Cause of fire found

Cause of fire found
YOUNGSTOWN -- A fire attributed to electrical failure of a refrigerator caused $25,000 damage to a two-story wood residence at 207 E. Delason Ave. on Wednesday afternoon, the fire department said. The blaze, which was reported at 1:56 p.m., ignited rubbish and wood in the single-family home, which had no smoke detectors. The occupant was listed as Karen Fountain and the owner as Rossie Ferguson of Gretna, Fla.
School groundbreaking
STRUTHERS -- School district officials broke ground on their new central elementary school today. The building, which will be at the Lyon Plat Elementary School site, is part of a $34.7 million project that includes a new high school, renovations to the field house and renovations and additions to the middle school. The entire project is scheduled for completion in September 2003.
Police seek robber
NORTH JACKSON -- Township police continue to search for the ski-masked robber who entered a home in the 3000 block of South Bailey Road earlier this week and took cash from the resident. The intruder broke in through an upstairs bedroom window around 11:15 p.m. Monday and confronted the woman with a small handgun as she was coming out of the bathroom, police said. He tied her in a chair and ransacked the house looking for money. She managed to break free and run to a neighbor's and call police. Police say the man is white, 5 foot 7 inches or 5 foot 8 inches and 150 to 160 pounds. The ski mask was dark, as were his clothes.
Indictments returned
CLEVELAND -- Federal grand jury indictments have been returned against a Farrell, Pa., resident on a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and against a Struthers man on firearms law violations.
The U.S. attorney's office for the Northern District of Ohio announced that Darwin O. Crumby, 36, of Hamilton Avenue, Farrell, was charged with conspiring between February 2000 and April 26, 2001, to distribute cocaine in Ohio and Pennsylvania after an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison and an $8 million fine.
John P. Lenhart, 47, of Sexton Street, Struthers, is charged with being a domestic violence perpetrator in possession of a firearm and with providing false information to a sales clerk while trying to buy a pistol. Boardman Police and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigated that case.
BMX contest scheduled
HUBBARD -- Section 8 Skatepark will have a BMX contest Sunday in beginner, expert and pro classes. Competition will be in miniramp and king of the park divisions. The all-day event starts at 10 a.m. The park is at 770 N. Main St.
Disaster awareness day
LAKE MILTON -- The Craig Beach Community/Family Organization and Mahoning Valley Chapter American Red Cross will celebrate Red Cross Disaster Awareness Day Sunday by packing and distributing pamphlets on disaster preparedness from 1 p.m. to dusk at the Craig Beach Volunteer Fire Department Hall. Individuals or groups who want to help in the observance may call Marilyn Bartholomew at (330) 654-3657; Rosemarie Peregrim at (330) 654-3191; or Mary Kadvan of the Mahoning Chapter American Red Cross at (330) 726-6063.
Yard, sidewalk sales
MERCER, Pa. -- The Mercer Civic Committee is having a yard sale and merchants' sidewalk sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Shoppers can pick up lists of the yard sale locations at Courthouse Square Dry Goods, Otter Creek Store, Shannon's Kandy Kitchen, The Gallery, Mercer Mercantile & amp; Soda Shop and the chamber of commerce office. Fellowship Community Church will be offer free carwashes and Trinity Presbyterian Church will have a free baby-sitting service for children older than age 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Health lectures planned
YOUNGSTOWN -- An arthritis lecture, provided by Humility of Mary Health Partners and the Arthritis Foundation, will be from 7 to 9 p.m. May 24 and May 30 in St. Elizabeth Health Center's Finnegan Auditorium. All sessions are free. The May 24 topic is osteoporosis by Dr. Dean Ball, radiologist; and May 30 is lupus, fibromyalgia, scleroderma and Sjogren's Syndrome by Dr. Bruce Rothschild, rheumatologist.