Truck catches fire

Truck catches fire
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- A portion of Pa. Route 60 near here was closed as firefighters put out a truck fire.
State police said the drive shaft of a tractor-trailer broke, causing major damage to the undercarriage of the vehicle driven by Naumce Petreski, 32, of Totowa, N.J. Police said the vehicle then caught fire and became fully engulfed at 10:32 p.m. Wednesday. The truck was hauling garbage from New York.
Pulaski, Neshannock and West Middlesex fire departments put out the fire.
Cemetery fees
LEETONIA -- Village council is considering a plan to raise burial fees at the Oakdale Cemetery. Council will take a final vote at the Dec. 18 meeting, and the new fees would take effect in January.
Village Administrator Gary Phillips said council approved the cemetery board's recommendation to increase fees from $375 to $425 to purchase a grave; from $375 to $425 for grave opening and closing costs; and from $150 to $200 for cremations.
Columbiana teacher
COLUMBIANA -- The village board of education hired Kathy Martin-Holley as high school Spanish teacher at $31,006. Martin-Holley began her duties Tuesday, Superintendent Patricia Hura said. Arleen DiVivo, who resigned the full-time position in October, was paid $181.33 per day for teaching Spanish since then on an as-needed basis.
Purse snatchings
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Police are investigating two purse snatchings.
Police said a woman was knocked to the ground at about 12:30 a.m. today in the parking lot of Cascade Galleria on South Jefferson Street. Her handbag was taken by a thin black man about 6 feet tall and wearing a stocking over his head, police said.
Another purse snatching was reported on South Mercer Street at 8:33 a.m. Tuesday. Police said a woman's purse was ripped from her shoulder near the Vista South senior citizens complex. He also was described as a tall, thin black man.
Police are unsure if the two are related. Both purses contained cash and credit cards.
Probation, fine
PITTSBURGH -- Cathleen A. Zilner of Butler was sentenced in federal court to one year's probation and a $250 fine on her conviction of violating federal drug laws.
Senior U.S. District Judge William L. Standish imposed the sentence on Zilner, 31, of North McKean Street on Wednesday. In August 1999, Zilner, a pharmaceutical representative, sold 9,000 samples of the prescription drug Viagra to unauthorized people who smuggled them out of the United States for sale where the drug is not legal, said William C. Snyder, an assistant U.S. attorney.
By federal law, drug samples may only be distributed to licensed physicians, health-care professionals, pharmacies, hospitals or similar entities. Drug samples may only be distributed for free to promote the sale of the drug, Snyder said.
Looking for leads
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- Police are still looking for leads to find who smashed the front window of John's Satellite TV at 73 Snyder Road and took a television set and a VCR on Monday.
TV insides stolen
ELLSWORTH -- A Salem-Warren Road woman has reported the insides of two large TVs stolen.
She told the Mahoning County Sheriff's Department on Wednesday that a repairman returned the insides on May 18 and took them again Sept. 13 because they needed to be repaired again. The woman hasn't heard from the repairman since Sept. 13.
Patrols honored
COLUMBUS -- The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has honored sheriff's department marine patrols in Mahoning and Trumbull counties for exceptional public service. The awards were announced Wednesday.
Statewide, 27 law enforcement agencies were recognized for their commitment to marine safety.