Vacant-house fires

Vacant-house fires
YOUNGSTOWN -- Firefighters were sent to fires at vacant South Side houses Sunday and Monday.
At 143 Clarencedale Ave., crews found the rear door open and fire spreading from the second floor to the attic around 10 p.m. Monday. Damage was listed as $8,000. At 316 Hilton Ave., heavy smoke engulfed the second floor and attic at 8 p.m. Sunday. The fire reportedly started in the kitchen area. Damage was set at $10,000.
The cause of both blazes is under investigation.
Mother, daughter dead
GIRARD -- A mother and daughter found dead in a Steel Street home apparently planned their deaths in a suicide pact, police say.
Police entered 28 Steel St., around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and found Alice Fire, 76, and her daughter, Mary Fire, 46, on a bed in the front room, both shot in the head. Police said the two left notes to family members.
Police said family members called them when they could not enter the home but could see the women through a window. The Mahoning County Coroner is investigating.
Parking lot work
Parking lots at three Trumbull County MetroParks will be sealed, weather permitting, on Saturday: Young's Run Disc Golf Course at Clarence Darrow MetroPark in Champion and the Oakfield-Hyde Road (Bristol) and Sunside (state route 305, Champion) trailheads along the Western Reserve Greenway. The parking lot at Canoe City in Leavittsburg will be sealed Saturday and Sunday. Limited parking will be available during that time.
Money for the work comes from the district's share of Ohio Department of Transportation Road Improvement Fund, which comes from license-plate fees and other sources. For more information, call Dave Ambrose at (330) 372-4873.
Pizza parlor robbery
YOUNGSTOWN -- A man in a black hoodie used a gun to rob Pastino's Pizza on South Avenue and then was chased on foot by the delivery driver, reports show.
The driver, armed with a machete, lost track of the suspect Monday afternoon on East Ravenwood Avenue. The suspect had entered the business and walked behind the counter to demand money from an employee who was on the phone. The robber left with about $340, police said.
Soap Box Derby rally
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The Western Pa. Soap Box Derby will promote its Fall Rally weekend Saturday and Sunday at Scotland Meadows Park in Union Township.
Racing begins at 9 a.m. both days and continues through the afternoon. More than 50 racers from throughout the region are expected to participate in the Stock, Superstock and Masters divisions. For more information, contact Greg Trecha at (724) 869-7297 or Mark Mroczynski at (724) 774-1762.
Mosquito spraying
HOWLAND -- The township will spray for mosquitoes from 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. This will be the fifth spraying of the year. In case of rain, spraying will take place the following evening. Residents are encouraged to close windows, keep pets indoors and not leave food outdoors.
Boardman band night
BOARDMAN -- Boardman High School Marching Band's band night will be at 7 Saturday at Spartan Stadium behind Boardman Center Middle School, 7410 Market St. Besides the host band, units scheduled to perform are from Leetonia, Brookfield, West Branch, Canfield and South Range high schools. Admission at the gate is $5 for adults, $3 for students, and senior citizens are admitted free.