Man reportedly swung hatchet during dispute

Man reportedly swunghatchet during dispute
AUSTINTOWN -- Police are investigating a report that an Orchard Hill Drive man swung a hatchet at another man during a traffic dispute.
Reports say the Orchard Hill man was driving east on Timberbrook Drive on Monday afternoon when he was passed by an Amberly Drive resident in a car. Police reports say the Orchard Hill man followed the Amberly Drive man into his driveway, where the Amberly Drive man approached the other car. The Orchard Hill man pulled a hatchet from below his seat and swung it at the Amberly Drive man, but the Amberly Drive man was able to grab the hatchet with both hands before he was struck, reports say.
The Orchard Hill man then grabbed the shirt of the Amberly Drive man and dragged him about 10 feet as he pulled out of the driveway before driving away, the report said.
Child identification kits
NEW SPRINGFIELD -- The Commitment to Kids program, which provides complimentary child identification kits, will be sponsored by Welsh Motors at the dealership on Woodworth Road here from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. Photos will be taken and fingerprinting done for free by Springfield Township Police Department. There is also room in the kit to provide a description of the child, such as eye and hair color. The event is in conjunction with Ford Motor Co. and Blue Oval Certified Ford Dealers.
Bus purchase OK'd
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- Springfield Board of Education approved the purchase of a school bus. The chassis will come from O.S. Hill & amp; Co. Inc. of East Liverpool and the body from Myers Equipment Corp. of Canfield. Both were low bidders, Hill at $39,298 and Myers at $16,641. Springfield received $31,000 in state aid toward purchase of the bus, said Treasurer Edward Sobnosky.
Also Tuesday, officials noted that fourth-grade teacher Ruth Perkins is retiring after 35 years; high school math teacher John Chornenky resigned to accept an administrative position in Maryland; and Springfield Local PTO donated $408 to the elementary school.
Woman pleads guilty
YOUNGSTOWN -- Maxine C. Miller, 39, of Davis Road, Lake Milton, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to aggravated vehicular homicide. Judge R. Scott Krichbaum ordered a background check on Miller before she is sentenced.
Authorities said Miller crashed her motorcycle on Northeast River Road in May 2000, ejecting both herself and a passenger, 39-year-old Eric Miller of Lundy's Lane, Lake Milton. Eric Miller died from his injuries. The Millers are not related.
Group home law
YOUNGSTOWN -- The city planning commission has recommended to city council a change in the law governing group homes. The new law would increase the minimum distance between such homes from 1,000 to 2,000 feet. The new law also would shorten the time a nonconforming group home could be re-established, from two years to one year. Older group homes would not be affected by either change.
Residents supporting the change said group homes close together discourage new residents from moving into neighborhoods.
Council must have a public hearing before voting on changing the law.
Search turns up drugs
BOARDMAN -- An anonymous tip from a neighbor led police to 48 marijuana plants in a Shields Road aparment. The renter agreed to a search, and police found the plants under lights in a closet in a back bedroom, a report says. Various drug paraphernalia, including a scale, a pipe and a nitrous oxide inhaler, also were found. The resident is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and drug cultivating, all misdemeanors. He is scheduled to appear in Mahoning County Court here at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.