Airport work

Airport work
VIENNA -- The Western Reserve Port Authority board has awarded a $554,000 contract to Marucci & amp; Gaffney of Youngstown to remove an old access road along the runway at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. The company also will replace the chain-link fence around the facility and dig a sewer line.
A second contract, for $147,000, was awarded today to Penn-Ohio Electrical of Masury for new signs and runway markings.
Both projects were mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration, which will pay 90 percent of the cost, officials said.
Drug charges reduced
NILES -- Felony drug charges against two Niles men were reduced to misdemeanor charges in municipal court. Robert M. Nelan, 61, of Clay Street, and Roger D. Boggs, 37, of North Road, were arraigned Monday and pleaded no contest to the reduced charges of drug abuse.
Nelan was ordered to pay a $250 fine and serve one year's probation after a 180-day jail sentence was suspended. Boggs was given the same fine and ordered to serve 10 days in jail.
The men were arrested earlier this month after undercover officers purchased Vicodin tablets from them in front of Troutman's Drugs on Robbins Avenue.
New principal
CHAMPION -- The board of education introduced Louis Rucci as the new high school principal, replacing Tom Harrison, who recently resigned. Rucci comes from Boardman, where he was a teacher and assistant principal for 31 years.
The board congratulated Celeste Bohyer, Kathleen O'Shaughnessy, Mary Jo Samaniego and Holly Szuch for being selected to showcase Central Elementary School's Career Exploration Program at the Ohio School Board Association's Capital Conference in Columbus in November.
The board accepted donations for the athletic complex from: Champion PTO, $2,000; and Athletic Complex Fundraising Committee, $3,400.
The board accepted a base bid from Tucker Cope & amp; Assoc. of $43,500 for the band shell in the new complex.
Schools tours
VIENNA -- Mathews Board of Education will conduct a walk-through of Currie Elementary School, 3306 Ridge Road, and Neal Middle School, 3985 Youngstown-Kingsville Road, Fowler, at 6 p.m. Tuesday beginning at Currie.
A walk-through at Baker Elementary School, 4095 Sheridan Drive, Vienna, and Mathews High School, 4429 Warren-Sharon Road, Vienna, will be at 6 p.m. Thursday beginning at Baker.
Condolences sent
WARREN -- School board members passed a resolution of condolence for the family of a longtime supporter of the Warren G. Harding High School football program who died earlier this week.
Richard B. Harries, 69, of Warren, was active for many years in the Touchdown Club and served as president of the Gridiron Club from 1994 through the 2000 season.
To honor Harries' memory, a moment of silence will be observed before the Friday football game, and Harding football players will wear a DH on the backs of their helmets through the season.
Bat with rabies found
LISBON -- A bat found outside a Salem business has tested positive for rabies, the Columbiana County Health Department reports.
The live bat was discovered Friday on the sidewalk near a business on the 1700 block of E. State Street, Dantan Hutton, county health department inspector, said today. Hutton trapped the bat and had it sent to the state for testing.
The bat had no contact with any humans, as far as health officials could determine, Hutton said.
Call us, please
The Vindicator is asking people hired as extras for the filming of the television show "West Wing" in Volant, Pa., to call us today or Thursday. We would like to write about their experiences on the show.
Call reporter Laure Cioffi of our New Castle Bureau at (724) 654-5361 or Regional Editor Carl Basic at (330) 747-1471 Ext. 306 or (800) 686-5199 Ext. 306.