Sexual assault on child

Sexual assault on child
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A Pittsburgh man was arrested on charges stemming from 1995 that involve the sexual assault of a 6-year-old girl. Samuel David Morris, 43, of Clayton Avenue, was charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and terroristic threats.
Pennsylvania State Police said the charges follow a several-month investigation.
Police said the girl was sexually assaulted on various occasions, at various locations in New Castle. Morris was arraigned Tuesday before District Justice Samuel Battaglia and placed in jail in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Railroad-property theft
SALEM -- Two West Virginia men are charged with criminal trespassing and theft involving railroad property.
Police said they received a report that two men were on Norfolk Southern railroad property near South Ellsworth Avenue. After investigating, police said they found several aluminum signs belonging to the railroad in the men's possession.
Arrested were Michael Rujak, 26, of Weirton; and Richard Robinson, 47, of Marshal. They were taken to the Columbiana County Jail and are free today on bond. Police said the crime occurred about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Parking ban reminder
SALEM -- Police are reminding people who attend fireworks at Waterworth Memorial Park Saturday not to park in the no-parking area of Sunset Boulevard. Parking is banned at all times along that street from North Lincoln Avenue to the park parking lot.
The reminder is being issued because police have received complaints that driveways along Sunset Boulevard were blocked by vehicles. Police note that the illegal parking also hinders emergency vehicles' access to the park.
Violators will be ticketed.
Help for crime victims
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County District Attorney Matthew Mangino is offering evening office hours to aid crime victims. Mangino said evening hours will be available by appointment and held the first Monday of each month.
The Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County has also pledged to participate. The evening office hours will also serve as a means for people to file private prosecutions who may not be able to make an appointment during regular business hours.
For more details, visit the district's attorneys Web page at www.lcdaonline.com.
New Castle road closing
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The south side of the Columbus Inner Belt will be closed to traffic from 9 to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday for Back to the 50s participants to park their cars, according to Mayor Timothy Fulkerson's office.
There will be no entertainment provided this year.
I-79 lanes to open
MERCER, Pa. -- Lane restrictions on I-79 in Mercer County were expected to be removed today in anticipation of the July 4 holiday.
By 4:00 p.m. all northbound and southbound lanes, between Mile Post 110 and Mile Post 137, were expected to open in time for the holiday traffic, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Construction work on those lanes will resume Monday.
Robbery charges
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A city man faces charges after two downtown businesses were robbed. Police said Jeffrey Wilson, 46, of North Mercer Street, was arrested just after 7 p.m. Tuesday in Sghetti's Restaurant with a fistful of $20 bills.
Police said Eat 'N' Park Restaurant employees chased Wilson to Sghetti's after he came in and grabbed money from the Eat 'N' Park cash register.
Police said a clerk at Tic Toc Food Mart identified Wilson as the man who tried to take money from her cash register just a few minutes before 7 p.m.
Police said Wilson faces a charge of criminal attempt at robbery for the Tic Toc Food episode and charges of robbery, theft and receiving stolen property in the Eat 'N' Park crime.
Jamestown school work
JAMESTOWN, Pa. -- Construction is expected to start in the next few weeks on the Jamestown High School renovation and expansion project.
The Jamestown school board approved the $7.8 million project at a meeting earlier this week by a 5-4 vote, said Guy Brooks, school board president. Brooks said a group of residents opposed to the project submitted a letter at the meeting stating they would try to stop the project in court if it was approved.
The majority of new school board members expected to take office in December oppose the project, he said.
The school board president said the school solicitor advised the board to continue with the project before the vote was taken.