Arrest in trailer blaze

Arrest in trailer blaze
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Pennsylvania State Police arrested a man whose trailer burned Wednesday. Police are not releasing his name but said he is suspected of burning his home at 212 Holly Lane in Mahoning Township and jeopardizing neighbors and firefighters. He was involuntarily committed to Jameson Hospital for a mental evaluation, police said.
Sugar in gasoline tank
SALEM -- It will take about $1,000 to fix a city man's car after someone poured sugar in the gas tank. The man, who lives in the 300 block of West Fourth Street, reported the vandalism to his 1989 Buick Regal about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. The sugar was discovered when he had the vehicle examined at a repair shop.
Thiel receives grantfor computer upgrade
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- U.S. Rep. Phil English of Erie, R-3rd, dropped by Thiel College and left a big check behind. English presented the college with a federal grant of $200,000 earlier this week to upgrade its campuswide computer system.
English made a special request for the funds through the House of Representatives. The money will buy new hardware, software and the accompanying implementation and conversion services to provide an accessible computer system on campus.
Digging out hydrants
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- It's going to take a few days, but borough firefighters are digging out all 93 fire hydrants in Greenville.
Fire Chief Steve Thompson said snow-covered hydrants hinder firefighting efforts because it takes time to locate them and then clear snow and ice away. He suggests that people living near hydrants clean the snow away after heavy snowfalls.
Prostitution charges
YOUNGSTOWN -- The crackdown on prostitution by the Vice Squad continued Wednesday, with four arrests made on the South Side.
Working undercover on Hillman Street, two officers arrested Carrie L. Williams, 38, of Delaware Avenue, and Theresa Mills, 34, of West Chalmers Avenue and charged them with soliciting. The undercover officers alleged that each woman quoted $5 for a sex act.
Surveillance near Oak Hill Avenue resulted in the arrest of Leonard F. Grazier, 62, of Southern Boulevard, Boardman, and Susan A. Cooper, 48, of West Dewey Avenue on charges of loitering to engage in solicitation. Police reported that Cooper, who has been convicted of prostitution-related crimes, flagged down Grazier, then got into his car.
Verdict in assault case
YOUNGSTOWN -- A jury found 38-year-old Aaron D. McGilvary guilty of one count of assault Wednesday, and innocent of another count. He faces six to 18 months in prison when he is sentenced later by Judge Charles J. Bannon in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. McGilvary also could be placed on probation.
McGilvary, of Hillman Street, was accused of assaulting two Youngstown police officers who were trying to arrest him at Hillman Street and Kenmore Avenue on possession of drug paraphernalia in April 2003. The jury deliberated just more than one hour Tuesday and four hours Wednesday before returning with the verdicts.
Concealed weapon charge
YOUNGSTOWN -- Raymond Briskey, the rear-seat passenger of a car stopped on West Dewey Avenue at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, was arrested on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.
Members of the Street Crimes Unit said they saw Briskey, 18, of West Glenaven Avenue, shove an object under the rear seat as they approached. The object turned out to be a loaded 9 mm handgun, reports show. The driver was cited for having only one headlight.
Counterfeit bills at school
YOUNGSTOWN -- Copies of a $10 bill made on a home computer by a 17-year-old Magnolia Avenue boy have been circulated at The Rayen School, police said.
The boy's grandmother informed school officials of the copying Wednesday, saying he also passed a bill to a man on the street to obtain change. The grandmother said the boy told his sister he copied the currency for a school project. Two teachers at the school each accepted a phony $10 and made change for the boy, then realized the bills were fake, police said. The bogus bills will be turned over to the U.S. Secret Service.
The student will be dealt with administratively pending the outcome of the investigation, authorities said.