Crash kills woman

Crash kills woman
YOUNGSTOWN -- Laura E. Hammett, 70, of St. Louis Avenue died when the 1992 Geo Prism she was driving jumped the curb on Glenwood Avenue near Willis Street at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday and struck a utility pole. The pole broke and the car overturned, police said.
Woman arrested
CAMPBELL -- Dianna L. Noble, 36, of DeSoto Avenue, Youngstown, is being held in the Mahoning County Jail pending arraignment in municipal court Friday on charges of receiving stolen property, forgery, passing bad checks and theft by deception.
Noble was arrested Tuesday afternoon at First National Bank, 355 Robinson Road, where she was trying to cash a check reported stolen by a Youngstown couple.
According to police, Noble cashed two other checks belonging to the couple at a 12th Street party shop. Both of those checks were returned for insufficient funds.
Signs removed
YOUNGSTOWN -- No-parking and stop signs were taken from the 2000 block of Bancroft Avenue, and an attempt was made to remove a block-watch sign, police said.
A witness told police she saw who did it and confronted the 19-year-old man, who returned only the stop sign Wednesday but didn't reattach it to its pole.
Police told the young man, who denied the thefts, that he would be listed as a suspect.
Dogs are missing
CAMPBELL -- Police are seeking information about 11 pit bull puppies and their mother reported missing from the owner's basement.
According to police, a Porter Avenue woman discovered the animals and their cage missing Monday. She told police that she didn't hear or see anything suspicious and that the basement door was unlocked.
Savings bonds recovered
CAMPBELL -- City police recovered three $50 savings bonds and other personal documents reported missing after a recent burglary in Canfield.
According to police, two men delivered two bank bags containing the items to the police department Oct. 24. The men told police they'd found the bags at the 422 Car Wash.
Construction update
AUSTINTOWN -- Excavation work is expected to begin next week for the $26 million middle school to be located on South Raccoon Road, schools Superintendent Stan Watson said.
The school board voted Wednesday to award a $1 million contract for the excavation work to Rudzik Excavating of Struthers. Watson said Rudzik submitted the lowest bid.
Excavating work is expected to continue until next spring, and the school is slated to open during the 2006-07 school year, Watson said.
Springfield levy
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- The Springfield Board of Education is reminding proponents of the personal income tax levy renewal that yard signs displaying that support are still available at the board of education office.
During Tuesday's general election, district residents will vote on whether to renew the 1 percent personal income tax levy, which is to expire at the end of the year.
Residents interested in obtaining yard signs should call board member Peggy Jones at (330) 549-5230 or contact the board office.
Break-ins at 3 churches
HUBBARD -- Township police are investigating the overnight break-ins of three churches. Detective Michael Begeot said cash was taken and church officials were conducting inventories.
The churches are Church of the Nazarene, state Route 62 and Chestnut Ridge Road; Corner House Christian Church, Chestnut Ridge and state Route 7; and Coalburg United Methodist Church, Wick-Campbell Road and Chestnut Ridge.
Grants for flood victims
COLUMBUS -- Emergency management officials have approved 1,447 grants for housing repair and other assistance worth $2,494,678 for this year's flooding victims in the tri-county area, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The number and amount of grants approved in each county as of the close of business Monday was: 449 worth $1,107,108 in Columbiana County; 610 worth $707,513 in Mahoning County; and 388 worth $680,057 in Trumbull County.
The application deadline for disaster assistance is Nov. 18. To apply, call (800) 621-FEMA.