Commissioner candidate

Commissioner candidate
WARREN -- Gwen Logan of Farmdale has officially announced her candidacy in the March Democratic primary election for Michael O'Brien's seat on the board of Trumbull County commissioners.
Logan is also seeking appointment from the Democratic party for the two months that will remain in O'Brien's term when he resigns in January to become Warren mayor.
She was briefly a Trumbull County commissioner candidate in 1998 and is the wife of Judge Andrew Logan of county Common Pleas Court.
Warren YMCA reopens
WARREN -- The Warren YMCA has reopened after being closed for several weeks because of an electrical fire.
The facility is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Howland tree lighting
HOWLAND -- The township's annual tree lighting program will be at 6 p.m. Nov. 30 at the central park, across from Giant Eagle.
The program will feature music, refreshments and Santa.
Perth Drive closing
HOWLAND -- Perth Drive will be closed west of state Route 46 from Nov. 17 to Dec. 1 as workers from the Trumbull County Engineer's Department replace a culvert.
Survey about flooding
HOWLAND -- Residents will soon receive survey forms in the mail as part of the township's efforts to map the extent of flooding.
Trustees approved an $89,895 contract Wednesday with the engineering firm URS of Akron to create a comprehensive map of drainage in the township.
The consultants will also offer suggestions on how flooding problems could be reduced, officials said. Their work is expected to form the basis of an application for state Issue 2 funds in December.
Homeland security grant
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency has received a $581,947 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Walter Duzzny, EMA director, said the money will buy equipment for local safety forces to use in responding to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive problems.
The county has received more than $800,000 this year in homeland security funding toward buying such equipment, Duzzny said.
Fraudulent phone charges
AUSTINTOWN -- Police are investigating a report that someone in Toledo used a Backwater Cove man's name and Social Security number to charge $7,000 in phone calls.
The man called police Monday after learning about the bill. He said he didn't know anyone in Toledo.
Gun, alcohol charges
YOUNGSTOWN -- A report of gunfire at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the 2900 block of South Avenue resulted in the arrest of Wilbert V. Tolley, 58, of Williamson Avenue on charges of discharging a firearm within city limits, having a weapon while intoxicated and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle.
Tolley told police he did shoot a gun and said it was in the trunk of his car, reports show. Officers found a 20-gauge shotgun and .32-caliber revolver in the trunk. They collected two spent rounds from inside the car along with shotgun ammunition, two knives and a can of beer.
Boys accused of theft
YOUNGSTOWN -- Four boys in a stolen 1990 Pontiac abandoned it on Glenaven Avenue about 12:30 a.m. today and ran from police, who caught one of them on Heasley Street.
A 14-year-old West Chalmers Avenue boy was taken to the Mahoning County juvenile justice center to face charges of receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and curfew violation.
The Chaney High School student told police that his friend was bored and decided to steal the car, reports show.
School knife case
YOUNGSTOWN -- A fifth-grader at West Elementary School who had a knife in her purse was taken to the Mahoning County juvenile justice center Wednesday afternoon to face charges of conveyance of a dangerous weapon on school property and assault on a teacher, who allegedly was struck.
The 10-year-old Kenmore Avenue girl had handed the purse to her teacher and said there was a knife in it, police said.