Valley legislators appointed to panels

Valley legislatorsappointed to panels
COLUMBUS -- Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder appointed two Mahoning Valley legislators to committees. State Rep. John Boccieri of New Middletown, D-61st, was named to the House Aerospace and Defense Advisory Council, which is responsible for raising the state's profile in the aerospace industry and the federal Base Realignment and Closure initiative. State Rep. Sandra Stabile Harwood of Niles, D-65th, was appointed to the Task Force on Family Law and Children, which reviews and improves laws pertaining to familes and children.
Bat had rabies
WASHINGTONVILLE -- A bat discovered in a Washington Street home had rabies, the Columbiana County Health Department says. The bat was discovered April 4 while a cat was playing with it. The cat's owner took the bat and gave it to the health department for testing. The cat has a current rabies vaccination. There was no mention in a health department statement of anyone being bitten by the bat. The health department is reminding people that it is important to keep their pets' rabies vaccinations current. This was the first case of rabies discovered in the county this year. In 2002 there were three cases found, health department officials said.
Man turns himself inon endangering charge
SHARON, Pa. -- Police said a city man turned himself in to District Justice James McMahon on a charge of endangering the welfare of children. Police said Shawn Bucciarelli, 31, of Elm Avenue was released Wednesday on his own recognizance on the first-degree misdemeanor charge. Police said Thursday that Bucciarelli left a loaded semiautomatic pistol accessible to several small children April 16. Police said an 8-year-old boy was playing with the gun when it discharged into the ceiling.
Grant for work training
CRANBERRY, Pa. -- U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, R-4th, joined single mothers, widows and program directors of Pa. Women Work to announce Wednesday a $100,000 grant to help displaced homemakers reach economic independence. The money is derived from the Omnibus Appropriations Bill passed by Congress and comes through training and employment services funds from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Library open houseset for early May
NILES -- McKinley Memorial Library plans an open house for the McKinley Birthplace Home and Research Center next month. State Sen. Marc Dann, state Rep. Sandra Stabile Harwood, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, Mayor Ralph Infante and other dignitaries will take part in the ceremony, set for 3 p.m. May 4. Visitors will be able to walk through the reconstruction of the birthplace of William McKinley, 25th president of the United States, and visit the research center, which contains a McKinley reference area, gift shop and meeting room. Also during the ceremony, J.D. Britton from the Ohio Historical Society will present an Ohio Historical Marker to designate the area as the site of McKinley's birthplace.
Youngstown man beaten
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 39-year-old city man was in stable condition this morning at St. Elizabeth Health Center after being beaten Thursday afternoon. According to police reports, John Houser of 230 E. Auburndale was discovered about 5:15 p.m. lying on his back in the street in front of a home in the 200 block of E. Auburndale with injuries to his head and body. Witnesses told police two men had beaten Houser before fleeing in a small maroon car.
Bullet holes in house
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Waverly Avenue woman told police she discovered two bullet holes in the side of her house Thursday evening and believes her former live-in boyfriend may be to blame. According to police reports, the 30-year-old woman discovered the bullet holes in the siding near her bedroom window around 7 p.m. The report states a small handgun may have been used to cause the damage. The woman told police she believes the former boyfriend may have shot at her house while she was at work, because she has had ongoing problems with him since he moved out two weeks ago and because a neighbor has seen him driving up and down the dead-end street.