Citation of Merit awarded

Citation of Merit awarded
WARREN -- Trooper Donald E. Walker Jr., of the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Warren Post, has been awarded the Superintendent's Citation of Merit for rescuing two unconscious victims from a fiery crash on Interstate 80.
Walker received the award from Col. Paul D. McClellan, patrol superintendent, for endangering his own life to pull an ejected woman to safety and to remove a man from inside the overturned vehicle just as the passenger side became engulfed in flames.
The award ceremony was Tuesday at the Warren post. The crash occurred June 16, 2002, near the Mahoning-Trumbull County line.
A 1987 graduate of Howland High School, Walker served with the Marines and Braceville police before joining the patrol in 1997.
Walker lives in Cortland and has two sons, Corey and Donovan.
Democratic caucus
WARREN -- The Democratic caucus for the selection of delegates and alternate delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Boston will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 12 at Niles Middle School.
All Democrats are welcome.
For more information, call Trumbull County Democratic headquarters at (330) 369-6575 or Ohio Democratic headquarters at (614) 221-6563.
First Night photo contest
YOUNGSTOWN -- First Night Youngstown will have a photo contest in conjunction with the fourth annual event.
Those wanting to enter the contest should pick up an entry blank and contest information at the First Night Youngstown event headquarters on the ground floor of the Realty Building on Federal Plaza East between 6 and 11 p.m. today.
The categories are: community, celebration, the New Year, the arts, best downtown Youngstown building and best Federal Plaza picture. For more information, call First Night at (330) 742-0445.
Audited statements
CORTLAND -- State auditors found that the city's financial statements from 2001 and 2002 appear to accurately reflect Cortland's financial situation.
The regular audit, released Tuesday, did not find any instances where money appeared to be misspent or should be returned.
Land donation for parking
WARREN -- A land donation by an attorney will enable the Warren West Community Health Center to offer more parking.
Atty. William and Cheryl Biviano donated an Oak Street lot, valued at about $25,000, to the center.
The land, adjacent to the Tod Avenue center, will provide additional parking spaces for center patrons.
Discussion on trucking
FOWLER -- The township historical society will host a round-table discussion on trucking, past and present, at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 8 in the Fowler Community Center.
The discussion will be preceded by a meeting of historical society trustees at 7.
Investigation of house fire
WARREN -- Firefighters are investigating a blaze that damaged a Mahoning Avenue home this morning.
No cause or damage estimate has been determined for the fire that broke out shortly after 6 at 654 Mahoning Ave.
The homeowner, Harry Elser, was taken to Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation, but hospital officials couldn't be reached to give his condition.
Heal the Hangover ride
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Outspokin' Wheelmen bicycle group will have its 13th annual Heal the Hangover ride at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Bicyclists should meet at Lake Newport in Mill Creek Park at the old boat docks on the lake's west side.
The ride will take place regardless of the weather.
The ride leader is Carl Frost, Beaver Township police chief.
Fund-raiser time capsules
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Sen. John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center is selling time capsules to raise money for an addition.
The capsules will allow the center to raise up to $1.4 million for its $27 million expansion.
So far, the center has raised $22 million.
The capsules cost between $2,500 and $10,000, depending on the number of canisters and plaque style.
Staff members came up with the idea when they noticed donors' reaction to tiles engraved with their names on the floor in a section of the center.
"We found that people would come down and bring their families and even have family reunions here by their tiles," said center President Andy Masich.
"They'd take pictures of their tiles with their toes in the frame."
The addition includes the Smithsonian wing, the Sports Museum of Western Pennsylvania, a special collections gallery, an education center and a theater.