week. The WKBN-TV news anchor team will greet, meet and read to the children at 10 a.m. Friday.
Parents are asked to sign permission forms for the program to allow their children to appear on television. For details, call the library at (724) 658-6659.
Sworn in
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Amy Elizabeth Shea was sworn in last week as the Democratic jury commissioner in Lawrence County.
Shea, who was the top vote-getter in the spring primary election, was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Thomas George, who died in January. Shea will take her elected position as jury commissioner in January.
Fireworks festival
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Dunk your favorite local official while the kids enjoy the new giant slide and giraffe jump at the annual fireworks festival Saturday.
The festival will be from 3 to 10 p.m. on the south side of the Columbus Inner Belt, directly behind the Cascade Galleria. Local people in the dunking booth will be Mayor Timothy Fulkerson, Police Chief Victor Cubellis, Lawrence County Commissioner Roger DeCarbo and Jack Mahaven, director of city code enforcement.
There will be other games and free children's activities. Food and craft vendors will also be set up. Fireworks will be presented by city Councilman Stephen Vitale's company, Pyrotecnico.