Draught House break-in

Draught House break-in
YOUNGSTOWN -- A window was smashed at The Draught House downtown and the business broken into around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, reports show. The pool table was vandalized and an undisclosed amount of coins taken, police said.
Fire being investigated
BOARDMAN -- A fire on Afton Avenue is under investigation by the township fire department. There were no injuries in the blaze, which started around 7:16 a.m. Wednesday. A passer-by alerted the occupants, who fled the house immediately, the fire department said. The fire began outside the house and caught the siding. The fire department said there was $5,000 loss to the structure and $10,000 loss, mostly from smoke, to the contents.
Senior Center grant
YOUNGSTOWN -- Senior Center of Mahoning County has received a $3,535 grant from the county's Local Community Agreement Fund for its health and recreational programs. County commissioners held their regular weekly meeting Wednesday at the senior center's facility, 1110 Fifth Ave. Commissioner Anthony Traficanti said the fund was established years ago with partial proceeds of a 0.5 percent sales tax issue that will be up for renewal in 2007. A second center is in Sebring, and satellite facilities are in Boardman, Lake Milton and New Middletown. The private, nonprofit centers are affiliated with Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services.
One-Stop getting help
BOARDMAN -- Mahoning County One-Stop is getting an assist from Youngstown State University to continue its services. The One-Stop was affected by smoke damage caused by the fire at the UPS store in the Boardman Plaza on March 25. Through accommodations of YSU's Metro College, a partner of the One-Stop System, services are being provided during the interim period at the Metro College in the DeBartolo Building on Market Street. Customers should go to Room 275 of the Metro College for one-stop services from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Auction on eBay
YOUNGSTOWN -- Family Services Agency, a nonprofit mental health agency serving families of the Mahoning Valley, is sponsoring an online auction today through Monday. Bidders can shop on eBay for a variety of items including golf equipment, tickets for local events, health club memberships and artwork through a link on the agency Web site, www.familyserviceagency.com. Proceeds will be used to help provide services to clients in financial need. For more information, call (330) 782-5664.
Extra patrols planned
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield Township police will be beefing up their patrol of township streets for the coming Easter vacation of local children, Police Chief Joseph Consiglio said. The chief said he has added additional patrols for Friday through April 23 in neighborhoods where there are children, "to slow everybody down." The chief also said the department will again be sending out two police officers on four-wheelers in areas where all-terrain-vehicle riders can be found, checking to see if they need help, checking for license tags, and also determining if riders are allowed on the property they are riding on.
'Flute Player' showing
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- The story of Arn Chorn-Pond, an internationally recognized human-rights activist, community organizer and musician who survived the Cambodian genocide, is featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary film "The Flute Player," which will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Thiel College's Bly Lecture Hall, Academic Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Action on parking lot
MERCER, Pa. -- Mercer County commissioners are expected to hire a Hermitage firm today to prepare drawings and specifications for repaving the parking lot at District Justice Lorinda Hinch's office. Winslow Engineering Inc. submitted a quote of $5,200 to do the job. Bill Boyle, county director of administrative services, told commissioners at their agenda meeting Wednesday that Winslow's bid was not the lowest, but the company's proposal offered several advantages. Winslow, for example, included the survey fee in the engineering cost and will not charge mileage. Engineering is a professional service and did not have to be advertised for bids.