Patton to file petitions

Patton to file petitions
YOUNGSTOWN -- State Rep. Sylvester D. Patton Jr., a Youngstown Democrat, will file his nominating petitions seeking re-election Tuesday. Patton currently represents the 64th Ohio House District, which includes most of Youngstown, and all of Struthers, Campbell, Lowellville and Coitsville. As a result of redistricting, Patton's district, beginning next year, will become the 60th Ohio House District and will add the rest of Youngstown as well as nine precincts in Austintown Township. No one has filed to challenge Patton. The filing deadline is Tuesday.
14th District campaign
PAINESVILLE -- U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, a Madison Republican, filed his nominating petitions Friday seeking a fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is running for the 14th Congressional District seat, which includes seven northern Trumbull County townships -- Mesopotamia, Bloomfield, Greene, Gustavus, Kinsman, Vernon and Johnston, as well as all of Lake, Ashtabula and Geauga counties, and parts of Cuyahoga, Summit and Portage counties. LaTourette is the only candidate to date to file for the position.
Candidate to speak
POLAND -- U.S. Rep. Thomas C. Sawyer, an Akron Democrat running for re-election to the new 17th Congressional District, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to the Democrats of the 17th District. The meeting will be at Poland Community Baseball Association hall, Sheridan Road. The public is invited.
INS to deport man
SALEM -- A Guatemalan national is serving 10 days in Columbiana County Jail. Gregorio Calel of the 1300 block of South Lincoln Avenue, pleaded no contest and was found guilty Thursday in Columbiana County Municipal Court to obstructing official business and taking the identification of another, both misdemeanors. Judge Robert Roberts also fined him $100. Perry Township Police arrested Calel, age undisclosed, Saturday after he presented them with an Ohio ID card that police determined to belong to another person. Police said they stopped Calel after observing him walking across a railroad crossing on South Lincoln while the gate was down. Perry Township Chief Ray Stone said U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service officials have told him they intend to deport Calel as an illegal alien after he serves his jail sentence.
Kidnap, rape charges
FRANKLIN, Pa. -- Anderson L. Stoutmire, 35, of Wallis Avenue, Farrell, was in Franklin County Jail on Friday on $50,000 bond after his arrest in Farrell on a warrant charging him with kidnapping, rape, carjacking, unlawful restraint and simple assault. Franklin police said Stoutmire is accused of kidnapping a 26-year-old woman in Franklin and forcing her to accompany him to Farrell, where she was sexually assaulted. Southwest Mercer County Regional Police picked up Stoutmire in the 900 block of George Street at 7 p.m. Thursday on a warrant issued by Franklin authorities.
Trustee activities
NEW SPRINGFIELD -- Springfield Township Trustee Shirley Heck said she'll be attending a regional storm water conference in Austintown on March 12 and will not have morning office hours at the township building that day. She attended an ODOT District 4 meeting Friday to discuss building an exit ramp off Interstate 680 on South Avenue to relieve traffic congestion at Western Reserve Road.
Man reports robbery
SHARON, Pa. -- Police said a Russell Street man told them he was robbed shortly after he got home from cashing a $1,600 tax rebate check. The victim told police that two men he recognized, one white and one black, were in front of his home when he arrived at 1 p.m. Friday and he invited them in. Once inside, one of the men pulled a gun and demanded his money, the victim said. The men took his cash and fled, he said.
Mistrial declared
YOUNGSTOWN -- A mistrial because of a hung jury was declared Friday in the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court trial of Germaine Flakes, 20, of East Ravenwood Avenue, charged with aggravated robbery. Jurors deliberated some 11 hours Thursday and Friday before informing Judge Maureen A. Cronin they could not reach a verdict. Defense attorney Damian Billak said prosecutors have already told him they intended to take the case to trial again. Authorities say Flakes robbed a woman at gunpoint as she was making a deposit in the night depository of National City Bank on Belmont Avenue in July 2000. Flakes argued it could not have been him because he was at home with a friend.
Niles man arrested
NILES -- A Wayne Street man is scheduled to appear next week in municipal court on charges of receiving stolen property and driving under suspension. Police say they arrested Bruce A. Jones, 36, Thursday afternoon, driving a car that had been reported stolen.