Man gets 9 years

Man gets 9 years
YOUNGSTOWN -- Tawhon Easterly, 23, of Florencedale Avenue, pleaded guilty this week in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to one count of involuntary manslaughter and three counts of felonious assault. Judge Robert Lisotto sentenced him to nine years in prison.
The charges stemmed from the October 1998 killing of Clinton Longmire III, 18, of Elm Street, who was shot in his car on Martin Luther King Boulevard, on the city's North Side. Three other men in the car were wounded by the gunfire, which was the reason for the felonious assault charges. Easterly was indicted in January 1999 on charges of murder and attempted murder. The charges were reduced in exchange for his plea of guilty.
Route 46 resurfacing
CORTLAND -- This spring the Ohio Department of Transportation will resurface 13.2 miles of state Route 46 in Trumbull County, replace one bridge and resurface another.
The project extends from state Route 169 in Niles north to U.S. Route 422, and from state Route 82 in Howland north to state Route 5 in Cortland.
The bridge to be replaced crosses Spring Run, a tributary of Mosquito Creek, at state Route 46.
During construction, one lane of traffic will be maintained along most of the roadway; the bridge will close for up to 90 days.
The project is expected to be completed by fall 2003. ODOT officials did not give the start time for the work.
Man sues 2 cops
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Struthers man is suing two Youngstown police officers he says robbed him in the restroom of a bar in the Uptown District.
Thomas R. Cole Jr. of Seventh Street filed the suit Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court against officers Christopher Lombard, Mark Rakocy and the Youngstown Police Department. He is seeking at least $125,000 in damages.
Lombard and Rakocy were each charged with robbery in connection with the March 2001 incident at the Pulse bar, in which they were accused of taking $480 and some personal items from Cole while they were off duty. A jury found them innocent in January.
Atty. James R. Lanzo said he realizes the acquittal will make the civil suit more difficult to win, but noted that "the degrees of evidence" required for criminal and civil cases are different.
Federal charges
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County prosecutors plan to drop charges against a man accused of firing gunshots at two police officers. Newell Spann, 25, Franklin Avenue, will face federal charges instead.
Spann was indicted by a county grand jury two weeks ago for failure to comply with a police order and two counts of felonious assault. The matter was awaiting trial in common pleas court.
Prosecutors were notified this week that the U.S. Attorney's Office has charged Spann with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. Federal authorities asked that the local charges be dropped.
One of the officers who were shot at is a member of the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force, who is also deputized as a federal marshal, which opens the door for federal charges.
Home buyer workshop
YOUNGSTOWN -- Family Financial Education Services, a program of Family Service Agency, offers a First Time Home Buyer Workshop from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at FSA, 535 Marmion Ave. There is no fee. Call (330) 782-5664 to register.
State offers tips
FARRELL, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania auditor general's office will conduct a free financial workshop for Volunteer Firefighters' Relief Associations at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Farrell Fire Department, 500 Roemer Blvd.
The workshop will focus on safeguarding association assets, the payment of training expenses and the purchase of new equipment. Volunteer Firefighters' Relief Associations get state money generated from a 2 percent tax on fire insurance purchased by Pennsylvania residents from companies incorporated in other states.
Assault charge
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Police charged Daniel Baron, 46, of R.D. 1, Ellwood City, with aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person after they accused him of pointing a gun at a juvenile.
Pennsylvania State Police said Baron was tailgating the juvenile on Shaffer Road in Slippery Rock Township at 3:40 p.m. Thursday when the juvenile pulled off the road and approached Baron's car.
Police said Baron brandished a handgun, placed a round in the chamber and pointed the gun at the juvenile. Baron was arraigned before District Justice David Rishel and released on $1,500 bond.