Motorcycle crash kills 1, injures 1

Motorcycle crashkills 1, injures 1
YOUNGSTOWN -- Kevin Dougherty, 44, of Atkinson Avenue was killed when his motorcycle, traveling at excessive speed, crashed around 1 a.m. Sunday on the Himrod Avenue expressway, just moments after he left Interstate 680 southbound, reports show.
His passenger, Christine Gibson, 37, of West Wood Street, Lowellville, was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center. Her condition wasn't available today.
Dougherty's motorcycle hit a guardrail, went airborne, then struck a tree, said Detective Sgt. Rick Hart of the accident investigation unit. Gibson was thrown from the bike about 50 feet beyond the guardrail. Hart said the speed was more than 70 mph in the 50 mph zone.
Youth leadership
YOUNGSTOWN -- Applications for the Youth Leadership Mahoning Valley Class of 2002 will be available to high school sophomores with leadership potential this month and next month. The program teaches students about the major systems of the Mahoning Valley and helps them develop effective working relationships with its leaders.
Participants complete a six-month program, including a two-day opening retreat in December and six monthly daylong sessions on issues of concern to the community. The issues include health care, social services, education, local history, media, the arts, business opportunities, government, criminal justice and quality of life.
The program, for which tuition is $125, ends with a graduation dinner in May. Partial tuition assistance is available based on need. Call (330) 742-6716 for applications.
Police warn residents
GIRARD -- Police are warning residents to use caution and common sense before allowing people into their homes who claim they are utility company workers.
Capt. Frank Bigowsky said two men recently told a homeowner they were from the water company and needed to look inside her home. While one created a diversion, the other went inside and took $750.
Bigowsky suggests residents get the identification number of utility company representatives and then check with the company before allowing entry.
The Better Business Bureau should be contacted before a resident allows a private company to do home improvements.
Poet will speak
KENT -- Robert Creeley will appear at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Kiva theater in the student center for the Wick Poetry Series at Kent State University.
Creeley, known for his role in launching the Black Mountain poetry movement at Black Mountain College in the 1950s, is the author of more than 80 books of poems. He's taught at the State University of New York at Buffalo since 1966 and has gained notoriety for collaborations with jazz and rock musicians and visual artists. He received the Bollingen prize in 1999 and was elected chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.
The series is sponsored by KSU's English department. For details, contact the program at (330) 672-2067 or the English department at (330) 672-2676.
CHIP explanation
GIRARD -- A public meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers to explain the fiscal year 2001 Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP). Guidelines, target areas, eligibility requirements and application process will be explained.
The city has received a $550,000 grant for home improvements, upgrading of rental properties and first-time home buying.
Saturday for Kids
CHAMPION -- One-day workshops for kids are being offered by the Workforce Development and Continuing Studies Center at Kent State University Trumbull Campus.
The new Saturday for Kids program meets from 9 a.m. to noon, Sept. 29 to Nov. 3.
Each session is open to students in a particular age group and lessons include measurement, local flora, arts and crafts, things that fly, history walk and guts and goo. Call (330) 675-8809 for more information.
Stealing steel?
YOUNGSTOWN -- It appears two skids of strip steel weighing more than 5,400 pounds and valued at $2,400 were stolen from Cold Metal Products Inc., 45 S. Montgomery Ave.
A traffic coordinator at the mill told police that a yellow box truck picked up the steel between 11:40 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. Friday. According to police reports, however, the company the truck driver claimed to work for did not dispatch a driver to collect the load.