Police probe burglaries of store and home

Police probe burglariesof store and home
MERCER, Pa. -- State police are investigating a pair of burglaries, one at a store in Jamestown and the other at a home in Springfield Township near Grove City.
Police said thieves forced open a back door at Shawkey's Golden Down at 305 Liberty St., Jamestown, sometime Thursday night and stole a large amount of steaks, cigarettes, snuff and deodorant.
Police said burglars entered a home on the Leesburg-Grove City Road in Springfield Township sometime Friday night and took a small safe containing currency, jewelry and other valuable items. There was no forced entry to the home, police said.
Truck hits gas well,causing blast and fire
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Police want to know who was driving a pickup truck that struck a gas well in an area off Wise Road, West Salem Township, causing an explosion and fire that destroyed the vehicle and extensively damaged the well owned by Exploration Energy Inc. of Howland in Trumbull County. Police were called around 12:43 a.m. Sunday after neighbors reported hearing an explosion and found the truck burning, sitting atop the well several hundred feet from the road.
Police said that tracks in the area indicated the pickup was driven around a field before it hit the gas well.
The truck was owned by Richard W. Conley III of Main Street, Fredonia, who reported it stolen about an hour after the explosion and fire.
Conley told authorities his truck had been parked at a residence on Kinsman Road in West Salem Township where he was attending a party but that he discovered it was missing around 1 a.m.
Fire looks suspicious,New Castle chief says
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Firefighters are investigating a suspicious weekend blaze. Fire Chief James Donston said a fire started on the second floor of 401 Hawthorne St. at 5:43 p.m. Saturday.
Residents David Gar and Cristeena Snyder were not home at the time, he said. The chief estimated damage at about $15,000. George Malizia owns the home.
Firefighters also were called to another blaze at 3:03 a.m. Sunday at 1603 S. Jefferson St. Donston said Jacob Barnes, 19, was frying chicken wings on the stove when the wall and cabinets behind the stove caught fire. Barnes burned his hands trying to put out the flames, the fire chief said. Two other people in the house were not injured, Donston said.
Tax relief availablefor property damage
YOUNGSTOWN -- Property owners may claim a reduction in the taxable value of their property if it has been destroyed or damaged in the recent severe storms that hit the area, Mahoning County Auditor George J. Tablack said today.
Ohio law permits property owners to claim the reduction at any time, regardless of the cause of damage, he said. The amount of reduction would be prorated based on the calendar quarter in which the damage occurred.
Property owners must file an application with the county auditor for a reduction no later than Dec. 31 in the year that the damage occurred. Refunds or credits may be available, he said.
"With the tremendous storm damage recently, the residents of Mahoning County deserve the relief that this law provides," Tablack said. "This law provides quick and effective property tax relief to those homeowners during this time of need."
Reading camp to openin East Palestine center
EAST PALESTINE -- The East Palestine PTO's communitywide reading camp will be 1 to 3 p.m. July 21-25 at the city park community center. The program is open to children entering kindergarten through fifth grade. Children entering sixth grade and up are needed as youth volunteers.
The camp features reading activities, crafts, guest readers and prizes. Registration is now under way at the city pool ticket booth and also will take place at 12:30 p.m. July 21 at the community center.