Man misses pretrial in Traficant case

Man misses pretrialin Traficant case
CLEVELAND -- Trial for the Virginia engineer accused of taking part in a scheme to bribe U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. has been reset to Nov. 12. Richard E. Detore failed to show for his final pretrial Tuesday afternoon, and U.S. District Judge Lesley Brooks Wells reset the trial, which had been scheduled for July 29. Details of what happened were not immediately available. Last week, Detore, 42, failed to show for a final pretrial, saying he blacked out and was hospitalized, and the judge rescheduled it. Traficant, of Poland, D-17, was found guilty of racketeering, bribery and tax evasion and will be sentenced July 30.
Man expected to turnhimself in to court
CANFIELD -- A promoter accused of selling tickets to a bogus country music show at Ponderosa Park is expected to turn himself in to court here in early August.
Jeff Best, age not available, is wanted by the Mahoning County Sheriff's Department for selling about $30,000 in tickets to a show at the park near Salem last spring, said Maj. Mike Budd of the sheriff's department. He's also accused of passing bad checks in Canfield, Salem and Goshen Township, Budd said. He added that Best is accused of stealing a car in Canfield.
Best is accused of fleeing the area after selling the tickets.
The sheriff's office recently received a tip that Best was in Nashville, Tenn., but then moved to Washington state. Deputies called his Washington residence and left a message. Last week, the sheriff's office received a call from Best's attorney stating that Best would turn himself in.
Fine-arts studioOK'd in Columbiana
COLUMBIANA -- The city planning commission approved a local woman's plan to open a fine-arts studio at 12 North Main St. Bob Belding, city building and zoning officer, said Wednesday that Roberta Myers, who lives in the Lake Tomahawk area of Negley, plans a gallery to offer artwork for show and sale. He said Myers will rent the suite of offices, which is now vacant.
Fire hydrant flushing
LEETONIA -- A two-week program of flushing fire hydrants throughout the village will begin at 8 a.m. Thursday on the north side. Village Administrator Gary Phillips said village water customers may experience water discoloration, low water pressure or low volume during the period.
New school building
LISBON -- The village school district will build an administrative office building on school property at North Market and High streets, according to Superintendent Charles McShane. The construction schedule isn't set, but officials said they hope to move in before the end of the 2002-03 school year. The building would include a community room that would be available for public use. The structure is expected to be 2,500-3,000 square feet and cost about $300,000, McShane said. The new building is needed because the current administration building, adjacent to McKinley Elementary School, will be razed to make room for an expansion of the elementary building.
Motorist reportspolice impersonator
SHARON, Pa. -- Police are looking for a man who impersonated a police officer and stopped a motorist on North Water Avenue. The driver, a 48-year-old Hubbard woman, told authorities she was driving on Water Avenue around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday when a vehicle with a blue flashing light pulled up behind her. She stopped, thinking it was a police officer, and said a young white man wearing a white T-shirt and black vest, identifying himself as an undercover detective, asked to see her license and insurance card and then advised her to drive more carefully.
Police in Pennsylvania use red, white and blue flashing lights. Only ambulances, volunteer firefighters and people handling dogs used to track humans use blue flashing lights, and motorists are not required to stop for them, police said.