Howland senior makes cover of magazine

Howland senior makescover of magazine
HOWLAND -- Elizabeth Kiracofe, senior class president at Howland High School, has been selected as one of 20 Ohio and Indiana teens to be pictured on the cover of next month's The Next Step.
The magazine, distributed free through school guidance offices, picked Kiracofe from about 150 nominees.
"She is a very nice kid," said Marilyn Parise, the Howland guidance counselor who nominated her. "Very active, very bright, very driven."
Kiracofe, 18, is one of seven valedictorians in her class and has been class president since her sophomore year.
She is a member of the track and soccer teams.
For the last eight years, she has helped organize and recruit teams for Relay for Life, a fund-raising event for the American Cancer Society.
She has also volunteered at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital since she was 14.
"I think it is important for people to get involved with their community," Kiracofe said.
"Everyone has something to share, so they should share it."
She is the daughter of James and Sharon Kiracofe of Howland.
Fined for illegal deer
MECCA -- Two Stark County men have paid more than $1,000 in fines for killing a deer Jan. 19 in the Mosquito Creek Wildlife Refuge.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said Anthony S. Dimarzio, 47, of Minerva and his nephew, Alex B. Dimarzio II, 23, of North Canton, were convicted of trespassing.
Anthony also was convicted of taking deer by an illegal method (a rifle) and illegal possession of a deer.
Alex was convicted of assisting in the illegal possession of a deer.
An ODNR Division of Wildlife employee walking in the refuge heard a shot, saw the two men with the dead deer, and called a wildlife officer, who made the arrests, ODNR said.
It is illegal to hunt on a wildlife refuge.
TCTC acceptsMcDonald students
CHAMPION -- The Trumbull Career and Technical Center board has approved McDonald School District's request to send its students to the vocational school.
The vote Thursday follows the TCTC board's acceptance last week of Niles and Weathersfield students.
The three districts previously were part of the Gordon D. James Career Center compact in Lordstown. The compact expires at the end of this school year.
Lordstown and Howland, the remaining districts of the compact, haven't announced their plans for providing career and technical education for their students.
Niles, Weathersfield and McDonald become part of TCTC July 1.
Embezzlement sentence
AUSTINTOWN -- A Madrid Drive man has been sentenced in U.S. District Court to six months of house arrest for stealing $21,657 from the United Steelworkers of America Local Union 4564 in Girard.
Stephen Hanlon, 47, who formerly served as the union's financial secretary, also was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered by Judge Paul Matia to repay the union.
Hanlon pleaded guilty to embezzlement in November. In his plea agreement, Hanlon said he took the money by writing checks from the union to himself or made out to cash. He also took cash returns from union bank deposits and diverted IRS refund checks to the union.
Hanlon falsified treasurer's records and did not provide bank statements in an effort to cover the thefts.
Dealership problems
EAST PALESTINE -- Police are investigating complaints from Heritage Ford customers. The car dealership closed Monday without warning. According to police, about a half-dozen customers have reported problems. One said the truck he bought two weeks ago was repossessed. The truck was owned by Donnell Ford, and Heritage has apparently not paid the other dealer for the vehicle. Chief John Martin said the main complaint from customers is that Heritage has not paid off vehicles they have traded in. Martin said he is turning the cases over to the Columbiana County prosecutor and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.