FORD AVENUE CLOSING

Ford Avenue closing
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ford Avenue at the Madison Avenue Expressway will be closed Tuesday until late fall 2006.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is repairing six bridges on the expressway as part of a $7.5 million project. The other bridges included in the project are at Covington and Elm streets, and Belmont, Wick and Fifth avenues.
The northbound detour for those driving on Ford Avenue near the expressway is Grant Street to Belmont Avenue to Caroline Street. The southbound detour is Caroline to Belmont to Madison Avenue.
The project is scheduled for completion in late summer 2007.
Gas line punctured
WARREN -- City firefighters closed East Market Street from Park Avenue to Pine Avenue on Friday morning as a precaution after a street-cutting saw blade punctured a gas line.
The odor of natural gas was apparent. But Fire Lt. Alfred Brown said there was no explosion or fire, and there were no injuries. Dominion East Ohio Gas crews were at the scene working to repair the break.
Crews from Utility Contracting Inc. of Youngstown have been saw-cutting the pavement as they work downtown on a storm and sanitary sewer separation project.
Jury finds man innocent
WARREN -- A Trumbull County jury has found a Howland man innocent of felonious assault and aggravated burglary in a beating in Newton Falls last December.
The jury deliberated for about two hours Friday before returning the innocent verdicts against Steven Strawderman, 21. He was accused of being part of a group that assaulted Ben Parker, 18, of Newton Falls, at a party.
The trial was in the courtroom of Common Pleas Judge Andrew Logan. The jury decided Thursday it would like to continue the case Friday, and Judge Logan agreed, even though county offices and the courthouse were closed for Veterans Day.
Woman reports threats
YOUNGSTOWN -- A woman in the 200 block of East Auburndale Avenue told police about 2 a.m. Friday that a man her granddaughter had been out with Thursday night had made threats to her and her granddaughter over the telephone. She said the man returned to the home about 2 a.m. and said her granddaughter had taken $150 from his car. The granddaughter said she did not take any money from the man, and he left. Later he called the house and said they better not go to sleep because he was going to blow up the house.
Guard reports gun theft
YOUNGSTOWN -- A security guard at Coconut Grove Lounge on South Avenue told police about 11:30 p.m. Thursday that someone stole his unloaded 9mm handgun from the trunk of his car. The security guard said he put the gun in the trunk about 10 p.m. and locked the car and the trunk.
House fire extinguished
YOUNGSTOWN -- Firefighters extinguished a fire Thursday night in a vacant house at Garland and Wilson avenues on the city's East Side. There were no injuries reported.
Search, rescue training
LISBON -- Members of U.S. Search and Rescue, Recovery, an area search and rescue team, will conduct a training exercise from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
The team will be pretending that the area has been hit by a tornado. Team members will be walking through the village to test communications, post-disaster search operations and mapping techniques.
Members will also observe techniques used in searching for a missing person in an urban area.
Land use planning
LISBON -- The Columbiana County Land Use Task Force is asking community leaders and land owners to attend its meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Community Action Agency.
The task force will be deciding the leadership of the task force and timing of the comprehensive land use planning process. The plan will help guide development in the county. Those interested should call (330) 424-7291.
Breakfast date change
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Ancient Order of Hibernians Joseph T. Nalley, Division 6, has changed the date of its 25th anniversary commemorative communion prayer breakfast. The event now will be at 9 a.m. Nov. 19 beginning with a Mass at St. Patrick's Church, 1410 Oak Hill Ave.
The cost is $7 per person, and all proceeds will benefit the Mahoning County Right to Life program. The AOH is a Catholic Irish-American fraternal organization.