Rape trial continues

Rape trial continues
WARREN -- Testimony will continue today in the case of a 41-year-old Mineral Ridge man facing 28 counts of rape, 23 counts of pandering obscenity involving minors and two counts of gross sexual imposition. A jury began hearing testimony in Mark Heilman's trial Tuesday in the courtroom of Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. Police and prosecutors say Heilman is accused of forcing a female juvenile he knew to have sex with him for at least six years. If convicted of all the charges, he could be sentenced to life in prison, but with parole eligibility after 10 years.
Car vandalized at school
WARREN -- A Chestnut Circle woman told police that someone damaged her high school daughter's vehicle while it was in the parking lot at John F. Kennedy High School. The woman told police Tuesday afternoon that someone put a derogatory sign on the car and then started a fire, which caused burn marks to the trunk. No arrests have been made.
CSB buys property
WARREN -- Trumbull County Children Services Board plans to buy a home adjacent to its facility on Reeves Road Northeast. The house sits on one acre adjacent to the CSB parking lot and a residential facility, CSB director Robert Kubiak said. The CSB board agreed to buy the property for $78,000 after being approached by the owner, he said. The board does not have any immediate plans for the land or the three-bedroom house but wanted control over how the property might be used, Kubiak said.
Elections board choice
WARREN -- Sherron Platt, a retired schoolteacher from Newton Falls, has been tapped by the Trumbull County Democratic Party executive committee to fill a vacant seat on the Trumbull County Board of Elections. The job pays $14,316 a year.
Platt was elected on the first ballot, by a vote of 37 to 22, said party chairman Christ Michelakis. Runner-up was Robert Leonard of Niles. Platt's name will now be forwarded to the Ohio Secretary of State for appointment to the board, which is composed of two Democrats and two Republicans.
One of the Democratic seats has been vacant since January. The Ohio attorney general ruled that the party's first pick, Barbara Katzenberger, was ineligible because of her day job working for Michelakis. The secretary of state rejected the party's second pick, Niles Mayor Ralph Infante, because of past election violations.
Road rage charges
GIRARD -- Richard J. Justis of Mineral Ridge pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges police say stemmed from road rage. Justis, 61, of Morris Street, pleaded innocent before municipal Magistrate Mark Finamore to reckless operation, criminal damage and assault. He was released after posting a $10,000 bond, and no hearing date was set. A woman told police Justis cut off her sport utility vehicle Monday at the Interstate 80 exit ramp to U.S. Route 422. Police reported Justis got out of his vehicle, swore at her and kicked her vehicle.
Personnel meeting
LIBERTY -- The board of education will meet in special session at 8 a.m. Thursday at the board conference room to discuss personnel. The October meeting has been changed from Tuesday to Oct. 18, at the high school community room. Caucus begins at 6 p.m. with the meeting to follow.
Yard waste collections
HOWLAND -- Garbage haulers will collect up to five bags of yard waste weekly starting Monday. Residents are asked to leave the bags of leaves or lawn trimmings by the curb.
Crews will also make one pass of each street to collect tree limbs and branches left by the curb. The workers will be in the east side of the township, east of North Road, starting Oct. 18, and in the areas west of North Road, including North Road side streets, starting Nov. 1. No firewood or large logs will be picked up.