Man dies in crash

Man dies in crash
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A man died when he crashed his car into a number of other vehicles at a used car lot on Ellwood Road in Shenango Township about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, according to a Lawrence County Emergency Operations Center dispatcher.
It is not known what caused the accident and no other information, including the man's identity, was available Saturday.
Civil War discussion
MERCER, Pa. -- The Battle of the Wilderness and General Ulysses S. Grant's philosophy, which doomed the Confederacy, will be the topic of a free Mercer County Historical Society Civil War Roundtable discussion Tuesday in the historical society headquarters, 119 S. Pitt St.
Bill Philson, historical society director, will serve as moderator.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The discussion will begin at 7 and is expected to last about two hours.
Call (724) 662-3490.
House fire in Champion
CHAMPION -- A house fire caused $70,000 in damages at 5078 Kuszmaul Ave. shortly before 2:45 a.m. Saturday.
Firefighters said the one-story home was struck by lightning, sparking the blaze. The occupants, whose names were not available, escaped unharmed, firefighters said. Fire departments from Warren and Bazetta Township assisted.
Academic achiever
VIENNA -- Robert Joseph Thompson of Vienna, son of Robert and Janice Thompson, was honored as an academic achiever at the Spring Honors Convocation at Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pa.
Thompson, a senior history major, is a member of the Pi Sigma Pi honor society. He is a Mathews High School graduate.
His name was omitted from a list of academic achievers last Sunday.
Woman choked, robbed
YOUNGSTOWN -- Pamela Midkiff, 46, of Canfield reported being robbed when she was stopped behind another car at Glenwood and Indianola avenues around 2:45 a.m. Saturday.
She told police that as she was dialing 911 on her cellular telephone, a man got out of the other car, smashed out her car window, reached in and began choking her. The suspect grabbed her purse and sped away.