Pretrial hearing postponed

Pretrial hearing postponed
NILES -- A pretrial hearing for a city official charged with driving under the influence has been postponed and no new hearing date is scheduled.
Service Director Don Allen, 74, of John Street, was set to appear Friday morning in Niles Municipal Court.
Allen is accused of pulling out of the AMVETS parking lot on state Route 169 about 8:30 p.m. July 14 and driving into the path of another vehicle.
The driver and passenger of the other vehicle, as well as Allen, were taken to area hospitals for treatment.
Reports say Allen refused a field sobriety test.
Allen submitted a written innocent plea through his attorney, Robert Shaker, at his arraignment July 17.
Police seize $21,295
MERCER, Pa. -- State police said they seized $21,295 from four Dayton residents whose car was stopped for a traffic violation on Interstate 80 in Findley Township.
Police said the vehicle was a rental and, after observing what a trooper said were "several characteristics that were consistent with drug trafficking," the trooper asked and was given consent by the driver to search the vehicle.
The money was found in the vehicle and on the occupants around 1 a.m. Tuesday, police said.
No charges were filed against the four, and police didn't reveal why the money was seized, although they said the investigation is continuing.
No punishment for prof
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Youngstown State University geology professor who was found guilty of disorderly conduct in August will not be punished by the university for the misdemeanor conviction.
Dr. Charles Singler, chairman of the YSU Department of Geological and Environmental Studies, met Friday with Dr. Ray Beiersdorfer in reference to Beiersdorfer's arrest at the Canfield Fair last month.
Beiersdorfer, 46, of Bradley Lane, was fined $50 in Mahoning County Court last month after pleading no contest to the charge. He was accused of exposing his buttocks in the presence of about a dozen young people in the 4-H barn, police said.
YSU officials said that Beiersdorfer was reminded at the meeting that he has a responsible position at the university and in the community and that his behavior should reflect positively on himself, his department and YSU.
AWARE training
MERCER, Pa. -- AWARE, the Mercer County Center Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, is offering fall volunteer training at Penn State Shenango Campus from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., beginning Tuesday.
Direct Service Volunteers are needed for the hot line, legal advocate and shelter positions. General volunteers are needed to distribute agency information and posters.
Prospective volunteers should have sensitivity working with women and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence, be able to work with diverse populations and have a sense of humor.
Seating is limited. Contact (724) 662-1870 for more information.
Sheriff's budget hearing
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County commissioners will have a budget hearing for the county sheriff's department at 7 p.m. Monday in the Canfield City Municipal Building.
Commissioners are having 2004 budget hearings for general fund departments in the evenings at locations in Canfield, Boardman, Austintown and Poland to encourage public attendance and participation.
Hearings into robbery
GIRARD -- Preliminary hearings are scheduled for Wednesday for two men charged with the Friday morning robbery of a pharmacy owner.
Scott A. Rindfuss, 36, who has Youngstown and Niles addresses, and William J. Coudriet, 52, of Warren Avenue, Niles, are each being held on $50,000 bonds.
Rindfuss is charged with aggravated robbery, kidnapping and possession of criminal tools, while Coudriet is charged with complicity to aggravated robbery and complicity to kidnapping.
The are accused of robbing Paul Nuzzi, owner of Brine Pharmacy on North State Street, behind his store.
Environmental checkup
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and state police said they found no environmental law violations when they checked 38 trash hauling trucks at the Tri-County Transfer Station in Pine and Liberty townships this week.
However, police said a number of the trucks were cited for being overloaded as well as for having some mechanical and safety problems. All of the citations were against the haulers, not the Tri-County facility.
The inspections were done earlier this week as part of a routine effort to improve compliance with state laws regarding trash trucks, the DEP said.