Spring cleanup time
Spring cleanup time
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield Township residents are reminded that they must set their spring cleanup items at the curb of their home by 6 p.m. Sunday to ensure that cleanup crews do not miss them. Township Administrator David Pugh said the entire township will be covered by the cleanup, which runs from Sunday to May 22, but residents are warned that the township does not know what order the cleanup crews will follow.
Zoning panel openings
HARTFORD -- Trustees are accepting applications until June 3 from township residents interested in serving on the zoning commission. The commission meets the second Monday of each month. For an application, call the township clerk at (330) 772-9206.
17 counts of theft
NILES -- A Warren man police say used a debit card as a credit card at local gas stations was expected in Niles Municipal Court this morning for arraignment.
Stephen Townes, 37, of Oregon Street, is charged with 17 counts of theft. Police say Townes used a Visa debit card, but told clerks it was a credit card that needed to be manually entered, to buy cigarettes, gasoline and other items at the Shell Gas Station on Youngstown-Warren Road several times between April 20-28. The purchases totaled more than $2,200.
Niles police Capt. Chuck Wilson said police in Howland and Warren are also investigating. Reports from those departments indicate a man charged more than $300 worth of items at gas stations with the debit card he told clerks was a credit card.
Fund-raiser for child
GIRARD -- A fund-raising spaghetti dinner will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Knights of Columbus, 122 State St., to help defray medical costs for 3-year-old Elizabeth Damelio of Girard. Elizabeth will undergo surgery to route blood from her heart to her lungs and through her body to increase the oxygen content.
This is her third surgery because of a heart ailment. She is the daughter of Maurice and Christina Damelio of Trumbull Avenue. There will be a raffle, auction and disc jockey. Tickets are $10 for adults but free for children under age 12.
Carryout will be available. Those who want to donate merchandise for the auction should call (330) 545-3772 or (330) 545-6916.
Monument dedication
MINERAL RIDGE -- A new monument purchased by the Mineral Ridge Firemen's Association will be dedicated at the Mineral Ridge fire station on state Route 46 at 7 p.m. Memorial Day.
The stone is in place in front of the station and is to honor all firefighters from the former Mineral Ridge Fire Department and the current Weathersfield Fire Department. The Mineral Ridge Firemen's Association paid about $5,000 for the memorial, although its actual cost was $6,000. The memorial was ordered through Lane Funeral Homes, based in Austintown, and owner Joe Lane approved the donation to cover the remaining cost of the stone.
Fire Chief Randy Pugh said that the department is inviting all former firefighters to the ceremony. The event is open to the public.
Rule for cemeteries
MINERAL RIDGE -- David Pugh, Weathersfield Township administrator, is asking residents to avoid placing anything but flowers in front of tombstones at the township cemeteries, saying other items left at graves are causing problems for crews cutting the grass. Pugh said residents are leaving balloons, statues and figurines at graves at the three cemeteries, Ohltown, Kerr and Welsh Hill.
Seat belt use campaign
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield Township police will again take part in a statewide seat belt use enforcement campaign, "What's holding you back? Click it or Ticket," May 24 to June 6.
In last year's campaign, the department was selected as of one of 20 departments statewide given an opportunity to win a 2003 Crown Victoria model Ford police car. Despite not winning the car, the township department did win a laser radar gun worth about $5,000, Police Chief Joseph Consiglio said.
He said the selection was based on officers' writing tickets for noncompliance with seat belt use. Not using a seat belt cannot be the primary reason a driver is stopped but tickets may be written if a violation is discovered during a stop. Consiglio said Weathersfield has a zero tolerance policy on not buckling up.