Four are arrested in robbery attempt

Four are arrestedin robbery attempt
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Police arrested four people in an attempted robbery at the East Side Pharmacy. All four remained in the Lawrence County Jail this morning.
David McConnaughy, 19, of Lutton Street is charged with criminal attempt at robbery, criminal attempt at aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy to commit robbery, carrying a firearm without a license, making terroristic threats and recklessly endangering another person. Samuel Ross Jr., 19, of Main Street, Wampum, is charged with criminal attempt at robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery. Carla Reeves, 22, of Adams Street, New Castle, and Ryan Lee King, 19, of East Washington Street, are each charged with criminal conspiracy to commit robbery.
Police said McConnaughy and Ross went into the pharmacy at 7:48 p.m. Wednesday and demanded OxyContin; one had a small black handgun and the other a knife. They were thwarted by the pharmacist, who told the robbers he didn't believe the gun was real. One robber fired three shots before both ran off without anything. Police said the men ran to a waiting car driven by Reeves with King as a passenger. A motorist who saw men running out chased their vehicle to the South Side, where he was able to get the license plate number, police said.
Salem schools suspendteacher over certification
SALEM -- City school officials are working to return a popular instructor to the classroom after a lapse in his teaching certification forced the district to suspend him this week.
About 170 high school students met with school officials Thursday afternoon to express concern about the unpaid suspension of Hank Brock, who teaches a sports fitness program and works with troubled youths.
Superintendent Dr. David Brobeck said administration officials will meet next week with state education department officials to determine what needs to be done to restore Brock's teaching certification.
It's unclear how or why it was allowed to lapse, Brobeck said.
Dairy Mart burglarized
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- Police said 24 cartons of cigarettes and a milk crate full of chewing tobacco were taken in a burglary at the Dairy Mart at 400 N. Buhl Farm Drive. The burglary was discovered around 5:30 a.m. Thursday. Entry was gained through a back door and the intruders unplugged a store security camera, police said.
Charged with theft
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- Police said a couple suspected of stealing baby formula from the Shop N'Save store at 2191 E. State St. are charged with robbery.
Police said William A. Harris, 28, of Battles Avenue, Niles, and Maria Rossi, 35, of Burton Road, Warren, were seen taking baby formula by store employees and they left the building without paying around 3:20 p.m. Thursday.
A security guard approached them in the parking lot and Harris sprayed the guard with what appeared to be a pepper spray, police said.
Police arrived and arrested the pair. Harris is charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, simple assault and retail theft. Rossi is charged with robbery, conspiracy and retail theft. Both were arraigned before District Justice Henry Russo and held in jail.
Route 208 work
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Paving, driveway adjustments and inlet and manhole adjustments will cause traffic delays on Pa. Route 208 between Grove City and the Venango County line next week. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said the work will run Monday through Friday, and it will require lane closings.
Trafficking charge
YOUNGSTOWN -- After police stopped DeWaylon R. Bruton, 19, of Hillman Street on Thursday night on Cottage Grove for having no front license plate, they discovered he was driving on a temporary permit without a licensed driver in the car and then found 11 bags of suspected marijuana. Bruton was charged with aggravated trafficking in marijuana and the car was towed.
Drug charge
YOUNGSTOWN -- Three bags of suspected crack cocaine were found on Gerjuan Johnson when his parole officer searched him Thursday, police said. Aside from a parole violation on a robbery conviction, Johnson, 48, of East Dewey Avenue was charged with aggravated trafficking in drugs.
Johnson told police that he and a friend were headed to the blood bank to sell the crack and that he would receive $10 for helping his friend sell it, reports show.