Salem man pleads innocent to rape

Salem man pleadsinnocent to rape
YOUNGSTOWN -- Joshua Dale Baird, 27, of Salem-Unity Road, Salem, pleaded innocent to a charge of rape at his arraignment Monday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. Judge Jack Durkin set bond at $50,000. Baird is accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a 2-year-old Boardman girl and faces life in prison if he is convicted. He had been free on a $50,000 bond and awaiting trial on charges of rape and gross sexual imposition in Columbiana County, where he's accused of molesting a 4-year-old relative. Atty. Jeffrey Limbian was appointed to represent him.
Pupils choose project
EAST PALESTINE -- East Palestine Middle School Community Problem Solving Team has chosen cancer research for its annual project. The group raised $613 during a recent math-a-thon for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. The team has also organized a hair-a-thon to encourage people with long hair to have it cut short and donate the hair to Locks of Love, an organization that uses human hair to create wigs for terminally ill children.
Borrowing to pay bills
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County commissioners agreed to borrow $5 million to pay the county's bills for the first few months of 2003. The borrowed funds will be used until tax revenue starts coming in, commissioners said. The county agreed to borrow from Dolphin & amp; Bradbury Inc. of Philadelphia at a 1.787-percent interest rate. The county will pay $98,611.11 in interest when the loan is repaid. Commissioners also voted Monday to pay Dolphin & amp; Bradbury Inc. $4.6 million for the loan taken out for the same purpose for 2002.
Projects get a boost
HARRISBURG, Pa.-- Two projects in Mercer County will receive a combined $2,625,000 in state economic development assistance, state Sen. Bob Robbins, R-50th, and state Rep. Mike Gruitza, D-7th, announced Monday. Under the state's redevelopment assistance capital program, Duferco Farrell Corp., which bought former Sharon Steel and Caparo Steel Co. facilities in 1998 and now employs 540 people, will get $2 million to upgrade its pickling facility. Also under that program, the Shenango Valley Community Library in Sharon will get $625,000 for structural repairs to its building and parking deck and modernization of elevators, windows and doors, to provide handicapped accessibility and energy efficiency.
Tornado-relief funds
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- Credit unions and related groups around Pennsylvania have donated $14,000 to be shared equally by the Salvation Army and American Red Cross for Clark tornado relief assistance. Of that, $10,000 donated by the association and its member credit unions was presented here Monday by Dave Killa, Shenango Valley Teachers Federal Credit Union chief executive officer, and Terri Fetsko, a Sharon native and vice president and controller of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association, to Maj. Ted Slye, pastor and administrator of the Salvation Army in Sharon, and Rebecca Payne, executive director of the ARC's Mercer County Chapter.
Man shot in altercation
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A city man was shot in the leg after a dispute with a stranger on Highland and Boyles avenues. Police said Douglas Pennachio, 38, of Shenango Street was admitted to Jameson Hospital for blood transfusions after being shot at about 11 p.m. Monday. Apparently the bullet passed through his leg and no bones were damaged. Pennachio told police he went to meet a woman friend at the corner and found a man standing with her. The two men argued, police said. The other man pulled a handgun and threatened Pennachio, police said. The man lowered the gun and Pennachio punched him on the side of the face, knocking him to the ground. The gunman then shot Pennachio and ran off. Police said Pennachio and the woman did not know the shooter.
Delaying decision
AUSTINTOWN -- Township trustees have postponed a decision to rescind the township's strip club resolution and approve a new, nearly identical resolution. Trustee Bo Pritchard said the Mahoning County prosecutor's office wanted more time to work on the new resolution. Trustees had been expected to rescind one resolution and approve another Monday. The resolution, approved unanimously Sept. 23, requires strip club owners, strippers and other club employees to get a license to work in the township. The prosecutor's office had expressed concern that trustees acted improperly by holding closed-door meetings to discuss the resolution with a consultant.