Investigating house fire

Investigating house fire
SALEM -- Investigators are seeking the cause of a house fire that caused an estimated $15,000 damage.
The fire is suspicious because it occurred in an unoccupied house, Chief Walt Greenamyer said today.
Firefighters were called about 3:53 p.m. Thursday to 351 E. Third St., a two-story home owned by Joshua and Dawna Baired.
It's unclear where the Baireds are from, a fire official said.
The fire started in a second-floor bedroom and did not spread. Smoke damage occurred throughout the house.
No injuries resulted from the blaze.
Residents' requests
SALEM -- Two property owners are asking the city zoning appeals board for permission to alter yard dimension requirements to allow for building projects.
James Hrovatic wants to construct a garage at 196 S. Union Ave. Keith Chilton wants to build a patio at 611 E. Perry St.
The zoning board will consider the variance requests at 7 p.m. Monday at city hall.
Crash kills Pa. woman
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A 20-year-old Evans City, Pa., woman died in a two-vehicle crash on Pa. Route 60 in Neshannock Township.
State police said Kathryn D. Bestwick of Harmony Street was driving north on Route 60 about 10 a.m. Thursday when she apparently failed to see a truck and ran into its rear.
The driver of the truck, Victor Chrobak, 74, of Savannah Gardner Road, New Castle, was treated at Jameson Hospital.
Police said Chrobak was directing traffic to the right lane while a truck in the left lane in front of him sprayed for weeds.
Police said that after Bestwick's car struck the truck, it traveled about 375 feet down the median and stopped in the southbound lanes.
Bestwick was pronounced dead at the scene by Lawrence County Coroner Russell Noga.
Chrobak was wearing a seat belt; Bestwick was not, police said.
Multiple drug charges
SHARON, Pa. -- A 31-year-old city man was sent to the Mercer County jail in lieu of $50,000 bond after being arraigned on drug charges and a charge of resisting arrest.
Lewendo L. Teague, of Mesabi Street, fought with and ran from state probation officers when they went to his residence for a routine check Tuesday evening, according to Police Capt. Michael J. Menster.
After a chase, police arrested him in the 200 block of Malleable Street about midnight, Menster said.
Having obtained a search warrant for his residence, police said they found, either on his person or in his residence, nearly 2 ounces of suspected crack cocaine, a small amount of suspected marijuana, OxyContin and Valium tablets, more than $600 in cash, cell phones, pagers and an electronic scale.
Police charged Teague with possession with intent to deliver cocaine, marijuana possession and possession of controlled substances (OxyContin and Valium), possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest.
Menster said he did not know why Teague was on probation.
Teague was arraigned before District Justice James McMahon, who set a preliminary hearing for 10 a.m. May 8.
Woman reports threat
YOUNGSTOWN -- A West Judson Avenue woman told police she was threatened by a man who was removing the yard signs of Councilman Michael Rapovy, the 5th Ward councilman running in Tuesday's Democratic primary.
Mariae Brooks, president of her neighborhood block watch, told police that she observed the driver of a gold Chevrolet Malibu removing Rapovy's yard signs on her street about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday.
She told the man to put the signs back, and he complied.
As she was going into her home, the man threatened her and warned her not to report what happened, according to a police report.
No arrest was made.
Exchange of gunfire
WARREN -- More than 30 shots were fired between passengers of two cars Wednesday night, police said.
Police Chief John Mandopoulos said gunshots were exchanged around 8 p.m. as the cars traveled on several southwest residential streets, including Oak, Parkman and Maple.
No one was injured.
"There were many children playing on the streets, and our officers were able to stop the vehicles involved before anyone got hurt," the chief said.
Police are in the process of filing charges.