Motorcyclist dies

Motorcyclist dies
CORTLAND -- City police are investigating a motorcycle crash that killed a 27-year-old city man.
Michael S. Schmidt of Maplewood Drive was riding his motorcycle around 1 p.m. Wednesday on state Route 46 when he lost control of the bike, police said. He was thrown from the motorcycle and his body hit a pickup truck. He died in St. Joseph Health Center.
Niles man arrested
GIRARD -- A 32-year-old Niles man was arrested on a charge of driving under suspension -- his third in a month.
A trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol stopped Nate Critchfield about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday on state Route 82. Critchfield faces charges of DUS, not wearing a seat belt, and improper display of plates. He is scheduled to appear in Girard Municipal Court at 9 a.m. July 29.
He was arrested on a similar charge June 17 by Warren police and earlier this month by Niles police. In all the arrests, police say Critchfield was driving a car registered to his former employer, Atty. Maridee Costanzo. Costanzo said this morning that she transferred the title of the car out of her name Wednesday.
Ward meeting set
WARREN -- Councilman Robert Holmes III, D-4th, will have a ward meeting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Hippodrome, High Street. Among the issues to be addressed is legislation before council that would strengthen the law regarding car stereos turned up to loud levels. The legislation would enact mandatory fines and seizure of stereo equipment upon conviction.
Enrollment at YSU
YOUNGSTOWN -- Enrollment is up more than 5 percent this summer at Youngstown State University, say data released Wednesday.
The university has 5,036 students taking classes this summer, an increase of 252 students from the 4,784 that were on campus last summer, show preliminary numbers that will be reported to the Ohio Board of Regents.
Enrollment is counted in two ways: head count reflects the number of students enrolled, and full-time equivalent shows the number of students enrolled full time. Officials said full-time equivalent enrollment at YSU is up nearly 5.5 percent this summer.
Enrollment at YSU has steadily risen since fall semester 2001. Last fall, enrollment increased nearly 4 percent.
Carjacking reported
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 24-year-old Girard woman told police she was carjacked at gunpoint late Wednesday afternoon while driving in the 400 block of West Chalmers Avenue.
The East Liberty Street woman said a man wearing a white T-shirt and gray stocking cap jumped in front of her 1999 Pontiac Grand Am at 5:45 p.m., pointed a gun and told her to get out, which she did, reports show. The man then drove off.
The victim said she went to a nearby house and called police.
Police probe hit-skip
SHARON, Pa. -- Police are looking for the driver of a car that rear-ended a motorcyclist on the Shenango Valley Freeway around 5:45 a.m. today, leaving him lying face down on the road.
Joseph Mihalcin, 52, of Keel Ridge Road, Hermitage, was in stable condition in Sharon Regional Health System. Police said he was westbound on the freeway and entering a construction area at Service Avenue when he was hit from behind by what witnesses described as a Ford four-door car with Ohio registration plates.
The driver fled, but police said witnesses got the license number and the car was later found in Youngstown. Police were searching for the driver.
Burglary at house
SHARON, Pa. -- Police said a burglar stole loose change and collector's coins from a home in the 200 block of Baldwin Avenue.
The burglary occurred between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday while the resident was away, police said. The burglar entered through a first-floor window, police said.
Meeting time changed
YOUNGSTOWN -- The start time of the city board of education meeting scheduled for today has been changed to 5:30 p.m. in the board room at Irene L. Ward Building, 20 W. Wood St.