Siblings are crowned junior fair king, queen

Siblings are crownedjunior fair king, queen
BAZETTA -- Howland siblings are junior fair king and queen at the Trumbull County Fair.
William, 16, and Ann Bauer, 18, were crowned in ceremonies on the Historical Village stage at the fairgrounds Monday night.
Both home-schooled, the brother and sister have been active members of the junior fair board for several years.
Ann has been involved in 4-H since age 7, showing rabbits, arts and crafts, sewing and, this year, amphibians.
William has been involved in 4-H Imagineers and Krafty Kids programs, and this year is competing in small animal judging with his pet iquana.
Part of their duties as king and queen will be presenting ribbons and trophies to other fair competition winners.
The fair began with harness racing Sunday and Monday and officially opened this morning. It runs through this Sunday.
Howland school districtadopts new policies
HOWLAND -- The board of education is considering formalizing an unwritten policy forbidding home-schooled pupils from participating in district extracurricular activities.
Superintendent John Rubesich estimated that there are two or three dozen home-schooled students in the district. "Most people who are home-schooling are doing it for the right reasons and don't look to the school to provide extracurricular activities," he said.
He said having children come and go from school building for activities like band or chorus could be disruptive, and that there was no way to assure home-schooled pupils meet the district guidelines for athletic participation.
Howland does not accept out-of-district pupils, but the board also is considering a policy that would allow high school students whose parents moved out of the district before their senior year to apply to remain and graduate from Howland High School.
The policy would apply to two students this year, Rubesich said.
Another policy change, to keep international exchange students from holding school athletic records, was also discussed.
If this policy were adopted by the board, local students would be listed as the record-holder and exchange students' achievements would be listed separately, Rubesich said.
Action could be taken on the policies at the board's July 23 meeting.
Fire destroys center
WARREN -- Firefighters are investigating a blaze that destroyed Community Solutions, 720 Pine Street about 1:12 a.m. today.
Community Solutions provides counseling and other services to residents and is funded by state and federal grants.
Firefighters said they believe the fire started in the ceiling of the one-story frame building.
Returning black bearshot and killed
ASHTABULA -- What state officials described as a "marauding" black bear was shot and killed by a wildlife officer Sunday.
The Ohio Division of Wildlife said Monday the 180-pound bear, estimated to be about 18 months old, had yellow ear tags identifying it as the bear that was moved from Mahoning County to a remote area just last month.
Officials say it is not unusual for a bear to travel up to 20 miles a day.
Sunday was the second time this bear was caught roaming in a populated area, indicating it had lost much of its fear of humans. The officer determined that the bear posed a significant risk, the division said.
Black bear sightings are becoming more common in Ohio. Officials ask that anyone seeing one should take a photo of it, if possible, and notify the division.
People should keep a safe distance and not leave food for it.
Counterfeit bill
SHARON, Pa. -- A counterfeit $20 bill used at a newsstand in Sharon has been traced to a gas station in Brookfield.
A man used the bill at the Korner News Stand, 54 W. State St., around 9 a.m. Monday.
The man who spent it is a resident of a group home in Sharon and had been given the money as an allowance, police said.
Home supervisors told police they got the bill at a gas station on U.S. Route 62 in Brookfield.