Fire destroys house

Fire destroys house
YOUNGSTOWN -- Fire that started with candles destroyed a house at 48 E. Evergreen Ave. occupied by two adults and six children, said Lt. Kevin Johnson. No injuries were reported, and the Red Cross stepped in to assist the family, he said. Because of remodeling being done at the 21/2-story house, firefighters had a difficult time reaching the blaze, in a second-floor bedroom, Johnson said. It was first reported at 8:46 p.m. Thursday, then it rekindled at 6:44 a.m. Friday, resulting in a total loss to the structure, Johnson said. Records show the seven-room house was built in 1924.
Hearings postponed
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Preliminary hearings for two Ohio men facing charges related to the shooting death of a city man earlier this month have been postponed to January. Hearings for Teandre M. DeMarco, 29, of Warren and Michael Price, 29, of Youngstown, will be at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 5 in Lawrence County Central Court. The proceedings were originally scheduled for this week but were continued at the request of the county district attorney's office. A preliminary hearing for Naomi Brothers, 24, of New Castle, also will be combined with those of DeMarco and Price. Police arrested five people Dec. 5 after a shooting at a West Lutton Street home and a high-speed chase that ended in Youngstown. Sean Smith, 35, of 2 W. Lutton, was killed in the shooting.
Williamson documentary
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Business and Media Archives of the Mahoning Valley will give copies of the video documentary on the life of Warren P. Williamson Jr. to the schools of Mahoning County. Williamson, Mahoning Valley broadcast pioneer, first broadcast his radio signal Sept. 26, 1926. Next year marks the 80th anniversary of that event. The archives are managed by the Mahoning Valley Historical Society.
University appointee
COLUMBUS -- An Alliance resident has been appointed by Gov. Bob Taft to the University of Akron Board of Trustees. Taft's office said Friday that Deneal Michaels was appointed to the board as a student trustee for a term ending July 1, 2007. She replaces James M. Faucett III, whose term expired, the governor's office said. Board members are paid for their expenses only.
Car vandalism probed
AUSTINTOWN -- Police are investigating the vandalism of a car parked in a lot on North Yorkshire Boulevard. A police report shows all of the vehicle's windows were broken, both side mirrors were broken off, the roof was dented in, all of the tires were flat and the rear bumper was cracked. The vandalism occurred between midnight and 9 a.m. Wednesday, police said.
Man flashes children
YOUNGSTOWN -- A flasher who a customer said exposed himself to children at Village Discount, 3367 Mahoning Ave., was escorted to the office by the manager but then left to get his wallet to identify himself and did not return, reports show. The manager told police Thursday that the suspect was videotaped by the store's surveillance camera. The report was turned over to the vice squad.
Grazed by a bullet
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 34-year-old Elbertus Avenue man suffered a grazing gunshot wound just below his left breast around 2:45 a.m. Friday as he left a party on West Ravenwood Avenue, police said.
Drug court violation
YOUNGSTOWN -- Garnet Smith, 23, of Mabel Street, was found in contempt of court for violating the terms of the municipal drug court program by testing positive for drugs, records show. Municipal Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr. ordered that Smith stay in jail from 9 a.m. Thursday until 6 p.m. today. Judge Douglas wrote on his order "To the sheriff: Do Not Release." This week a federal judge ordered the sheriff to keep in jail defendants found guilty of contempt of court. The sheriff, under an emergency release plan designed to regulate the jail population, had been releasing such inmates.
DUS and drug arrest
YOUNGSTOWN -- Richard Armstrong Jr., who failed to appear in municipal court in October on two separate driving-under-suspension charges, was arrested Thursday on the South Side on DUS and drug charges. On the new charges, bond was set Friday at $25,000 and he will be back in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing. On the old charges, bond was set at $5,000, and he will be back in court Jan. 3 for a pretrial hearing. Police said they stopped Armstrong's Honda on South Avenue because the plates were expired. A check of his record showed nine open suspensions on his license, police said. Six doses of heroin were found between his feet, reports show.