Man charged with rape

Man charged with rape
BROOKFIELD -- Dale A. Fell of Stewart-Sharon Road is charged with raping a 12-year-old girl. Fell, 57, was in Trumbull County Jail this morning on $500,000 bond set Monday in Trumbull County Eastern District Court. Police said the girl and her 10-year-old girlfriend were riding their bicycles Friday evening along Stewart-Sharon. They said Fell lured the girls to his home with the promise of seeing some kittens. The girls were joined by the victim's 11-year-old brother, who was also riding his bike. While the children were in the home, the victim was taken to another portion of the house and sexually assaulted, police said.
Newton Falls city manager
NEWTON FALLS -- City council will meet in special session at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers to discuss the hiring of a city manager. Lawmakers did not take any action on the hiring at its regular meeting Monday. Council is expected to go into executive session Wednesday to discuss replacing Robert C. Eberhart, who resigned in December.
Walkers raise $117,000
LIBERTY -- Despite heavy rain Saturday, walkers in the Relay for Life at the high school raised $27,000 more this year than the previous year. The relay, which ran from Friday to Saturday, was the second at the high school. Forty-four teams of walkers raised $117,000, up from $90,000 in 2002, said Al Stabilito, communications and advocacy director for the Mahoning Valley American Cancer Society. Relays are planned this weekend at the Lakeview High School track in Cortland and at East Liverpool's Mangano Memorial track.
Niles DUI patrols
NILES -- At random times throughout June, the city police department will increase the number of patrols to target drunken and impaired driving offenses. With the use of state funds provided through the Trumbull County DUI Task Force, additional officers will be on the roads to look specifically for offenders on designated roads in the city. June is a busy month for special events in Niles, and officers ask those attending those events have a designated driver or drive responsibly.
Taft appoints Valley man
YOUNGSTOWN -- Gov. Bob Taft appointed Dave Johnson, who operates Summitville Tiles and is the former Columbiana County Republican chairman, to his Commission on Higher Education and the Economy. The 33-member commission will evaluate the funding, structure, governance and accessibility of the state's higher education system, and make recommendations to the governor. Johnson, of Salem, is the only Mahoning Valley resident appointed to the committee, which includes educators, business leaders and politicians.
Dynamite disposal
AUSTINTOWN -- The Youngstown police bomb squad disposed of several sticks of old dynamite and an unidentified liquid found in an Oakwood Avenue building. Austintown police were called by a man about 10:30 a.m. Monday after he discovered the dynamite and a large glass container filled with an unidentified liquid. Also assisting with the disposal was the Austintown Fire Department and the Mahoning County Haz-Mat Team.
Patrol seeks suspect
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is asking the public's assistance in locating a man involved in an attempted kidnapping from Indiana early Monday. He was last seen walking toward a wooded area on the south side of Interstate 70 in Preble County, Ohio. The white man reportedly was wearing a black jacket, black jeans and a Bill Clinton mask. He was reported to have accompanied the victim into Ohio in a green 1994 Plymouth Voyager. The patrol's Dayton post and the FBI's Dayton office are investigating. Those with information are asked to call the patrol's Dayton post at (937) 832-4794.
Fire destroys barn
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Authorities said a 9-year-old boy playing with a cigarette lighter started a fire that destroyed a 30-by-100-foot barn at the home of Fay Beckstine, 1039 Hilltop Road in West Salem Township. Officials said the fire broke out around 5:45 p.m. Monday and also destroyed two fishing boats and some lumber stored in the barn.