Seat-belt program

Seat-belt program
LIBERTY -- Township police will increase traffic enforcement, especially those dealing with child passenger and seat-belt laws, May 24 through June 3.
The "What's Holding You Back" enforcement program will be conducted in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Governor's Highway Safety Office.
Party in the Park
WARREN -- The Independent Black/Minority Coalition of Kent State University's Trumbull Campus is sponsoring a Party in the Park from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday in Packard Park's Tea Garden area.
The event, which will feature R & amp;B disc jockey Jeff Barnes, is geared at political education.
Candidates for Congress have been invited to participate in discussions about how they would help improve the community.
Music, food and festivities are free, and the event is open to the public.
Bad-check charges
GIRARD -- Two Detroit women have been bound over to the Trumbull County grand jury on charges of attempting to cash bad checks.
Cheaonta Carter, 19, and China Williams, 18, waived their preliminary hearings Wednesday before acting Judge Jeff Adler in Girard Municipal Court. They remain in the county jail on $35,000 bond.
Carter is charged with passing bad checks, assuming the identity of another and forgery, while Williams is charged with complicity to passing bad checks and complicity to forgery.
Hubbard police Detective Robert Altier said the women are part of a larger check-cashing ring from Detroit that has been working the area.
Fire injures two
WARREN -- City firefighters spent several hours Thursday morning fighting a blaze at 1175 Oak Knoll S.E. The fire was reported to the fire department at 5:30 a.m.
Two residents were transported to St. Joseph Health Center. Goldenia Young, 83, remains at the hospital in stable condition. Edward Wilson, 72, was taken to Cleveland MetroHealth hospital.
Girl recants charge
NILES -- A 13-year-old Garland Avenue girl could face charges of filing a false report after telling authorities she'd been raped by another juvenile.
The girl told officials at Edison Junior High School that a boy had forced himself on her at his home. The school called Trumbull County Children's Services and police. After conducting interviews, police determined the report was unfounded, and the girl recanted.
Police said what occurred between the two juveniles is believed to have been consensual and is still being investigated. The information about the false report has been referred to juvenile prosecutors.
Sergeant hired
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield Township trustees hired Patrolman Michael Stith on Tuesday as a new sergeant for the police department, effective Monday. Stith replaces Sgt. Mike Olive, who retired in October, 2001. The department will again have two sergeants after the hiring. Stith will be paid the starting sergeant's rate of $17.51 an hour.
New firefighter
WARREN -- Jeremy Rodgers, 20, of Niles, was to be sworn in as a new city firefighter this morning at city hall. The city previously announced the names of three firefighters who also were to be sworn in this morning.
Food distribution
WARREN -- The Warren Family Mission, 361 Elm Road N.E., will have services at 7 p.m. Monday through May 11. Some 38,000 pounds of food will be distributed. For more information, call (330) 394-5437.