Pothole pandemonium?

Pothole pandemonium?
SALEM -- This year's pothole season is worse than usual, so drivers should exercise extra caution, Joe Julian, city service director, told city council. The cycle of freezing and thawing that heaves pavement and creates holes is particularly bad this winter, Julian explained Tuesday. Street department workers are trying to temporarily patch the craters with an asphalt-and-tar mix, but the patches aren't holding very well. Each spring the city spends about $2,500 making more lasting fixes. This year, it probably will have to spend about $5,000, Julian said.
Pickup tire slashed
SALEM -- A Canfield woman told police that someone slashed a rear tire on her compact pickup. The crime occurred sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Tuesday while the truck was parked in the 1000 block of North Ellsworth Avenue.
Salem school firing
SALEM -- The city school board will meet privately at least once more to weigh the superintendent's recommendation that the district fire a treasurer's office employee accused of improper conduct. No date has been set. The board met Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. regarding Annette Howard, a 14-year school employee and assistant treasurer. A similar meeting took place Monday. The school board will vote in public whether to fire Howard. Superintendent Dr. David Brobeck has accused her of several improper actions, including using a school employee to do work at her home. Howard has denied the allegations.
School board position
SHARPSVILLE, Pa. -- Six residents of the Sharpsville Area School District have applied to fill the vacant school board spot created by the resignation of Donna Murray. Dr. Derry Stufft, superintendent, said all six will be scheduled for interviews by the board beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The board will meet immediately after the interviews to make the appointment. The applicants include two former school directors: Joyce Grandy, who chose not to seek re-election last year; and Kim Barringer, who lost an election bid last year. Barringer had been appointed to fill an earlier vacancy. The other applicants are Pauline Radasevich, who ran unsuccessfully for the board last year; Greg Beshero; Linda Emmerich; and Thomas Kress.
Hepatitis A death probe
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- There's no evidence that a pain reliever contributed to the death of one of three people who contracted hepatitis A after eating at a western Pennsylvania restaurant that served contaminated green onions, a coroner's office official said. Jeffrey Cook, 38, of West Aliquippa, died Nov. 7 of liver failure from hepatitis A, according to Joe Dominick, chief deputy of the Allegheny County Coroner's Office. Cook's wife said he had taken acetaminophen because he thought he had the flu. Overuse of the pain reliever can cause liver damage, according to health officials. The hepatitis outbreak at the Chi-Chi's in Beaver County also sickened 660 people.
Double trailer ban eased
NEW STANTON -- Pennsylvania Turnpike officials have announced that the commercial double trailer ban has been reduced to the stretch of turnpike from the Breezewood Interchange to the Carlisle Interchange.
Ex-mayor on council
WASHINGTONVILLE -- Former mayor Michael Donnalley is a member of village council again. Council appointed Donnalley to fill the seat vacated by Becky Hastings, who resigned last month. Two years remain on the term. Mayor Eva Delmont unseated Donnalley in November, winning by a narrow margin. Donnalley served as mayor two years, replacing Chuck Morrow, who resigned. Donnalley was in the second year of a four-year council term when he was appointed mayor.
Columbiana annexation
COLUMBIANA -- The owner of a plastics recycling company is seeking to annex 23 acres of Fairfield Township into the city. Attorney Mark Hutson told city council Tuesday of Doug Green's plans. Bob Belding, city building and zoning inspector, said Green has operated Green and Sons LLC for several years. Belding said the company is on Springfield Road near the city industrial park. Belding said Green's property on the city's east side is surrounded by property that has been annexed. The company does not have city water or sewer services, Belding said.