Murder suspect

Murder suspect
YOUNGSTOWN -- Charles E. Lynch, suspected in a deadly drive-by shooting, was arrested Tuesday morning by members of the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force. Lynch, 27, of Chicago Avenue, is charged with the murder of Martin Walker III, 32, of South Truesdale Avenue. Walker was shot in the lower abdomen at 9:30 p.m. Saturday outside the F & amp;N Market on Shehy Street. He died early Sunday at St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Deputy resigns
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County Deputy Sheriff Ryan C. Strange, who pleaded guilty to his part in the beating of a Mahoning County jail inmate, has resigned, the sheriff said Tuesday. Strange, 28, of Vienna, is the last of five deputies who were involved in the case to resign. In all, the case involved eight sheriff's department employees.
Maple Syrup Festival
BOARDMAN -- The Boardman Maple Syrup Festival will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and again March 19 and 20 at the Boardman Community Center in Township Park. Outdoor events featured at the festival include demonstrations of maple syrup making and camping techniques, hayrides and Civil War re-enactments. Indoor activities include displays of Civil War antiques and living history, woodcarving, watercolors and Boardman history. Maple syrup will be for sale and there will be a raffle. There will be sausage and pancake meals available all day.
Home-buyer workshops
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown Area Urban League and the New Bethel Baptist Church will host a series of workshops for first-time home buyers. The homeownership/financial literacy workshops are titled: Preparation for Homeownership. Find out how to qualify for a home loan and down payment assistance. The workshop will be at 5 p.m. Thursday at L.A. Simon Hall, across from New Bethel Baptist Church at 1507 Hillman St. For more information and to enroll, call the Urban League at (330) 744-4111 or (330) 743-1384 or fax (330) 743-1619.
Chinese impressions
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- Dr. Ronald Helms, social studies secondary education director at Wright State University, will present "Impressions of Chinese 2000" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the McKelvey Campus Center at Westminster College. The discussion will focus on several Chinese cities, the Chinese educational system, and the current Sino-American relationship. Helms is the author/co-author of eight books and more than 75 educational articles. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Domanski at (724) 946-7182 or e-mail demanslp@westminster.edu.