Hagan to speak at Democrats' dinner

Hagan to speakat Democrats' dinner
SALEM -- Tim Hagan, the Democratic candidate for governor, is the keynote speaker at the Columbiana County Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson dinner to be 6 p.m. Oct. 26 at Timberlanes Restaurant. Ted Strickland, candidate for the newly formed 6th Congressional District, and several Democratic county chairmen also will attend.
Tickets are $25 per person for dinner alone or $125 for dinner and a private reception with Hagan at 5 p.m. For tickets, call Larry Bowersock at (330) 332-1642 or party headquarters at (330) 424-0202.
Intruder steals cash
POLAND -- Township police are looking for a man who confronted an elderly Clingan Road woman in her home and demanded money. Police reports say the 87-year-old woman was confronted Thursday evening by a tall man who came into the kitchen from an attached garage.
Reports say he ransacked the house and took $450 from a bedroom.
Arrested after chaseon the South Side
YOUNGSTOWN -- Orinsiel J. Williams, 28, of Cohasset Drive, faces multiple charges after a police pursuit and arrest on the South Side early Friday. Williams is accused of failing to stop at a stop sign on Kenmore Avenue then fleeing to avoid police. During the pursuit, Williams' car backed into a cruiser at the dead end of Williamson Avenue then struck another vehicle on Oak Hill Avenue, police said. Williams was captured after running from the crash. He is charged with running two red lights, hit-skip, failure to comply with a police order, driving under suspension, two counts of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle and resisting arrest. A warrant had been out for his arrest for his failure to appear in municipal court in May 2001 on charges of driving under suspension and loud music. Bond was set Friday in municipal court at $9,000 on the new charges. Williams is due back in court Friday.
Guilty of selling crack
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Gary Mitchell, 46, of Boyles Avenue, was convicted by a Lawrence County jury Friday of selling crack cocaine. Mitchell was arrested in December 2001. Court records state Mitchell sold crack to a confidential informant May 15 and June 21, 2001, and additional crack was found by police at his home June 21, 2001. He was convicted of two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, three counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He faces a maximum sentence of 36 years in prison and $232,000 in fines. No sentence date has been set.
Sales tax discussion
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Nation will hold an informational meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Charles Church, Boardman. The group plans to discuss a 0.5 percent Mahoning County sales tax renewal that is on the Nov. 5 election ballot.
Drug court graduates
YOUNGSTOWN -- Eighteen people graduated Friday from the drug court program in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. Judge Jack Durkin dismissed the felony charges against them and said their criminal records will be sealed, which is part of the program. U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lucasville, D-6th, was the guest speaker. Drug court is for first-time offenders charged with drug-related, nonviolent crimes. It offers participants treatment instead of incarceration.
No fuel for 2 days
ZELIENOPLE, Pa. -- Gasoline and diesel fuel sales will be suspended for two days during fuel service system upgrades at two eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike service plazas. Fuel sales at the Oakmont plaza, which is 49.3 miles east of the Ohio line, will be suspended Tuesday and Wednesday. Fuel sales at the Zelienople plaza, which is 21.7 miles east of the Ohio line, will be suspended Oct. 29 and 30. No other services at these plazas will be affected.
Church to celebrate90th anniversary
FARRELL, Pa. -- Valley Baptist Church, 500 Sharon-New Castle Road, will celebrate its 90th anniversary with guest speakers Sunday. The Rev. Alphonse Allen, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Scranton, will speak at the 11 a.m. service, and the Rev. Larry Scott, pastor of Valley Baptist Church in Niles, will speak at the 4 p.m. service. Church revival will run from Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. each night. The Rev. Dr. Allen B. Green, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Erie, is the guest evangelist. Area church choirs will provide music.