Mancini Award set up

Mancini Award set up

BOARDMAN — Township police have established the Elaine R. Mancini Police Service Award to honor a department employee who has demonstrated a concern for people through the exceptional performance of his or her assigned duties, performs an act of outstanding civic or community service or an act of heroism in an emergency situation.

Mancini is retiring in January after 16 years as a township trustee. The selection process for the annual award is that nominations will be made to a screening committee with the police chief making the final selection.

Penn State graduation

SHARON, Pa. — Penn State Shenango will award degrees to 51 associate and baccalaureate degree students at its fall commencement set for 7:30 p.m. Friday in the campus auditorium. There will be a reception immediately following in the Great Hall. Sam Bernstine, newly elected president of the Penn State Shenango Alumni Society Board and vice president of Kepner-Tregoe Inc., will be the speaker. Dawn Taylor of Sharon will give the student address. Taylor, who was born in Brazil, will receive a bachelor’s degree in letters, arts and sciences.

Oakland’s Santa event

YOUNGSTOWN — The Oakland Center for the Arts will sponsor a speed read and milk and cookies with Santa event at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Those interested can collect pledges in advance and then be invited to the Oakland stage to read as many words as they can in 15 seconds. Every $2.50 pledge buys a new book for a child; $25 will buy 10 books.

Santa Claus will be on the premises to hear last-minute requests. The first 500 children will receive a new book. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (330) 448-6973. The center is at 220 W. Boardman St.

Costing Pa. taxpayers

ALTOONA, Pa. — Pennsylvania school superintendents will cost taxpayers millions when they leave their jobs because of contracts that include payment for unused sick days and free health care in retirement, a newspaper reported Sunday.

An analysis of 447 contracts statewide shows that school boards promise superintendents compensation beyond publicly disclosed salaries, and that many costs occur after the superintendents leave, retire or die, the Altoona Mirror reported. Pennsylvania school districts are not allowed to contract with a superintendent for more than five years, but there are no limits on payment or the method of compensation.

Payment for unused sick days may exceed a teacher’s annual salary, the paper said. State superintendents transfer sick days from other employers and trade those days for cash when they leave, and most have hundreds of days saved, the paper said.