First recipient of degree

First recipient of degree
SALEM -- Kent State University Salem Campus will award the university's first bachelor's degree in radiologic and imaging sciences at commencement exercises at 7:30 p.m. Friday on campus.Lauren A. Thompson of Leetonia will receive the degree. A 1997 honors graduate of Leetonia High School, Thompson works at Salem Community Hospital. She is the daughter of Don and Mickey Thompson.
KSU Salem is the only regional campus in Ohio to offer a four-year degree, according to a campus spokesman. The program was approved for the campus by the Ohio Board of Regents last year.
Keynote speaker will be Dr. James McConnell, professor of education, who retires at the end of this academic year.
Waste plant open house
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- An open house will be from 1 to 3 and 5 to 7 p.m. May 14 at the New Middletown waste treatment plant on Unity Road.
The Mahoning County Sanitary Engineer's office is sponsoring the open house in conjunction with Earth Day. Equipment will be on display, as will information about upcoming sewer projects in Springfield Township. The New Middletown treatment plant is designed to treat 550,000 gallons of waste per day, and serves about 1,375 households.
Animal sanctuary opens
BERLIN CENTER -- Noah's Lost Ark, 8424 Bedell Road, a nonprofit exotic animal rescue organization, is open for its 2003 season.
The federal and state-licensed sanctuary provides a safe haven for more than 125 animals, including more than 30 large cats.
Visitors can see lions, tigers, leopards, zebras, camels and wallabies. A petting zoo is also provided for children. School groups and the general public are encouraged to visit.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The Web site is www.noahslostark.org.
Cruiser proposal rejected
HANOVERTON -- Village council has rejected a proposal to make an offer to buy a used police car from Perry Township.
Councilman Mark Grate proposed the idea. He said the township wants $4,500 for a 2000 Ford with about 190,000 miles on it. He proposed offering $3,500, and selling the present village cruiser, which is a 1989 model.
Council balked, however, noting the recent expenditure of nearly $2,000 getting the cruiser repaired. The lawmakers also pointed out the village's cruiser is driven only about 150 miles per month and there is no money budgeted for buying a cruiser.
Monday's motion to make the offer for the cruiser was rejected 2-4, with Grate and Don Sheen voting yes, and Dave Kiewall, Jack Barrett, Jane Wilson and Scott Sabatino opposing.
Tires flattened on vehicles
SALEM -- Sean Kirkland, the assistant principal of Salem High School, told police at 9:29 p.m. Monday that two people in dark clothing ran away after flattening the tires on both of his vehicles at his home at 241 N. Union Ave. Police said all four tires on a truck and two tires on a sport utility vehicle had inch-long punctures. Kirkland told police he thought the vandalism was connected to his job, and he asked for an extra watch at his home until the school year ends.
Sentence put on hold
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 30-day jail sentence for Jerald A. Gordon, park department supervisor, has been put on hold pending appeal of his sexual imposition conviction.
Gordon, 49, of Scioto Street, was sentenced Monday in municipal court. Last month, a jury found him guilty of improperly touching a female, part-time park employee. Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly sentenced Gordon to 60 days in jail, suspended 30, fined him $100 and placed him on one year's probation. He also must pay $600 to cover the cost of the jury.
Construction update
YOUNGSTOWN -- The board of education approved the construction documents and authorized bidding for construction of Taft Elementary School on the city's South Side.
The new $7.8 million school, designed to house 485 pupils, will be on the same Gibson Street site where the old Taft was demolished last fall. The new building is expected to be ready to use in fall 2004, Anthony DeNiro Jr., executive director of school business affairs, said Monday night. It is part of the district's $182.5 million, six-year schools construction and renovation project.