South Range meeting set for later this month

South Range meetingset for later this month
NORTH LIMA -- The South Range Board of Education will have a special meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 at the school district's office on South Avenue in Beaver Township. The board plans to determine what type of tax will be needed to pay for current operating expenses. School administrators said formal action likely will be taken at that meeting.
Bank robbery chargesagainst Boardman man
PITTSBURGH -- A Boardman man has been indicted in U.S. Federal Court on bank robbery charges. Larry Joe McCoy, 45, of Shadyside Drive is accused of robbing the First Commonwealth Bank on East Poland Avenue, Bessemer, on Dec. 12 and the First Commonwealth Bank on West State Street in Union Township on Jan. 7. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Pennsylvania State Police said McCoy told them he used the money to pay his bills. He took about $6,400, police said.
Assault charge filedagainst Cortland teen
SHARON, Pa. -- Police charged Kevin M. Repko, 18, of Kingsville Road, Cortland, with an assault that left a Hermitage man in critical condition in St. Elizabeth Health Center. Repko turned himself in at the police station at about 3 p.m. Wednesday after learning a warrant had been issued for his arrest on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Police said he threw a brick that hit Scott Miller, 40, of River Road in the head during a dispute in the 400 block of Grant Street at about 4 a.m. Tuesday. Repko was arraigned before District Justice James McMahon, who released him on a nonmonetary bond.
Barn destroyed by fire
SHEAKLEYVILLE, Pa. -- Firefighters said high winds thwarted their efforts to battle a barn fire on the farm of Thomas and Pam Smith at 187 Osborne Road in Salem Township. Lt. Robert Kitchen of the Sheakleyville Volunteer Fire Department said one end of the large, modern barn was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters reached the scene at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. The wind carried the fire right through the barn, he said, resulting in a total loss. There was a lot of hay in the barn, and the lower level housed cattle and milking equipment, but rescuers were able to get all the cattle out, he said. The cause of the blaze was undetermined this morning, and a state police fire marshal was called in to aid in the investigation. Kitchen said several other area fire departments assisted at the scene.
Electronics stolenfrom home in Sharon
SHARON, Pa. -- Police said someone stole 80 DVDs, a PlayStation 2 and a home-theater system from a home in the 500 block of Prindle Street. Entry to the home was gained through an unlocked door between 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Children fingerprinted
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- State police will fingerprint children for identification purposes from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Dunkin Donuts on South Mill Street. Parents will be given the completed fingerprint cards to keep.
Funding for airport
VIENNA -- A bill that would let the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport keep its federal funds has passed through the U.S. House and now is in a Senate committee. This morning, William H. Barley, regional vice president of R.W. Armstrong, the airport's engineering firm, told the board that runs the airport about the bill's progress. The bill would allow airports that lost all commercial passenger service since 2001 to continue receiving the same level of federal support for capital projects, he said. The airport now receives about $1 million a year from the federal government for capital projects. The bill would also reduce the local contribution to projects from 10 percent to 5 percent, he said.
Athletic fields construction
LEETONIA -- Workers continue to make progress on the construction of Leetonia's athletic fields, Superintendent Tom Inchak said. He said he and other school officials will open bids next week for construction of a weight room and locker rooms at the football stadium. Work on the football stadium is nearly completed. The baseball and softball fields are ready for play, and workers are starting construction of dugouts and will install fencing, he said.