2 men hospitalized

2 men hospitalized
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two men seriously injured in separate attacks Friday night were taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center. A hospital spokeswoman declined to describe their conditions.
Police found Charles Penson, 33, wearing red clothing and lying on the ground near the door of a Gluck Street home bleeding from one or more gunshot wounds at about 11:46 p.m. Penson said he had been shot, but did not know why or by whom. Police recovered four shell casings on the lawn in front of another home on Gluck, a cell phone that Penson had been holding, and a purple Chrysler with the engine running parked on Maranatha just north of Gluck.
Witnesses said a man wearing red clothing had come to their doors asking if a woman named Tonya lived there. One woman said she saw a flash outside her window and then heard about five shots fired.
Steven Straley, 47, was struck on the head twice and on the body several times with a baseball bat, according to reports. Straley said a man who owed him money came to his residence, an argument ensued, and the man hit him with the baseball bat. No arrests had been made as of Saturday in either case.
Federal bill includesfunds for local projects
NILES -- U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, announced that the fiscal 2005 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill contains $1 million he requested for two Mahoning Valley projects.
The allotments are $500,000 for the Orchard Meadow Combined Sanitary Overflow project in Youngstown and $500,000 for the Little Squaw Creek Interceptor project in Liberty.
The legislation passed the House 360-17 Friday afternoon, and a Ryan spokesman said the congressman has high hopes that funding will remain in the Senate version of the bill.
Youngstown is under an Environmental Protection Agency consent decree to improve the city's combined sewer overflow system. The project would eliminate a current combined sewer overflow in Mill Creek Park, which is on Youngstown's Kirkmere/Axfactory Interceptor Sewer.
The proposed Little Squaw Creek Interceptor project runs from just north of Tibbetts-Wick Road to King Graves Road in Vienna Township. The interceptor would eliminate the need for 10 private sewage treatment facilities and an aging county waste treatment plant. A local developer has put about $500,000 into the project, and $485,000 came from the 2001 appropriations bill for the federal departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development.
Public affairs board
LORDSTOWN -- The board of public affairs will meet in special session at 9 a.m. Monday to discuss a proposed water contract between the village and Warren, and to approve easements for a 24-inch waterline to be constructed in the village.
Mesopotamia Ox Roastbenefits firefighters
MESOPOTAMIA -- The 31st annual Ox Roast will be July 3-5 in the center of town at the intersection of state Routes 534 and 87.
The Ox Roast will also include antiques, a flea market and live entertainment. The fire department will offer breakfast, lunch and free parking.
All the proceeds go to fund the Mesopotamia Volunteer Fireman's Association, with about 75 percent for operating costs and new equipment.
For more information, contact the fire department at mespofire@hotmail.com.
Housing rehabilitation
CLARK, Pa. -- The state has awarded a $400,000 grant to help finance housing rehabilitation in four Mercer County municipalities.
Clark Borough and Delaware, Jefferson and Pymatuning townships will share the funds, said Sen. Robert Robbins of Greenville, R-50th.
The money comes from the state's HOME program and will provide low-interest loans to about 21 homeowners with low or moderate incomes, Robbins said. The program is designed to help bring houses up to minimum safety and building-code standards.