Phone outage

Phone outage
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County officials are trying to determine the cause of a telephone outage on the city's East Side. Emergency personnel and county commissioners reported more than 100 phone lines have been out of service for several days this week. The outage has affected several offices, including Lawrence County Children and Youth Services. Officials said they have been trying to contact Verizon, the telephone service provider, to resolve the matter.
Mission gets donation
WARREN -- Leaders of the Trumbull County Union Counselor Association, AFL-CIO, presented a $1,200 donation Thursday to the Warren Family Mission, which provides free food, clothing and shelter to needy people. The association is a group of labor union volunteers engaged in charitable work. The donation, most of it provided to the association by Capri Cafaro and her family, consisted of Eastwood Mall gift certificates for the mission to distribute to those in need.
Poland home burglarized
POLAND -- A Poland Village Boulevard home was burglarized Tuesday, resulting in a loss of $25,750 in cash and valuables. Police reports indicate the burglar gained access to the home through a garage between 7:40 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. There was no sign of forced entry. A pistol, revolver, shotgun and rifle were among the items reported stolen. Four gold watches, a one-karat diamond ring, a plasma television and $2,000 in cash were also reported stolen. The burglary is still under investigation.
Two fires were arson
YOUNGSTOWN -- Arson is suspected in fires that destroyed two vacant houses, the fire department said. At 4:59 a.m. Thursday, crews responded to 65 Indiana Ave. on the North Side, said Lt. Kevin Johnson, an arson investigator. He said the two-story structure was a total loss at $15,000. Records show the 12-room house was built in 1915. At 11:13 p.m. Wednesday, firefighters were sent to the southeast corner of Wardle Avenue on the East Side and found a house engulfed in flames. Johnson said it was a total loss, at $6,000. The address given did not match with county records, which show the number as a vacant lot.
Flu vaccine available
YOUNGSTOWN -- Flu vaccine is still available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ohio North East Health Systems locations. The shots are $10 each. Medicaid and Medicare cards are accepted. The locations are: Youngstown Community Health Center, 726 Wick Ave.; Warren West Community Health Center, 716 Tod Ave., Warren; Good Samaritan, 405 S. Linden Ave., Alliance.
Car hits Greenville house
GREENVILLE -- An emergency dispatcher in Mercer County said Thursday that a car hit a house at 470 Fredonia Road in Hempfield Township. Police there could not be reached to comment, and no further details of the matter were available.
First floor burned in fire
SHARON -- A first-floor fire at 309 Silver St. caused an undetermined amount of damage to the structure and a significant amount of smoke damage throughout both levels of the house, firefighters said. The fire department received the call around 6:15 p.m. from a person who was inside the house but escaped before firefighters arrived. Firefighters, who are still investigating the cause, contained the blaze to a set of stairs and the first-floor living room.
Bomb kills soldier
DALLAS, Pa. (AP) -- A soldier from northeastern Pennsylvania was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq, just 10 days shy of his return home. First Lt. Michael Cleary, 24, of Dallas, a platoon leader in the 3rd Infantry Division, was killed Tuesday when his convoy was ambushed by insurgents, his parents said. "There is nothing he wouldn't do for his men," said his father, Jack Cleary. "He was disgusted with the way the war has been portrayed in the media. But he was also terribly ready to come home and be out of there." Cleary's death came two months before he was to marry his high school sweetheart, Erin Kavanagh. Their wedding was scheduled for Feb. 18. Jack Cleary said he spoke to his son the day before he died. Michael talked about his new pickup, his upcoming honeymoon and the fact that the 3rd Brigade was under the control of the New York National Guard, Jack Cleary said.