Reservists activated for local assignments

Reservists activatedfor local assignments
VIENNA -- Twenty-six Air Force reservists from the 910th Airlift Wing's 76th Aerial Port Squadron were activated effective today for 12 months.
The reservists, who have not received deployment orders, will initially be assigned here to do "home station support" with the 910th.
The 76th is responsible for loading cargo, heavy equipment, vehicles and supplies on the C-130 Hercules aircraft assigned to the 910th, which delivers personnel and cargo by air drop and air land techniques anywhere in the world.
New Castle council
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City council is looking into reinstating rubbish burning, something that was banned four years ago by the previous board.
Councilman Rob Ratkovich said he has heard from many senior citizens that the city's blue bags used for garbage disposal are too expensive and they want to burn papers and cardboard. Ratkovich thinks that there is enough support on the current council to allow burning. A new ordinance is being drawn up, he said.
In other business, council is considering giving two grants for fa & ccedil;ade improvements at the Supreme Building on East Washington Street, owned by Terri Fulkerson and Sara Mauk, and buildings at 8, 10, 12 and 14 East Washington St. owned by Marc and John Comianos Jr. Each grant would be for $20,000. The work would be part of the ongoing downtown revitalization.
Hill View Manor update
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County commissioners hired two social workers to help the remaining 30 residents at Hill View Manor find new homes.
Lori Van Nest and Bernadette McKean will be paid $35 per hour and work no more than 10 hours with each patient. Commissioners are moving ahead with plans to close the nursing home. They intend to have the facility vacated by March 1.
Company break-in
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Pennsylvania State Police said someone broke into the office at Tri-County Industries in Pine Township and stole an undisclosed amount of money from a desk drawer. The burglary occurred between Wednesday and Sunday, police said.
Tri-County is a garbage disposal company.
Youngstown homicide
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 23-year-old South Side man is the city's fourth homicide victim this year.
Jason W. Gasior, 23, of 1938 E. Midlothian, was found lying on his bed with bullet wounds to his head and body just after 3 p.m. Tuesday.
A 22-year-old Poland man and friend of the victim told police he discovered the door to Gasior's apartment open when he went to visit, and called 911 after finding the body.
Police recovered three spent bullet casings and one live round from the floor of Gasior's bedroom, a loaded magazine at the foot of his bed, and a handgun under his head. A cigar box containing syringes and steroids was on the kitchen table along with a scale with suspected cocaine residue, a spoon with suspected cocaine and empty plastic sandwich bags.
Police also found a plastic bag containing suspected crack cocaine, a plastic bag containing suspected marijuana and miscellaneous pills.
Sworn in to county panel
WARREN -- Former city councilman at large Dan Polivka was sworn in Tuesday as a Trumbull County commissioner in a ceremony at Warren G. Harding High School. He was elected by Democratic precinct committee members last week to fill the year remaining to Michael O'Brien's term.
O'Brien resigned as county commissioner this month to become mayor of Warren after his election to that post in November.
Democratic precinct committee members from Warren will meet Feb. 5 to select someone to replace Polivka as councilman at large and also someone to replace Doug Franklin as council president. Franklin stepped down this month to become safety-service director.
Robert Dean, Nicholas Ballas, John Hunter, Tristan Hand and Phil Romain have submitted letters of interest for the councilman at large seat, Democratic Chairman Christ Michelakis said.
Robert Marchese and Manuel Michelakis expressed interest in the council president seat, he said.