Locating veterans' graves

Locating veterans' graves
MERCER, Pa. -- Mercer County veterans groups are trying to locate forgotten veterans' graves. Jim Campbell, a veteran, said there are many old family burial plots and small cemeteries that have been forgotten. He said the groups want to locate and determine if veterans are buried there so they can map them and place markers and flags on them each year. He said that it is especially difficult to find graves of veterans who had funerals in Ohio but were buried in Pennsylvania. He said that anyone knowing of the location of any such graves should call the courthouse at (724) 662-3800 and ask for the veterans office.
Excellent rating for school
NORTH LIMA -- There's a new banner flying high at South Range School District. Issued to the school district by the Ohio Department of Education, the banner serves as an emblem of the school district's continuing success. South Range is among 85 school districts across the state to achieve an excellent rating on the 2002-03 local report card. This year marks the fourth year the school district has received a banner to display. "This year, we're one of 85 schools out of more than 600 in the state to be recognized," said Jim Hall, schools superintendent. According to numbers provided by the state education board, students' scores on proficiency tests increased from 73.7 points to 83.1 points over the past three years.
Early close Christmas Eve
MERCER, Pa. -- Mercer County commissioners have agreed to close the courthouse at noon on Christmas Eve. To make up for the hours, employees will take a half-hour off their lunch break from Dec. 15 to Dec. 19.
House, business break-ins
SALEM -- A residence and a business in the city were broken into, police said. A man living in an apartment on the 500 block of Walnut Street told police someone forced open his door. Nothing was reported missing. The crime was reported at 8:31 p.m. Thursday. Police discovered the front door of Salem Oil, 445 Prospect St., was damaged and an air conditioner was pushed out a window. Nothing appeared to be missing. The crime was reported at 7:48 p.m. Thursday.
Women in leadership
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Dr. Carol Matteson, president of Mount Ida College and former assistant to the president at Slippery Rock University, will lecture on "The Many Faces of Leadership" when the newly formed Claire R. Schmieler Leadership Institute for Professional Women has its inaugural program today. The institute was formed to prepare women for leadership roles at SRU and in the larger arena of higher education.
Inmate dies of liver failure
MERCER, Pa. -- An inmate serving time at the State Regional Correctional Facility in Findley Township died of complications of liver failure. Philip Iannini, 45, was serving a sentence of two to five years on a 1998 conviction out of Beaver County for driving under the influence. Joseph F. Desuta, prison superintendent, said Iannini was pronounced dead at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday in Sharon Regional Health System.
Rifles taken in burglary
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Rifles were stolen from a home on Reese Road in Scott Township. Pennsylvania State Police said someone smashed a man door window at the home sometime between 1:30 and 2:15 p.m. Wednesday and took a Mosberg 12-gauge shotgun, a Stevens 16-gauge shotgun and a Marlin 30/50 lever action rifle. Police said a silver four-door car was seen in the area at the time.
Protest of budget issue
HARRISBURG (AP) -- About 2,000 people gathered on the steps of the Capitol building and handed out leaflets at lawmakers' offices this week to demand that cuts in funding for treating addictions and mental illness be restored to the state budget. While the Senate, House and Gov. Ed Rendell generally agree that they want to restore some of the funding cuts that were made in the initial budget that Rendell signed in March, a dispute over education funding has largely held up those restorations. A bill passed by the House last month and now being considered by the Senate would restore about $83 million in funding that advocates are seeking, said Doug Oliver, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Welfare.