Fire damages house

Fire damages house
GIRARD -- A faulty fireplace caused a blaze that did $30,000 damage to a house at 627 Joan Ave. and another $20,000 to its contents, the fire department said.
Occupants had started a fire in the fireplace, but the fire spread through missing mortar between the fireplace bricks and extended into the wall behind the fireplace. Two hours after lighting the fire, the occupants, a man and a woman, heard a crackling sound as the wood in the walls was burning and called the fire department at about 1:30 p.m. Friday.
Liberty firefighters aided Girard firefighters at the scene. There were no injuries reported.
The house is owned by Charles Schwartz. The names of the occupants were not available.
Dance club opening
YOUNGSTOWN -- City officials cut a ribbon Friday and celebrated Core, an upscale dance club that opened recently on the ground floor of the city-owned Wick Building on Federal Plaza West.
Owners say the club's music and decor are patterned after nightclubs in big cities and caters to those who like serious dance music.
The club, which has a dress code and cover charges, is open 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 7 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Reappointed to board
YOUNGSTOWN -- Dr. Douglas D. Lewis has been reappointed to the Youngstown City Health District board. Lewis finished a five-year term and was reappointed by Mayor George M. McKelvey to a second term that ends March 31, 2009.
Aviation program
YOUNGSTOWN -- A group of Mahoning County youths were flown Friday to Cape Hatteras, N.C., as part of the Beight Farm's aviation program. The three-day trip is funded through a grant from the Cleveland Browns Foundation.
The Beight Farm, a nonprofit corporation in New Middletown, provides services for at-risk youths, including summer camps, a gardening program and the aviation program.
The aviation program, started in 1994 by Atty. Douglas B. Taylor of New Middletown, includes a short, introductory ground course on flying, and short, local plane rides. It culminates in a weekend trip to places such as Michigan, Wisconsin or the Air Force Museum in Dayton. The program is staffed by volunteer pilots.
Youths on the trip to Cape Hatteras will camp there for the weekend and participate in activities like fishing, astronomy and educational programs. They are to return Sunday.
Remembering vigils
YOUNGSTOWN -- A candlelight vigil to remember victims of crime was held Friday in the rotunda of the Mahoning County courthouse.
The ceremony is held each year by the county victim/witness program, which is directed by Linda Cappelli and coordinated by Caroline Perjessy.
Dr. Eric See, assistant professor of criminal justice at Youngstown State University, was the speaker. Sharon Cearfoss, an employee of the clerk of courts office, was the vocalist. The ceremony was held in conjunction with National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
Boosting tourism
WARREN -- Trumbull County Commissioner Dan Polivka met Friday with officials of the Jacksonville, Fla., convention and visitors bureau to get ideas for boosting tourism in Trumbull County.
Polivka said he will share ideas for networking and airport displays with officials at the local visitors bureau.
He said that public money was not used for his trip.
Tickets accepted
PITTSBURGH -- Kennywood Entertainment announced that its three Western Pennsylvania parks will accept tickets from the "Read to Succeed" program of the former Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in Aurora, Ohio.
Students and teachers who have earned and received their ticket may present it at the Guest Relations office in any of the following Kennywood Entertainment parks: Kennywood, Sandcastle Waterpark and Idlewild & amp; Soak Zone. They will be accepted any operating day through Aug. 28.
Students in some schools, including Southington local in Trumbull County, had been told the new owners of the Six Flags park in Aurora would not honor the tickets. However, the new owners later relented and said they would honor the tickets, which were earned by participation in a reading program.