Shooting-death probe

Shooting-death probe
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City police say the shooting death of a Dayton man may be drug-related. Eduardo Perez, 19, died at 7:34 a.m. Tuesday at UPMC Pittsburgh.
Police Chief Tom Sansone said Perez was shot three times in the Pin Oak Drive area of Crestview Gardens, a low-income housing complex, at 3:21 a.m. Tuesday. Sansone said officers were called to the area for gunshots, but Perez was already gone. An acquaintance drove him to Jameson Hospital and he was later transferred to Pittsburgh.
An autopsy was expected to be performed Tuesday afternoon in Allegheny County.
Sansone said witnesses and friends were still being interviewed and no arrests had been made. The police chief said they think Perez came to New Castle to meet a woman, but was unable to find her. He and a friend eventually ended up at Crestview Gardens, Sansone said.
Arms museum reopens
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Arms Family Museum of Local History, 648 Wick Ave., reopened Tuesday after being closed for a capital improvement project, the Mahoning Valley Historical Society has announced.
Some exhibits will remain closed as work continues to make the museum barrier-free. That work is to be completed this summer.
Museum hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Child-custody case
BEAVER, Pa. (AP) -- A woman who successfully battled child welfare officials for custody of her son for more than two years now says she wants to give him up.
Selena Underwood, 21, of Beaver Falls, had her 8-month-old son removed in October 2001 by county workers who thought he was malnourished.
Doctors later determined he had a bowel obstruction that was corrected by surgery, and the boy has developed normally.
A judge granted Underwood custody of the child in October, and she hoped to have him back by Feb. 3, in time for his third birthday. But last month, she told a judge she wants to give up her parental rights.
A hearing has been scheduled for May 25.
The reasons for Underwood's recent request were unclear. A man who answered the phone at her home declined to comment Tuesday evening and Underwood did not return a message.
Teachers retire, resign
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City school officials accepted three more early retirements and six resignations under a special package offered to teachers by the school district.
Schools Superintendent George Gabriel said 28 people have taken the district's offer, which ended Friday. The special package was offered in an effort to save the district money on salaries and benefits of longtime employees.
The school board met Tuesday night to accept the most recent resignations and retirements.
Gabriel said he is now starting an analysis to determine if any of the positions can be eliminated. School officials have said they do expect a savings over the next several years because they will replace higher-paid teachers with those at the starting rate.
SRU rock waterfall
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Slippery Rock University will formally dedicate its new rock waterfall beside Bailey Library at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.
The project was funded by the student government association and a donation from Howard "Budd" and Margaret "Maggie" Headland of Greenville. Mrs. Headland, a retired schoolteacher, is a 1940 SRU graduate.
Headland is a retired engineer for Westinghouse Corp. Both are continuing benefactors of the university whose gifts include funds for a room in the Russell Wright Alumni House and a scholarship named in their honor.
Part of an ongoing campaign to beautify the SRU campus, the project was designed by Jay Hill, owner of Father Nature, an award-winning pond and water garden design company in Volant. Rocks and boulders were donated by Dr. Robert Watson, vice president for student life.
Talk about greyhounds
HOWLAND -- A representative of a greyhound rescue group will talk about adopting former racing dogs at the Howland branch of the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library at 6 p.m. May 19.
The program is free and open to the public.