Employees to get raises

Employees to get raises
LISBON -- Columbiana County Sheriff Department employees are receiving a one-year, 4.5-percent pay raise retroactive to Jan. 1, which is when their contract expired. The raise is part of a new three-year contract that includes a provision allowing wage negotiations to be reopened in 2002 and 2003, Sheriff Dave Smith said. The pact affects about 25 employees, including deputies. With the pay raise in place, deputies with at least five years' experience will earn $15.98 an hour. Beginning deputies will make $11.08 an hour.
Charging fees for loans
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- People wanting to take advantage of the city's low-interest loan programs will have to start paying fees. Council members decided this week to charge a $100 fee for anyone applying for an Enterprise Zone Loan and a $25 fee for Small Business and Renaissance program loans. Both will also have a 5-percent closing fee. City Administrator John DiMuccio said the fees are needed to pay for the time and effort the city staff puts into preparing the loan documents. Council also has agreed to take over ownership and maintenance of parts of East Washington, West Washington and North Mill streets from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The state will pay the city $100,800 to take over the streets. The money from the state, which is a one-time payment, will be used to improve the streets, he said.
Man wanted in N.C.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A 21-year-old New Springfield, Ohio, man was in Lawrence County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond, pending extradition to North Carolina on a statutory rape charge, after state police arrested himThursday afternoon at his workplace along Wilmington Road, Neshannock Township.
Jonathan Ray Tamayo of Woodworth Road was wanted by North Carolina authorities on felony warrants charging him with statutory rape and contributing to the delinquency of a minor dating back to 1998.
Marriage fraud charge
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- A 29-year-old city man was arrested Thursday on a federal indictment charging him with one count of marriage fraud, three counts of immigration documents fraud and two counts of making false statements to a federal agent.
The indictment says Narinder Pal Chahal married a U.S. citizen in September 1997 so he could become a legal permanent U.S. resident and made false statements about the purpose of the marriage on an application to adjust his immigration status.
It also says he falsely claimed a marital residence in Cleveland and falsely denied paying his wife to enter into the marriage. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Cleveland is prosecuting the case.
Golf course gets bid
WARREN -- Yankee Run Golf Course was the successful bidder for a Trumbull County-owned property on Warren-Sharon Road, which had housed eastern district court. County commissioners accepted the golf course's bid of $50,001 on Wednesday.
Man, aunt to stand trial
SHARON, Pa. -- A city man and his aunt, who are accused of injuring four city police officers, have been ordered to stand trial.
Police said the officers were hurt when they attempted to arrest Octavius Clark, 23, of Prindle Street, Sharon, on July 19. Clark was wanted on a bench warrant and was a suspect in a hit-and-run accident earlier that day.
Clark faced charges of aggravated assault, rioting, resisting arrest, accidents involving death or personal injury, damaging an attended vehicle, disorderly conduct and numerous traffic violations.
They also charged his aunt, Mary Rice, 44, also of Prindle Street, whom they said interfered with Clark's arrest, with rioting, resisting arrest, hindering apprehension, disorderly conduct and obstructing administration of the law.
After a preliminary hearing Thursday, District Justice James McMahon bound all charges to trial except for rioting, which was dismissed against both defendants.
Eatery reports theft
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Employees at Burger King on West Washington Street discovered that someone took nearly $2,000 from the safe sometime Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, police said.