Weathersfield board plans to seek emergency levy

Weathersfield board plansto seek emergency levy
MINERAL RIDGE -- The Weathersfield Board of Education will seek what it anticipates will be a 9.5-mill emergency operating levy on the Nov. 4 ballot to generate $919,360 annually.
The board tabled the action in June to give members time to rethink the levy request.
Fred McCandless of Lakeside Drive told the board in June and again Wednesday that millage that high would not pass.
He noted the district just passed 1.8 mills for renovations and an addition at Seaborn Elementary School and had 0.8 mills added to the tax duplicate to pay for the district's vocational students to attend Trumbull County Career and Technical Center.
Board member Douglas Darnall said people have to realize they are taxed on only 35 percent of the value of their homes, adding people he talked with didn't like the previous plan of a 1-percent income tax because it would have run for an unlimited amount of time. Voters rejected the income tax issue in May.
Ex-treasurer charged
KINSMAN -- A former treasurer of the Kinsman Township Volunteer Fire Department has been charged with stealing $18,271 from the department.
Tom Ruiter of Ridge Road was to be arraigned today in Trumbull County Eastern District Court in Brookfield on a charge of theft, said township Police Chief Leroy Long.
Ruiter was arrested Wednesday night at his home.
Long said Ruiter wrote checks to "cash" and to himself during 2001 and 2002. He was voted out of office in February, and the new treasurer and the organization's board discovered the loss.
Long said Ruiter is cooperating with the investigation. He said Ruiter told him he took the money to cover personal expenses.
Shoaf's wife seeks divorce
WARREN -- The wife of Joseph Shoaf, the imprisoned former superintendent of Girard schools, is seeking a divorce.
Tamara M. Shoaf of Cortland filed documents Wednesday in Trumbull County Domestic Relations Court.
Shoaf is serving a five-year prison term at Belmont Correctional Institution in St. Clairsville for corrupting a student with drugs, possession of cocaine and intimidating a witness.
Tamara Shoaf used her husband's incarceration as the reason for seeking the divorce. The couple has 2-year-old triplets.
Youngstown carjacking
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 34-year-old Warren woman told police that she was dragged from her car at a traffic light on Youngstown's East Side and assaulted before her attacker drove off in her black 2003 Jeep Liberty.
The woman told police she was stopped at McGuffey Road and Cassius Avenue about 4:05 a.m. Wednesday when a man ran up to her car, opened the driver's door, grabbed her wrist and yanked her out.
The man bit her on the wrist before driving away, the police report states.
Wine-tasting benefit
NILES -- P.J. Snappers seafood restaurant, 5125 Youngstown-Warren Road, is having a wine tasting from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday to benefit Second Harvest Foodbank.
The event also will feature jazz music by the Big Daddy Revue and SounDoctrine, finger foods and a Chinese auction.
Second Harvest is a nonprofit organization that provides food to hunger relief organizations in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties. Second Harvest will receive $10 from every ticket sold for the event.
Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Call (330) 505-9997 for ticket information.
Girard St. Rose festival
GIRARD -- The annual St. Rose Church Family Festival will be from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday on the church grounds. Rides, food, raffles and bingo will be held each night.
Music will be presented each evening by Champagne, the Del Rezek Orchestra and Al Hreno.
There will be no Mass at 4 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. Saturday, but a polka Mass will combine the intentions for both at 4:30 p.m. Saturday on the church grounds.
The main raffle drawings will take place at 11:30 p.m. Sunday for a $3,000 first prize, a $500 second prize and a $200 third prize. Tickets for the festival basket raffle are $1 each or six for $5 and can be purchased in advance or at the festival. The drawings will be held Sunday night.