Trip to Amish country

Trip to Amish country
SALEM -- The YWCA of Salem is accepting registration through April 16 for a one-day trip May 7 to Holmes County's Amish country.
The cost is $55 and will include lunch at Der Dutchman restaurant and tours of Heini's Cheese Factory, Schrock's Amish Farm and Breintenbach Winery.
Registration and payment must be made by April 16. For more information, call (330) 332-9944.
Man sentenced to prison
ERIE, Pa. (AP) -- A 29-year-old alcoholic, mentally ill man was sentenced to nine months to five years in prison for carrying 2-foot-long kitchen knives into an Erie high school.
While sentencing Scott Valimont of Erie on Thursday for possessing weapons on school property, defiant trespass and resisting arrest -- all misdemeanors -- an Erie County judge order him to undergo counseling.
Valimont's lawyer, Michael DeJohn, said his client suffers from alcoholism and a variety of mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder.
Valimont, a chef, grabbed the knives planning to kill himself in an underpass Nov. 5, but grew sentimental when he saw Strong Vincent High School, where Valimont's late father had wanted him to play basketball, DeJohn said.
Valimont then wandered into the school and sat in the bleachers. A school employee saw the knives sticking out of his shorts and Valimont ran from the school. He was arrested after a short foot chase and later pleaded guilty to the charges.
Returned from Kuwait
VIENNA -- State Rep. John Boccieri of New Middletown, D-61st, was one of 23 activated Air Force Reservists from the 910th Airlift Wing who returned Thursday night to the Youngstown Air Reserve Station after deployment to Kuwait in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Boccieri, a captain, is a pilot with the 910th's 773rd Flying Squadron.
The current combined activation of nearly 500 reservists marks the single largest activation in the history of the air base.
Bond-issue poll results
STRUTHERS -- A recent poll conducted by the city school district indicates that 33.4 percent of residents would support a bond issue to pay for construction of a new stadium and 48 percent are in favor of collecting private donations for the project.
The survey, which was included as part of the quarterly mailing from the superintendent, elicited 407 responses, about 7 percent of the surveys sent out.
One hundred twenty-five respondents, or 30.7 percent, wanted additional information, and 59, or 14.5 percent, expressed opposition to a bond issue or any additional taxes to support a new stadium.
On many of the surveys, respondents checked more than one response.
Sentenced in drug case
CLEVELAND -- A Youngstown crack dealer with an illegal gun is going to federal prison for 121/2 years, followed by four years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney said.
Albert Cosey, 31, for whom no street address was given, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lesley Wells after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute about an ounce of crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by Youngstown police, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assault, robbery reported
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 19-year-old Youngstown State University student told police she was assaulted and robbed by two women she knows around 1:15 p.m. Thursday near where her car was parked off Spring Street. The teenager said she was punched in the face and fell to the ground. The assailants then pinned her to the ground, pulled her hair and stole her cell phone, reports show. The robbers then left in a white car.
As of this morning, no arrests had been made.
Seeking twice-stolen car
STRUTHERS -- Police are searching for a red 1989 Buick Park Avenue stolen twice this week.
According to a police report, the car was stolen early this week, found in Youngstown, and returned to its owner, a West Creed Street resident.
The owner told police he parked the car in his front yard after getting the car out of the impound lot and awoke Wednesday to find it missing.
Watching for drivers
CAMPBELL -- Police are on the lookout for drivers who fail to stop for school buses when the red lights on the buses are flashing.
Officers are always watching for drivers who break the law, said Chief of Police Gus Sarigianopoulos, but during the past week, at least one concerned citizen reported seeing a motorist pass a school bus that was stopped, had its red lights flashing and stop sign out.