Fire at WCI mill

Fire at WCI mill
WARREN -- WCI Steel officials are investigating the cause of an electrical fire in the hot strip mill which forced workers to shut down operations for several hours overnight. Tim Roberts, WCI spokesman, said the fire started at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters from Howland and Warren Township responded, he said, and there were no injuries. The mill resumed operating at about 3:30 a.m. today. Damage was minimal, Roberts said.
In critical condition
NILES -- Annie Lee, 11, of Warren remained in critical condition at St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown after being struck by a car Monday night.
"The victim was crossing 422 toward Walgreens, and a gray SUV was heading west on 422," said John Marhulik, Niles police traffic officer. "The vehicle struck and dragged the girl a short distance and continued west."
Annie, and her brother, Andrew, 3, were crossing U.S. Route 422 at North Road with their grandmother, whose name was unavailable. She pulled Andrew out of the way but was unable to reach Annie, Marhulik said. Anyone with information can contact the Niles Police Department at (330) 652-9944.
Memorial wall
WARREN -- A memorial wall, commemorating city high school graduates, will be part of the new Warren G. Harding High School building.
Michael Bollas, co-chairman of the Warren Rotary's special projects committee, gave a presentation to school board members at a meeting Tuesday. Dawn Marzano, communications director for the school district, said board members agreed with Bollas' proposal.
The wall will include names of high school graduates who are veterans and those who died in the service. "They have a group that will do the research and they want to go back to World War II," Marzano said of the Rotary.
Found after escape
LIBERTY -- A Pennsylvania man who was on the run for more than a week from a work-release program was caught in a Belmont Avenue hotel. Charles McDowell, 21, of New Castle, Pa., appeared Tuesday in Girard Municipal Court on charges of obstruction and drug abuse after police found him earlier that day at the Tally-Ho Hotel. Police say McDowell escaped from a work-release program at the Lawrence County Jail in Pennsylvania, where he was serving time for theft and burglary convictions. He remains in the Trumbull County Jail pending extradition to Pennsylvania.
Company sues church
WARREN -- A Youngstown production company has filed a lawsuit against St. Demetrios Hellenic Orthodox Church alleging breach of contract. Atty. Gilbert Rucker filed the lawsuit Tuesday on behalf of Malcolm Kimble of B & amp;M Production, Cabot Street, Youngstown, in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. Atty. Dan Letson, who represents the church, could not be reached.
The suit is seeking more than $20,000. According to the suit, Kimble entered into an agreement with the church April 7 to rent the banquet hall on High Street for an entertainment event. Kimble paid $300 to secure the hall for the May 29 event, the suit states. The suit alleges that the church breached the agreement and refused to allow the company access to the hall. As a result, Kimble has lost money expended in the promotion of the event.
Airport project makes way
VIENNA -- Officials broke ground Tuesday on a $2 million project to repave sections of the airport taxiway used by private planes. The Federal Aviation Administration is paying for 95 percent of the project cost. Work is expected to be complete by December.
Niles schools program
NILES -- Effective Aug. 26, the Niles City School district Before/After School program will consolidate in Washington and Lincoln elementary schools. The program will now be housed at Lincoln Elementary, 906 Frederick St. Registration for the program will take place at Lincoln Elementary from 3 to 6 p.m. Aug. 26 and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 31. A registration fee of $25 is required at that time.