Youngstown store owner is shot in the mouth

Youngstown store owneris shot in the mouth
YOUNGSTOWN -- Jihad S. Mahd, owner of the Big Apple Market on McGuffey Road, was shot in the mouth and his son was threatened with an aluminum baseball bat during a robbery at 9:40 p.m. Monday, reports show.
He was in stable condition today at St. Elizabeth Health Center.
The son told police that four young men with bandanas covering their faces entered the store demanding cash and cigarettes.
Mahd, 57, of Youngstown, was shot after opening the register and backing away from it, police said.
One of the suspects grabbed cash from the register and all four of them grabbed cigarettes before running out.
I-680 ramp to close
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Interstate 680 southbound ramp to Midlothian Boulevard eastbound will close periodically Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Ohio Department of Transportation work crews will close the ramp for about 20 minutes at a time.
Trial set in drug case
YOUNGSTOWN -- Trial for five men and one woman indicted on marijuana manufacturing charges has been set for April 26 in federal district court in Cleveland.
All six were indicted two weeks ago after the discovery last month of a pot factory in a warehouse on Marshall Street downtown.
Four of the six defendants were released on unsecured bonds last Tuesday.
The remaining defendants, Jeffrey Zimmerman, 48, of Breezewood Drive, Brookfield, and Michael L. Ciprian, 47, of Florist Avenue, Youngstown, made their initial appearance in Youngstown federal court last Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
Both are free on bond.
Man pleads guilty
YOUNGSTOWN -- Sentencing will be June 1 for George Santullo, who pleaded guilty Monday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to four counts of gross sexual imposition.
Assistant Prosecutor Dawn Krueger said Santullo, 44, of Mahoning Avenue, engaged in improper sexual conduct with an Austintown boy over a three-year period, ending last year when the victim was 17.
Krueger recommended that Judge R. Scott Krichbaum sentence Santullo to six years in prison.
Santullo was allowed to remain free on bond while a presentence background check is done.
An evaluation also will be done to determine whether he should be labeled a sexual predator.
Planetarium discussion
YOUNGSTOWN -- Changing state standards in science education and how planetariums can help teachers meet these changes is the theme when planetarium specialists from across Ohio gather for their annual meeting Saturday at the Ward Beecher Planetarium at Youngstown State University.
A highlight of the meeting will be an informal "State Standards" roundtable discussion between planetarium professionals and county education officials on how planetariums can help with the new state astronomy/science standards.
The meeting, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., will include professional paper sessions and the sharing of new planetarium programs and production techniques.
Dale Smith at Bowling Green State University is president of the Ohio Planetarians group.
Local meeting hosts are Sharon Shanks, Richard Pirko and Warren Young of YSU.
Astro-Tec Manufacturing of Canal Fulton, a manufacturer of planetarium domes, is helping to underwrite the meeting.
Robber takes cashfrom Family Dollar store
GIRARD -- A strong-armed robber got away with cash Monday from the Family Dollar on North State Street after a struggle with an employee.
The employee told police a man was checking out when he reached into the cash register drawer and grabbed cash. The worker said she got hold of the thief's hand, and dug in her fingernails. The thief pushed her against the wall and fled.
School library grant
LIBERTY -- The State Library of Ohio has approved a $23,695 grant for the W.S. Guy Middle School Library.
The library will receive 19 wireless laptop computers that don't require an electrical connection to function.
The school library media specialist will work with language arts teachers to instruct pupils on electronic resources and with social studies and science teachers on projects.
Sweeping village roads
LOWELLVILLE -- The street department will sweep village roads Monday through April 9.
Residents should sweep gravel from the sidewalks into the street before street sweeping begins.
No vehicles should be parked on the streets until sweeping is completed.