Suit dropped

Suit dropped
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Jefferson County fireworks company has voluntarily dismissed a lawsuit it filed last month in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court against Beaver Township officials and the B.J. Alan Fireworks Co. of Youngstown. No reason was given for the dismissal, which was done without prejudice, meaning it could be refiled at a later date. Sam Abdalla, owner of Safe and Sane Fireworks Association, filed the suit, accusing the township of violating Ohio's open meetings law in discussions regarding a zoning permit that had been requested by B.J. Alan. The permit was eventually granted and B.J. Alan built a new showroom in the township, replacing one that had burned down.
Damage at school
STRUTHERS -- Police are seeking information regarding damage to the air conditioning system, benches and handrails at Struthers Elementary. A police report says a school employee discovered several guard coils around a large air conditioner damaged, possibly by someone kicking them. The employee also showed police 12 fan guards on the air conditioning system that were damaged, apparently by someone jumping on them and in one case shearing the fan off, the report states. Pieces from the broken fan entered the air conditioner, causing additional damage.
Grand jury gets case
CAMPBELL -- Michael L. Green, also known as Gabriel Green, 23, of Front Street, Warren, was bound over to a Mahoning County grand jury after a preliminary hearing in municipal court here earlier this week. Green is charged with carrying a concealed weapon. He was arrested May 14 after fleeing police in a known drug-trafficking area, pulling a gun from his pants and tossing it behind a Jean Street apartment building.
Jackson levy issue
NORTH JACKSON -- About 100 yard signs are expected to be placed in prominent locations in Jackson Township this weekend to urge residents to vote for a five-year, $2.7 million renewal levy that will appear on the Aug. 3 ballot. The operating levy would bring the Jackson-Milton Local School District about $383,088 annually, Superintendent Buck Palmer said.
Drug cases bound over
GIRARD -- The cases of two Youngstown people suspected of drug dealing have been bound over to the Trumbull County grand jury. Toris Garner, 28, of Bennington Avenue and Derek S. Sharpe, 26, of Fairgreen Avenue waived their preliminary hearings Thursday before municipal Judge Michael A. Bernard on charges of trafficking in drugs. They were arrested July 8 and are accused of selling drugs out of the American Inn off Belmont Avenue in Liberty. Garner remains in the Trumbull County Jail in lieu of $20,000, while Sharpe is free on a $25,000 bond.
Adoption agency hires 3
HOWLAND -- Northeast Ohio Adoption Services, a private, nonprofit adoption agency, has added three staff members to raise awareness about adoption and help ensure adoptive families have access to social services. The new workers are Karen Kelley of Cleveland, who will work in greater Cleveland and Portage County; Cheryl Tarantino of Boardman, who will work in Columbiana County; and Laren Whitcombe, who will work in Portage and Columbiana counties.
Tennis court contract
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City council members awarded a $93,054 contract to A.R. Oliastro Inc. of Ellwood City to complete tennis courts at the Park Avenue Playground. The company was the only bidder for the project. A state grant is paying for the work. Council members rejected an offer by New Castle Rotary Club to get involved in the project and make it a multisports court. City officials said earlier this week that they are under a deadline set by the state to complete the tennis courts by December. Council members were concerned they could not meet their deadline if the project changed. The city was required by state and federal officials to create a new playground after selling the Laurel Avenue Playground to a private developer. Laurel Avenue had been developed with state and federal funds that require the city to offer comparable recreation space if it is sold.
Video-game theft
SHARON, Pa. -- Police charged Lena M. McFadden, 35, of Sherman Avenue with burglary and theft in the theft of 18 PlayStation games from a home in the 200 block of Mesabi Street. Police said the crime victim told police that the games were stolen July 8 and that a witness had seen McFadden hanging around his door. Police served a warrant on McFadden at the police station shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday and said she told them the missing games were at her brother's home on Mesabi Street. The games were recovered, police said.