Second dead bird in area found with West Nile virus

Second dead bird in areafound with West Nile virus
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A second dead bird with West Nile virus has been found in Lawrence County.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported a dead bird found in Hickory Township had the disease.
West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease that can cause encephalitis, a brain inflammation. Most people who get the virus do not suffer serious illness but it can be deadly for those with weakened immune systems. Infected mosquitoes pass the virus onto birds, animals and people.
Janice Alberico, the county's West Nile virus coordinator, said they have already treated the area for mosquitoes where the dead bird was found. Alberico said this is the time of year West Nile started being detected in the county last year.
The first dead bird with West Nile was found in New Castle in late July.
In 2003, Lawrence County had three humans infected with West Nile, six dead birds and three mosquito pools.
During patrol, police findheroin, crack cocaine
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City police found 63 wrapped bags of heroin and about 100 rocks of crack cocaine during a saturation patrol Wednesday night.
Police Chief Tom Sansone said city officers and Pennsylvania State Police found the drugs at Crestview Gardens, a private low-income housing project.
They also recovered about $2,000 in cash and made several arrests. Charges are pending, he said.
This is the fourth saturation patrol city and state police have conducted in New Castle.
The patrols are intended to search for drugs and other problems in the city.
Drug indictment returned
YOUNGSTOWN -- A federal grand jury in Cleveland has returned a drug indictment against Harold R. Wilson and Karen A. Wilson, both of Peachtree Court, Poland, and Timothy P. Mosley of East Leasure Avenue, New Castle, a former Mohawk High School physical education teacher.
They are charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 12,238 tablets of OxyContin, a powerful painkiller.
Wilson obtained prescriptions for the drug from a doctor, filled them through mail-order pharmacies, sold them to Mosley, who then sold them to others, the government said.
Grant for water pollution
MERCER, Pa. -- The Mercer County Conservation District has been awarded a $47,839 state grant to help reduce water pollution in waterways near dirt and gravel roads.
The money will be used to fund projects to eliminate or control runoff from dirt and gravel roads that gets into streams.
Paving contract awarded
MERCER, Pa. -- W.L. Dunn Construction of Cochranton has been awarded a $901,889 state contract to pave Pa. Route 58 and Kidds Mill Road in Mercer County.
Notice to proceed was issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on Tuesday, and the work is to be completed in 45 calendar days.
Route 58 will be resurfaced from Greenville to Mercer, and Kidds Mill will be resurfaced from Pa. Route 18 to Route 58 in Shenango Township.
Dispelling worker myths
LISBON -- A new video is aimed at dispelling the myth that people with severe mental illnesses do not make good workers.
Kathleen Chaffee, director of adult services at the Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board showed the video Wednesday to the county commissioners.
In the video, employers and those who have recovered or are recovering say how working has been a positive experience.
For more information, call board at (330) 424-0195.
Boosters change meeting
COLUMBIANA -- The Columbiana Music Boosters has switched the location of its 6:30 p.m. Monday meeting to the high school library.
A vote on the constitution has been postponed.
Parents of children ages 5-12 and interested adults are encouraged to attend.
Church food pantry open
EAST PALESTINE -- Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church's food pantry will be open from 9:30-11 a.m. Monday.
People should go to the Walnut Street office entrance.
The pantry is open to all low-income people in the East Palestine school district.