Monday, March 12, 2001
Rash of vehicle theftsreported in Niles
NILES -- Police are investigating thefts of seven vehicles reported over the weekend.
Six of the thefts occurred Friday. A 1994 Chevy S10 and 1990 Dodge Caravan were stolen sometime during the day from the lot of MCI Worldcom, Youngstown-Warren Road (U.S. Route 422), according to police. The Dodge was recovered about 4 p.m. Friday in the Eastwood Mall parking lot with the driver's side window smashed and the steering column "peeled," ripped open so the vehicle could be started without a key, police said.
A 1989 Chevy Silverado was taken between 3 and 4 p.m. from near Pet Supplies Plus, Youngstown-Warren Road. A 1984 Buick LeSabre was taken from the lot at the mall near Target on Friday morning, a 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass was reported stolen between 3:30 and 8:30 p.m. from the Great East Plaza and a 1986 Cadillac Deville was taken between 7 and 7:30 p.m. from the parking lot of Sam's Club.
A seventh car, a 1989 Geo Spectrum, was reported taken early this morning from the parking lot at 11 Circle Street but was recovered about 2:15 this morning in Newton Falls.
Motorcyclist killed
YOUNGSTOWN -- Kenneth Duecaster, 41, of Vermont Avenue died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Health Center after his motorcycle crashed in the 3100 block of Dearborn Street.
Police who arrived at the scene at 5:55 p.m. found the motorcycle in the street, dented and scratched and its handlebars broken. The cause of the crash was not immediately available.
Little damage from fire
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A porch fire at a vacant West Sheridan Street house did not cause any major damage, said Fire Chief James Donston. Firefighters were able to extinguish it before it spread to other parts of the home at 2:05 a.m. Friday, he said. The home is owned by Kirk Alfonso of New Brighton and was vacant because it was being remodeled, Donston said.
House to be built at fair
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Visitors to this year's Ohio State Fair will be able to watch a house being built. The fair has reached an agreement with the Greater Columbus Habitat for Humanity to construct a 1,200-square-foot, two-story, wooden-frame house on the north end of the fairgrounds.
The house will be built during the first two weeks of the fair, which begins Aug. 3, and will be open for tours the last three days, said Susi Havens-Bezaire, resource development chairman of the local Habitat chapter.
After the fair ends, the house will be moved to a permanent site in a nearby residential area, she said.
Habitat builds houses for low-income people. Buyers pay part of their interest-free mortgage by working for Habitat building homes for others.
As many as 1,700 volunteers -- about 100 each day -- will hammer nails, saw boards and lay flooring from early morning until the fair closes each night.
3 cars hit man
IMPERIAL, Pa. (AP) -- A McKees Rocks man is dead after being hit by three cars while standing along an Allegheny County road, state police said.
Roy Vernon, 31, was standing on the southbound side of state Route 60 when he was hit Friday night by a vehicle driven by Vincent Rossi, 34, of Bridgeville, police said. Rossi told police he did not see Vernon standing there.
Vernon was then hit by another vehicle driven by Gerald Yocabet, 67, of Brownsville, and then a vehicle driven by Kimberly Frambes, 20, of Bethel Park also hit Vernon and dragged him approximately 30 feet, police said.
Police said the cars driven by Rossi and Yocabet sustained minor damage, and Frambes' vehicle had no damage.
None of the drivers was charged.
Giving back to city
ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) -- The Altoona Curve plans to thank the city for giving them a place to play ball.
Curve general manager Jeff Parker is scheduled to present a $10,000 check Wednesday at a city council meeting. Plans for using the money have yet to be finalized, but one possibility being considered is to install permanent planters on some city streets.
The Curve is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.