Mother raped in home

Mother raped in home
NEW WATERFORD -- A Unity Township woman was raped by a masked man who walked into her unlocked home in late Tuesday morning while she and her 5-year-old boy were there alone.
The crime occurred about 11:24 a.m. Tuesday, Columbiana County Sheriff David Smith said this morning.
The woman, in her 30s, and the unarmed man struggled briefly, before he raped her, the sheriff said.
Afterward, he left in a dark pickup truck, possibly a Chevrolet S-10.
The woman was taken to Salem Community Hospital for an examination but was not admitted as a patient, Smith said.
No detailed description of the man was available this morning.
No nursing home deal
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County commissioners have not come to an agreement to sell the county nursing home, Hill View Manor.
Commissioner Roger DeCarbo said Tuesday that a sales agreement has not been formalized.
They could vote on the matter next Tuesday, he said.
Commissioners had said they expected a sales agreement to be ready this week to sell the nursing home on Pa. Route 65, and the land surrounding it, to Sylvan Heights Realty LLC, a group of four investors.
One of the investors has said they intend to continue operating the nursing home and develop the surrounding property for residential and commercial space.
Stabbing death probed
EAST LIVERPOOL -- Authorities are investigating the stabbing death of a 64-year-old city man.
Lawrence Diddle, 733 Lang St., was found dead about 7:30 p.m. Thursday at his home, Columbiana County Coroner Dr. William Graham said Tuesday.
Diddle died as the result of multiple stab wounds from a knife, Dr. Graham said without elaborating.
Dr. Graham said Diddle's death may have been a suicide, but he won't make a ruling for several weeks.
The coroner's office is awaiting the results of an autopsy conducted by the Cuyahoga County coroner's office, which has a forensic pathologist on staff, Dr. Graham said.
Shopper's purse stolen
SALEM -- For the second time in a week, a purse has been stolen from a shopping cart.
A woman told police that her handbag was taken from her cart while she was shopping at Giant Eagle, 2401 E. State St.
The purse contained credit cards and $15 in cash. The theft was reported about 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Last week, a woman reported a similar theft at a store near Giant Eagle on East State Street.
Steel hauler flips
LISBON -- A truck driver escaped serious injury when the tractor-trailer he was driving flipped over in Fairfield Township.
The Lisbon post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Jeffrey Prior, 21, of Johnstown, Pa., was southbound on state Route 7 just north of state Route 558 about 10:15 p.m. Monday when the truck went off the right side of the road, struck a sign and overturned. The cab landed on its side. The trailer flipped onto its top, ejecting three steel coils.
The patrol said Prior was cited for failure to control.
Free story-times
LISBON -- Free story-time activities at the Lepper Public Library, 303 E. Lincoln Way, are set to begin in February.
Stories aimed at preschoolers will be read aloud at 11 a.m. each Tuesday. A family story-time session is set for 2 p.m. Saturdays.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Each story-time will feature a variety of stories, crafts, games and music.
For more information, contact Sharon Cope Parrish, children's librarian, at (330) 424-3117.
Soul food dinner
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts will host its second annual soul food dinner at 3 p.m. Sunday at the institute, 124 E. Leasure Ave. The afternoon will begin with a gospel concert performed by St. Paul's Baptist Church choir. The soul food buffet will follow with a home-cooked menu of barbecue country-style spare ribs, fried chicken, collard greens, black-eyed peas and rice, green beans, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, corn pudding, bread pudding, sweet potato pie and pound cake. Tickets are $12.50 per person, or $10 each for Hoyt members.
Seating is limited and reservations are required.
For details, call (724) 652-2882.