Grand jury to consider charges against man

Grand jury to considercharges against man
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Mahoning County grand jury will consider charges of vehicular homicide and hit-skip against Gary R. Davis, 43, of Cannon Road, Austintown. Davis is accused of striking and killing Cheryl A. Rockney, 49, of Kenmore Court, Austintown, as she walked on the sidewalk in the 1200 block of Oak Street on Aug. 22. After a preliminary hearing Wednesday in municipal court, the case against Davis was bound over to a grand jury.
Gun found in building
SALEM -- Police were called to the Monroe Street Apartments on the 2000 block of Monroe Street after a man there reported finding a handgun in one of the building's corridors. The man told police he spotted a towel in the hallway but, after closely examining it, discovered a firearm was wrapped inside. Police said the handgun is a replica of a 19th-century firearm that discharges a bullet using a charge of an explosive substance commonly referred to as black powder. The .44-caliber firearm wasn't loaded, said police, who are trying to determine who owns it. The matter was reported at 12:39 p.m. Wednesday.
Fire damages house
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- An electrical fire routed members of the Joyce Likens family from their home at 1849 N. Water Ave. Fire Marshal Robert Goeltz said the call came in around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. The fire was caused by an electrical malfunction and gutted the kitchen, he said. About 10 people live in the home but no one was injured, though an elderly woman was taken to a local hospital for observation, he said. The house was hit by fire eight years ago but was rebuilt, Goeltz said.
Housing agreement
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The Lawrence County Housing Authority has agreed to let people with physical disabilities who are younger than 62 live in high-rise apartments designated for senior citizens. The housing authority had previously not permitted anyone younger than 62 in Lawrence Manor in New Castle and Crescent Place in Ellwood City, but Robert Evanick, executive director, said there were several empty apartments accessible to those with physical disabilities in those buildings. He said there is none available in the family unit housing owned by the authority. Board member Keith Patterson opposed the move, saying he believed it might be disruptive to elderly residents to have a younger person living in the building.
Role of a caregiver
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- Dr. David Keck will speak on the caregiver's role in an Alzheimer patient's life. Keck, a visiting professor of history at Duquesne University, will speak at 2 p.m. Saturday at Westminster College in Patterson Hall. Keck's talk, & quot;Of History and Healing & quot; will touch on his book "Forgetting Whose We Are: Alzheimer's Disease and Love of God." "His book discusses how caregivers are actually historians, providing for the person afflicted with Alzheimer's disease the ability to 'remember,' through stories, reminders of past events, and mementos from the person's past," said Dr. Russell Martin, associate professor of history at Westminster College. The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Westminster's Religious Life Symposium and Phi Alpha Theta, Westminster's history honor society. For information, contact Martin at (724) 946-5254 or e-mail martinre@westminster.edu.
Deal for building
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The city expects to have another piece of its downtown redevelopment puzzle sometime in the next month. City officials were hoping to buy the former Hill, Barth and King building on East Washington Street at Monday's county sheriff's sale, but instead worked out a deal with the bank that is owed a mortgage on the building, said James Manolis, city solicitor. City council had previously given Manolis permission to bid up to $275,000 for the building. Manolis said he reached an agreement with National City Bank who was planning to bid on the building for the amount it was owed in mortgage, about $255,000. City council has agreed to pay National City Bank that amount for the building. City officials want t to raze the building and put in a small park as part of downtown redevelopment. A $5 million state grant is partially paying for the project.
Chorus seeks members
WARREN -- Stephen Foster Chorus is having a membership drive. Those interested in joining the a cappella group can learn more about it at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the SCOPE Center, 220 W. Market St. Refreshments will be served. Call (330) 653-5739 or (330) 544-4302.