Man suffers shot to face

Man suffers shot to face
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 28-year-old man was in stable condition today at Forum Northside Medical Center after being shot in the face just before noon Wednesday at 140 Tod Lane. Daniel E. Rice, for whom police reports listed both Perry Street, Youngstown, and Ridge Avenue, Sharpsville, Pa., addresses, was reportedly shot by a middle-aged man with a handgun. The man had accompanied Rice to the Tod Lane address and drove Rice to the hospital, police said. No arrests were made; police are still investigating.
Canfield buys land
CANFIELD -- City council voted 4-1 Wednesday night to buy 288 acres of Red Gate Farm for $2.4 million. Council also voted 4-1 to take out a $1.3 million loan, at an annual interest rate of no more than 3 percent, to help pay for the land. Both opposing votes were cast by council President Kevin Hughes, who said he felt the city was spending too much. Hughes also said he didn't think the city should compete with developers for the purchase, and that the city should have a plan for the land before requesting a loan. Mayor Lee Frey said the city is looking at how it can make money off the land, near the corner of U.S. Route 62 and Leffingwell Road in Canfield Township, to protect itself from financial problems.
Repairs at school gym
CANFIELD -- Insurance will pay to replace two wooden beams in the ceiling of the C.H. Campbell Elementary School gym this summer, schools Business Manager Dennis Kowalski said. The gym has been closed since a pupil noticed a crack in one of the beams earlier this year. Kowalski told the school board Wednesday that work on the beams will last about two weeks, and that he wants it complete by Aug. 15. The board declared the project an "urgent necessity" and said it will seek estimates on the work in the coming weeks.
Gas line break closes road
CANFIELD -- East Main Street between Hillside Drive and the village green was closed Wednesday evening after a construction crew ruptured a gas line. Workers from Faust Excavating in Liberty hit a gas line at about 4:15 p.m., city Manager Charles Tieche said. Faust is installing curbs and a storm sewer along the road. The road was reopened around 8 p.m.
Fire damages kitchen
YOUNGSTOWN -- A fire at 2:44 a.m. today at 256 Early Road started with food left on an electric stove and did about $4,000 damage, the fire department said. The occupant thought the stove had been turned off, but firefighters found it on. The fire was confined to the kitchen of the two-story frame house.
School board vacancy
BOARDMAN -- The governing board of the Mahoning County Educational Service Center will meet at 3:30 p.m. Friday to consider the appointment of a new board member. Ten county residents have applied to fill a position left vacant after the death of Pat Vivo earlier this month. Other meetings to consider the appointment will be at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, and May 30 and June 3. All meetings are in the MCESC board room at 100 DeBartolo Place, Suite 105.
Fingerhut cancels speech
POLAND -- State Sen. Eric Fingerhut, a 2004 Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, canceled his appearance today at the Democrats of the 17th and 6th Districts' meeting. Fingerhut can't attend because of a Senate Finance Committee hearing in Columbus, but he plans to speak to the local political organization in the future. The group meets at 7 p.m. today at Bruno's Restaurant on U.S. Route 224.
Tools stolen from trucks
YOUNGSTOWN -- Windows were broken to gain entry to seven trucks at Aey Electric, 2217 Mahoning Ave., and various tools were stolen, police said. The damage was discovered Wednesday.