2 rescued from fire

2 rescued from fire
YOUNGSTOWN -- City firefighters said they rescued two people who were sleeping when fire broke out in the basement of their West Midlothian Boulevard home. A neighbor, Keith Hall, saw the flames through the basement window of 412 W. Midlothian around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday and called for help, firefighters said.
The house is owned by Tina Simmons, who wasn't home at the time, but her fianc & eacute;, Mark Britt, and their son, Seth Britt, 4, were asleep on the living room couch, firefighters said.
Mark Britt was awakened by a firefighter and was able to leave the house. A second firefighter carried Seth to safety. Both were treated at Forum Health Northside Medical Center, Johnson said. The fire was accidental, and the cause is under investigation. The flames were quickly extinguished. It caused minimal structural damage, he said.
Youngstown featured
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown 2010 land redevelopment plan is a featured case study in a new book, "Designing Public Consensus." The book is written by Barbara Faga, board chairwoman of an international design firm. Faga describes the Youngstown 2010 initiative as "an example of a highly successful public discussion." The book also includes case studies of the World Trade Center site in New York City, a Boston park and a new zoning code in Chicago.
Gun threat at school
BOARDMAN -- A 14-year-old Center Middle School boy was in the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center, charged with felony inducing panic. Another pupil told police Monday that the eighth-grader, who lives on Jaguar Place, had told people he was going to bring a gun to school Tuesday and shoot someone.
In talking to police, the 14-year-old acknowledged that he told several pupils "Tomorrow is June 6, and if the devil don't come, I will," according to a police report. "Maybe I'll bring my dad's new gun with me," he reportedly said.
Arson in Youngstown
YOUNGSTOWN -- City firefighters said a vacant house at 259 Gaither Ave. was the target of the fourth arson over the past 18 months. The blaze was discovered around 3:20 a.m. Wednesday in a bedroom of the two-story frame structure. Lt. Kevin Johnson, a fire investigator, said the fire department has put in a request for an emergency demolition of the house. A similar request was made after a fire there about six weeks ago, he said. The house was vacant at the time of all four arsons, he said.
Fire under investigation
STRUTHERS -- The cause of a fire that destroyed a vacant house at 90 Narissa St. early Wednesday is under investigation. The blaze, which leveled the wood-frame Cape Cod style structure, was reported at 3:40 a.m., firefighters said. No injuries were reported. Firefighters were at the house for about three hours. The owner was still unknown Wednesday afternoon.
Burglaries in Greenville
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Greenville/West Salem Police are asking anyone with information about burglaries at the Riverside Park and Greenville Sports Complex concession stands to come forward. According to police, a series of burglaries occurred between 9 p.m. June 1 and 8 a.m. Thursday. Police said they are withholding the details of the burglaries until suspects are interviewed.
Indictments revealed
LISBON -- Two people secretly indicted by a Columbiana County grand jury last week were made public this week. Those indicted are Kandace Craft, 30 of Rural Lane, East Liverpool, drug possession (heroin); and Timothy H. Johnson, 45 of Morris Road, Lisbon, nonsupport of dependents.
Simpson to speak
YOUNGSTOWN -- Jeremy Simpson, chief operations officer with Community Corrections Association, will be the speaker at the 4-Square Block Watch meeting at 6:30 p.m. today. The meeting will take place at the CCA building, 1620 Market St. Residents living in the area from Glenwood Avenue to Market Street and Woodland to West Chalmers avenues are encouraged to attend.