Woman’s wallet stolen

Woman’s wallet stolen

YOUNGSTOWN — A picture of Jesus that had been in the wallet of a 75-year-old woman was found near a Mahoning Avenue drugstore parking lot where the wallet was taken from her hands as she sat in a car with the window down, police said. The theft took place around 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Surveillance video from the store was to be turned over to detectives.

Investigation continues
in man’s death by train

EDINBURG, Pa. — Police are still trying to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of a 38-year-old man hit by a train in Lawrence County. Pennsylvania State Police said John E. Cooper of Edinburg was hit by a train at 3:30 a.m. Monday about 1.5 miles west of U.S. Route 224 and Pa. Route 551 in Mahoning Township. He was last seen at 1:30 a.m. at a friend’s house a few miles from where he was found, Lawrence County Coroner Russell S. Noga said. Police said they are awaiting results from an autopsy and toxicology reports to help determine what happened. A Norfolk Southern Railroad spokesman said the train was en route from Fort Wayne, Ind., to Harrisburg carrying truck trailers.

Dems to pick treasurer

WARREN — The Trumbull County Democratic Central Committee will meet Sept. 11 to replace county Treasurer Christ Michelakis, who retires Saturday. The meeting will be at 6 p.m. at DiVieste’s Banquet Hall, 754 North River Road. Committee members will fill Michelakis’ unexpired term because he’s retiring early. His current four-year term would expire Sept. 2, 2009. Michelakis has said he is leaving his $66,415-a-year job so he can devote more time to the presidential race in 2008 in his role as county party chairman.

Heart Walk plans

YOUNGSTOWN — The American Heart Association announced that Michael Senchak and Bob Shroder will be co-chairmen of the association’s 2007 Start! Heart Walk. As co-chairmen, Senchak and Shroder serve as spokesmen for the event and are spearheading efforts to meet the event’s fund-raising goal. The walk will be at 10 a.m. Sept. 15 at Youngstown State University. Senchak is president and CEO of Mahoning Valley Hospital; Shroder is president and CEO of Humility of Mary Health Partners.

Warren man sentenced

WARREN — A 32-year-old Warren man was placed on two years’ probation for his involvement in what started out as an alleged traffic ticket fixing case. Eric Fisher, of Francis Avenue Southeast, got the sentence Monday from Judge Peter J. Kontos of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. Fisher had pleaded guilty in June to obstructing official business, a misdemeanor. He was originally indicted on a charge of attempted bribery, a felony, after being accused of trying to give $350 to a former Warren police detective to get a traffic ticket fixed. Charges against the detective, Dewey Gray of Bristol Champion Townline Road in Bristolville, were dismissed earlier this month after he passed a lie detector test. He is charged with theft in office and improper disposal of a traffic ticket.

Items stolen from cars

STRUTHERS — Police are investigating thefts from several cars late Sunday or early Monday on Brandon Avenue, Spring and Wilson Streets and Overlook Boulevard, all in the same area of the city. The break-ins were reported between 6:10 and 9:40 a.m. as owners went to use their vehicles. The thieves took items such as a mobile radar detector, a CD player, binoculars, cell phones, a First Place Bank debit card, a Best Buy gift card and small amounts of cash. The vehicles, parked variously in driveways and in garages, were ransacked, but no damage was reported, police said.