Pupil absenteeism

Pupil absenteeism
Pupil absenteeism is normal for this time of year, a random check of some area schools revealed as they head into the Christmas break. The exception is in Hermitage, Pa., where pupils with flulike symptoms stayed home from school in large numbers late last week and early this week.
Superintendent Karen Ionta said the absenteeism reached its peak Monday, when 90 children in one school were absent. She said that same school had only 30 absent Tuesday.
Other schools districts checked Tuesday include Champion, Warren, Howland, Boardman and Youngstown in Ohio, and Sharon and New Castle in Pennsylvania.
Rolling Cash 5 winner
YOUNGSTOWN -- Marsha R. Conn of Youngstown won 199,000 after matching all five numbers in the Rolling Cash 5 game Friday. After federal and state taxes, Conn will receive 137,310. She used the auto lotto in getting the winning numbers 7-12-25-32-35. Conn bought the ticket at Lucky Lotto No. 1, 533 Boardman-Canfield Road. The lottery outlet receives a 500 agent bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Robbery suspect caught
YOUNGSTOWN -- An Austintown man accused of robbing a Cornersburg bank Dec. 6 and a credit union in Knoxville, Tenn., was captured Monday afternoon by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, according to the News Sentinel in Knoxville.
The patrol said Thomas A. Phelan, 50, of Austintown was arrested as he exited Interstate 75 near Lenoir City, Tenn., in a limousine with a Doberman pinscher in the back.
A federal bank robbery warrant for Phelan was issued last week. He is accused of using a gun to rob Charter One Bank, 3525 Canfield Road. An off-duty Knoxville police officer spotted Phelan at a convenience store Monday.
Robbery thwarted
YOUNGSTOWN -- A man who tried to rob the Burger King at 15 W. Midlothian Boulevard around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday left empty-handed when the manager on duty ran to the rear of the business instead of complying with his demands for money, police said. The manager told police that the suspect kept his left hand in the pocket of his black hoodie and pointed at her as if he had a gun. The suspect left when the manager ran.
Scammed out of 3,500
WARREN -- An 80-year-old Warren woman was scammed out of 3,500 from her bank account. According to a police report, the woman said she had received a telephone call Friday from a man who identified himself as a representative of Chase Bank. He persuaded her to withdraw the 3,500 to help catch a thief at the bank. She met the man and gave him the cash. He later called the victim, thanking her for her cooperation and asking her not to do anything until the thief was caught. When she heard nothing, she reported the loss to police.
Fire in vacant house
YOUNGSTOWN -- The vacant house at 3333 Powers Way smelled of gasoline when firefighters arrived at 11:20 p.m. Monday to put out a fire in the kitchen, reports show. A neighbor told firefighters that people have been in and out of the house recently to estimate the cost of renovations. Damage was set at 5,000, and the cause remains under investigation.