Groups join together to collect kids' clothes

Groups join togetherto collect kids' clothes
YOUNGSTOWN -- Local Wendy's restaurants and the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way have joined forces to collect winter clothing items for needy children in the community during February.
Beginning Monday, donations of newly purchased gloves, hats, scarves and mittens may be placed in the designated receptacles near the registers at seven Wendy's locations throughout the Valley. Donors can receive a free Super Value Menu item with any purchase.
The donated items will be distributed to needy area children by Help Hotline and Catholic Charities Regional Agency, both of which are United Way-funded agencies. "There are children in our community who are without adequate clothing for the cold winter months," said Duane Piccirilli, executive director of Help Hotline Crisis Center.
Participating Wendy's include restaurants at 4101 S. Market St., 8541 South Ave. and 433 Boardman-Poland Road, all in Boardman; 4161 Boardman-Canfield Road, Canfield; 5551 Interstate Blvd. (state Route 46), and 27 S. Raccoon Road, both in Austintown; and 4001 Belmont Ave., Liberty.
Callers ask about agency
CANFIELD -- The American Cancer Society is not associated with any other cancer agency in America, said Al Stabilito, communications and advocacy director for ACS's Canfield office.
Stabilito said the local ACS has received calls from area residents asking if ACS is associated with the Cancer Fund of American.
Stabilito said the ACS meets all standards for charitable accountability, according to the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Guide, Holiday Edition 2003. He said the BBB publication is printed quarterly and lists about 400 charities under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Stabilito said the ACS invites residents to call the ACS office in Canfield at (330) 533-0546 or toll-free at (888) 227-6446 for information on ACS and other cancer agencies.
Three face drug charges
YOUNGSTOWN -- Three drug-related arrests were made after a routine traffic stop Thursday afternoon on Glenwood Avenue. The driver, Dwayne E. Scott, 38, of Struthers Road, New Middletown, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia (crack pipe) and driving under suspension. Passengers Virginia L. Skarada, 23, of Firnley Avenue, Boardman, and Ronald E. Layhew, 36, of Mill Creek Boulevard, Boardman, were each charged with possession of drug paraphernalia (crack pipes). Layhew was also charged with possession of crack. Police said they pulled Scott's pickup truck over around 4:30 p.m. when he failed to stop at a red light on Glenwood at Warren Avenue.
Case of military desertion
BOARDMAN -- Police arrested a 23-year-old township man on a charge of military desertion Thursday at the Stadium Volkswagen car dealership on Market Street, where he works.
Kevin M. Connors, of Colwyn Court, was arrested about 5:11 p.m. on a charge of desertion from the Marine Corps and was taken to Mahoning County jail, police reports show. A court date in U.S. Military Court is pending.
Stolen cash register found
YOUNGSTOWN -- A cash register taken from the Open Hearth on Steel Street turned up on Riblet Road in Austintown, police said.
The restaurant-bar closed at 11 p.m. Wednesday and the alarm went off at 2:48 a.m. Thursday, but when police arrived, the building was secure, reports show.
The theft was discovered when the bar opened Thursday afternoon.
Someone had to have a key to the business because the door was not damaged, police said. Reports don't say if cash had been left in the register at the bar. A Riblet resident who found the register called Austintown police who, in turn, notified city police.
Raid leads to 3 arrests
YOUNGSTOWN -- Three men were arrested Thursday evening on drug charges at 434 W. Boston Ave., during a raid by the vice squad.
Marcus D. Casey, 37, the resident, was charged with permitting drug abuse. Clarence Rakes, 25, of West Princeton Avenue was charged with trafficking in drugs and possession of marijuana. Malcom North, 23, of Redondo Drive was charged with trafficking in drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia (scale).
Police confiscated 14 packaged-for-sale bags of suspected marijuana, another large bag of suspected marijuana, a scale and nearly $800 in cash.
Four kids fall through ice
NILES -- Four classmates suffered only minor injuries after they fell through the ice on Mosquito Creek.
Sarah Peyatt, 13, was walking across the frozen creek around 6 p.m. Tuesday with 13-year-old friends Cassidy Fleck and Ryan Palm and 12-year-old Angelina Cross when she fell through a thin patch, reports show. When her friends attempted to free her from the waters, they also fell in several times.
Palm was able to eventually get his fellow Niles Middle School classmates to the bank, where he gave them some of his clothes to keep warm while he ran to a nearby home to call for help.
None of the teens was seriously injured, though Peyatt was taken to St. Joseph's Health Center in Warren for treatment, reports show.