More W. Nile cases found in Lawrence, Mercer

More W. Nile cases foundin Lawrence, Mercer
More cases of West Nile virus have turned up in Lawrence and Mercer counties.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported that a 30-year-old Lawrence County man was diagnosed with the disease Tuesday, the second human case in that county this year.
The first was a 75-year-old man whose case was reported July 30.
There has been only one human case in Mercer County so far, an 11-year-old girl whose diagnosis was reported Aug. 22.
The state said the disease turned up in more animals in Mercer County on Tuesday. A horse was diagnosed with West Nile, the second horse in the county to come down with the disease.
Two dead blue jays had it as well. One bird was found in Jackson Township and the other in West Middlesex.
The state refuses to identify municipalities where horses or humans contract the disease.
Biker hurt in collision
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- A motorcyclist was injured in a head-on crash with a car on Pa. Route 208.
Pennsylvania State Police said Michael R. Bauder Jr., 23, of Volant, was speeding west when he crashed into a car driven by Timothy Sweesy, 19, of Cheriwood Road, Pulaski Township. Police said Sweesy was turning left into the Last Minit Mart at 10:41 p.m. Tuesday.
Sweesy and his passenger, Luke Patton, 18, of High Hill Road, Pulaski, were treated at Jameson Hospital. Bauder, who was wearing a helmet, was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Kindergarten grows
COLUMBIANA -- Crestview school officials thought that switching to an all-day program for kindergarten pupils would boost the kindergarten enrollment.
They were right. Superintendent John Dilling said 83 kindergarten pupils enrolled this year, so they added a fourth kindergarten classroom.
The teacher is Becky Garrod, who had previously worked in the Helping One Student to Succeed (HOSTS) reading program at the elementary reading intervention program.
Dilling said kindergarten sessions previously were offered all day every other day and taught by two teachers. Last year's enrollment was 69.
Citizens Bank telleraccused of embezzling
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- Police charged a Citizens Bank teller with embezzling $4,100 from the institution.
Lindalee M. Stadtfeld, 37, of Lamor Road, Mercer, was arraigned Wednesday before District Justice Henry Russo on a charge of theft and was released on her own recognizance pending a preliminary hearing.
Police said Stadtfeld was employed at the Citizens Bank office located inside the Giant Eagle store in Hermitage Towne Plaza and is accused of taking money on July 1 and July 22.
She turned herself in around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday after learning a warrant had been issued for her arrest.
Project to meet schedule
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- New Castle Area Schools Superintendent George Gabriel said he wants to quell any rumors that the junior-senior high school building project will effect this year's school calendar.
Gabriel said work is on schedule and the new academic wing is set be completed Nov. 6. Youngsters will begin using the building when they return from Christmas break Jan. 20, he said.
The district will then raze the old high school and start work on the new science and arts wing in its spot. Both buildings will eventually be connected.
The entire project is slated for completion in fall 2005.
Gabriel said contractors working on the new building have been telling residents that it will not be completed on time.
Teen appeals status
LISBON -- A 16-year-old Leetonia boy is appealing his being charged and sentenced as an adult in the beating of a schoolmate.
Tommy Hart filed the appeal earlier this week with the 7th District Court of Appeals. The appeal notice did not state grounds for the action.
Hart was sentenced in August in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to six months in prison in the Dec. 10 beating of Nicholas Aratari, 14, at Leetonia High School.
Aratari's injuries were severe enough to require surgery.
Hart faced a maximum sentence of eight years for the felonious assault, a second-degree felony to which he pleaded guilty.
He originally was charged as a juvenile, but his case was bound over to adult court after a judge determined Hart was unlikely to be rehabilitated in the juvenile system.