Philomena appeals

Philomena appeals
YOUNGSTOWN -- Former Mahoning County Prosecutor James A. Philomena is appealing a six-year prison sentence for bribery and perjury charges.
Atty. Stephen R. Garea filed a notice of appeal Friday with the 7th District Court of Appeals. He declined to comment on the basis for the appeal. Philomena is already serving a four-year federal prison term for charges related to fixing cases while he was in office.
The first four years of his state sentence are concurrent with that sentence, after which he is to serve two years in a state prison.
In Bubba's memory
WARREN -- There will be no classes Monday at Harding High School so students and staff can attend the funeral of Frank Bubba, teacher and head boys basketball coach.
The board of education agreed that all other district schools will remain open.
Officials said they canceled classes at Harding because they want to honor the close relationship students and staff had with Bubba, 53.
He died Thursday of pneumonia after a long battle with cystic fibrosis.
Calling hours are from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Harding's field house. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Christ Our King Church.
1 charge dismissed
WARREN -- Howland High School's homecoming king is no longer facing a misdemeanor assault charge. Sean Unger, 18, of Howland, however, is still facing a criminal trespassing charge.
City prosecutors say Unger, a Howland High School football player, and several of his friends went to John F. Kennedy High School on Nov. 12 looking for JFK's quarterback. A school official asked Unger and his friends to leave, prosecutors said.
The Howland students left the school but then followed a car containing JFK students, prosecutors said. A fight broke out on Eastland Avenue and a JFK student was injured, prosecutors said.
City prosecutors said Friday that the assault charge was dismissed because the victim and witnesses said Unger was not involved in the fight. A trial on the criminal trespassing charge is scheduled for next month, court officials said.
Fatal car accident
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Pennsylvania State Police said Linda M. Krafft, 45, of Slippery Rock, died when her car struck the rear of a school bus on Pa. Route 258 just south of here around 7 a.m. Friday.
The bus was driven by Lisa J. Montanile, 34, of Grove City. Neither Montanile nor the 10 Grove City pupils riding with her were injured, police said.
Krafft was pronounced dead by Dr. David Hoyt, Mercer County deputy coroner, but no cause of death was immediately available. Krafft was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, police said.
Fire damages home
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Damage was estimated at more than $40,000 in a fire in a bilevel house at 1633 Old Princeton Road. Nobody was home when the fire broke out Friday morning, and there were no injuries.
The blaze started in a second-floor rear bedroom and was confined to the second floor. The state fire marshal's office is investigating, said Larry Herman, Shenango Township fire chief.
There was smoke and water damage throughout the house, which was occupied by Dennis Duddy and Karen Sluder. Shenango firefighters were assisted at the scene by Slippery Rock and South New Castle firefighters.
The fire was reported at 9:40 a.m.
Graffiti suspects
NEWTON FALLS -- Although no arrests have been made, police said they have juvenile suspects in mind who spray-painted a front exterior brick wall of Newton Falls High School and at least two street signs with graffiti.
Police discovered the graffiti, which says "C-town Mafia" and "Flashes" and includes several letter Cs, at 9:22 p.m. Thursday, and it was believed to be related to a Friday evening boys basketball game between the Champion Flashes and the Newton Falls Tigers at Newton Falls High School, a dispatcher said.
Thefts at school
CANFIELD -- Two employees at Canfield Middle School reported that items, including cash and a wallet containing several credit cards, were stolen from their purses Thursday.
Both of the women store their purses under their desks. The women think the items were stolen during a 1:30 p.m. pep assembly.