Mineral Ridge woman faces drug charges

Mineral Ridge womanfaces drug charges
NILES -- A Mineral Ridge woman was arraigned in municipal court Monday.
Tina M. Booker, 43, of Edwards Street, is charged with trafficking in drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, drug abuse, possession of harmful intoxicants, DUI and driving left of center.
According to police reports, Booker was pulled over about 2 a.m. Saturday at Vienna and Washington avenues, where police found several bags of cocaine, boxes of nitrous oxide tubes and other items.
Booker is free on $5,000 bond awaiting a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. June 25.
Motorcyclist criticalafter hitting truck
SOUTHINGTON -- A Southington woman was in critical condition this morning in St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown after running her motorcycle into a dump truck. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said Debra L. Spisak, 46, of Barclay-Messerly Road, was riding north on state Route 534 about 7:30 p.m. Monday when she lost control on a curve, went left of center and hit the left front tire of the southbound truck.
Interim manager
NEWTON FALLS -- The city has yet another interim manager.
Council agreed Monday to appoint Joseph Hildack, retroactive to June 9, at a rate of $20 per hour.
Hildack replaces finance clerk Marcia Cunningham, who served as manager since December.
The position was left vacant after Robert C. Eberhart was ordered by council last fall to resign or be fired.
Council voted 3-2 earlier this month to offer the position to Cunningham, but she turned it down, saying she preferred to keep her current job.
Howland school boardfills vacant seat
HOWLAND -- Stephanie Shaw, of 9365 Bay Hill Drive, has been chosen by the Howland Board of Education to serve the months remaining on former member Eric Moore's term.
The board unanimously selected Shaw, public affairs manager for Sprint in Warren, at a special meeting Monday.
Seven candidates expressed interest in the job.
Shaw has also been active on the district's levy committee and has two children in Howland schools.
Moore resigned in May to take a job out of state. The term expires at the end of December.
Meeting rescheduled
NEWTON FALLS -- The board of education has rescheduled a special meeting for 6 p.m. Wednesday in room 101 of the high school, 907 Milton Blvd.
The meeting was originally set for Monday morning.
Balloon fund-raiser
LIBERTY -- The Wings of Windsor, a provisional chapter of the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants, is to have a fund-raiser balloon launch at 4 p.m. Thursday at Windsor Resource Center, Church Hill-Hubbard Road.
For a $1 donation, balloons will be tagged the name of the patron, and the first balloon returned will receive a prize.
Proceeds go toward continuing education workshops at the center. Call (330) 759-7858.
Kiwanis Club to haveannual Duck Derby
NILES -- The Kiwanis Club's annual Duck Derby takes place at Eastwood Mall at 1 p.m. Sunday.
There will be 5,000 plastic ducks available. The ducks will be floated down a spillway in a culvert in front of the mall, along U.S. Route 422. Proceeds will benefit local youth programs supported by Kiwanis. Grand prize is $2,000.
The ducks cost $5 each, or $10 for three ducks. Call Ken Kollar at (330) 652-6980 ext. 14, Dick Richards at (330) 652-7200 or Flo Soletro at (330) 372-3091.
Storytime series
McDONALD -- The village will host a storytime series in the park gazebo with help from the Girard Free Library.
The first installment is 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Depending on participation, readings could continue through the summer.
The program is open to everyone. Those attending are urged to bring chairs or blankets.