Sewer project hearing

Sewer project hearing
NILES -- A public hearing on the second phase of a sanitary sewer project expected to cost $2.6 million in McKinley Heights will be held at 7 p.m. June 28 at Niles McKinley High School auditorium. The project is expected to be under construction this summer.
Garden center appeal
BOARDMAN -- The owners of a Youngstown-Poland Road garden center that the township zoning inspector says is violating the township zoning code has appealed the inspector's decision. Ronald, John and Paul Colla filed the appeal last week with the township and a hearing before the board of zoning appeals will be scheduled. Darren Crivelli, zoning inspector, said that the business was required to submit site plans to the zoning office to be determined to be in compliance before commercial activity could begin at the Youngstown-Poland Road site.
Disruption on Route 108
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Traffic on Pa. Route 108 will be reduced to a single lane alternating use daily between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. through late August. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation advises motorists to use caution, slow down, and expect changing traffic patterns when traveling through the area. The lane restrictions are necessary as contractor crews upgrade drainage, mill and resurface Pa. Route 108 from Ray Street in New Castle to about 200 feet east of Hawthorne Street at the Hickory Township borderline. The project is part of a $1.8 million contract with A. Folino Construction Inc. of Oakmont, Pa.
Man shot in the arm
WARREN -- A city man was in stable condition at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital after being shot Wednesday morning. Dontai R. Young, 26, of Lane Drive Southwest, was driving in the area of Mahoning Avenue and Summit Street Northwest at 1:40 a.m. when he was shot in the arm by a person he knows.
First Book sets concert
STRUTHERS -- First Book Mahoning Valley will have a benefit concert Saturday at The Cellar, 162 S. Bridge St., to raise money to buy books for area children. First Book is a nonprofit group that helps give every child the opportunity to read and own his or her first new book. Blush, Five Deep, Sonic Age and Coach are among the bands that will be performing. There also will be a Chinese auction. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $7 and can be bought at the door. The proceeds go to First Book Mahoning Valley. For more information, call (330) 448-6598. To learn more about First Book, visit www.firstbook.org.
Pipe rolls off on I-680
YOUNGSTOWN -- Southbound traffic on Interstate 680 was halted after a load of steel pipe spilled onto the freeway from a tractor-trailer truck about 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. The southbound truck swerved to avoid hitting a car that had abruptly changed lanes to get off at Exit 4, the truck's driver said. The swerve caused the truck's load to shift and fall to the roadway. During the cleanup, I-680 south was shut down at the Meridian Road exit for about three hours. No charges were filed and no injuries were reported.
Pastor faces porn trial
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A church pastor accused of downloading child pornography and then distributing it has been ordered to stand trial. The Rev. Robert D. Schmidtberger, 51, of Rose Point Road, Slippery Rock Township, the pastor at Rose Point Reformed Presbyterian Church, is charged with 181 counts of possession of child pornography, three counts of the dissemination of child pornography and three counts of the criminal use of a communication facility. He remains free without bond, but he was ordered by District Justice James Reed to refrain from teaching children. Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. John Stepansky testified that police were notified of the pornography by America Online, and when they served a search warrant at the Rev. Mr. Schmidtberger's home, they seized 51 CD-ROMs with 152 child porn images and 21 zip drive disks with 29 images.
Free Scrappers tickets
NILES -- People can get two free tickets to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers game July 5 if they bring two nonperishable food items to the game, which starts at 7:05 p.m. that day.
All food collected will go to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley.