Public flag collection

Public flag collection

POLAND — Jim Somerville of Boy Scout Troop 2 is offering a public flag collection from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Poland Methodist Church, 1940 Boardman-Poland Road. This is Jim’s community service project to become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouting. His project is to offer the public a day to bring in their old American flags for retirement. He and his troop will retire these flags in a dignified ceremony as specified by the American Flag Code at a later date. The first 25 participants will receive new American flags to replace their old ones. Bring your tattered, worn, faded or stained flags to Troop 2 Flag Retirement Collection time. For more information, call Jim at (330) 398-4691.

Beaver special meeting

NORTH LIMA — Beaver Township trustees will have a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the township administration office, 11999 South Ave. The purpose of the meeting is to have an executive session to discuss personnel, discussion to increase/decrease appropriations, and trustees will then have their reorganization meeting.

Donations from TCI

LEAVITTSBURG — Employees and inmates at the Trumbull Correctional Institution donated more than 50 coats and $800 worth of other clothing to children at Horace Mann Elementary School in Warren. For the past four years, TCI has adopted a school in order to spread joy to children during the holiday season.

Fire investigated

YOUNGSTOWN — City firefighters are investigating a fire early Sunday at a vacant house on Steel Street. According to reports, the fire started in the kitchen area of the two-story, wooden-frame structure at 710 Steel St. Damages were estimated to be $3,500. There were no injuries.

Recognizance release

YOUNGSTOWN — The 20-year-old mother charged with two counts of child endangering after her sons were found outside playing with a dead cat was arraigned Monday in municipal court and released on her own recognizance. Angela M. Spinelli, of Carroll Street, will be back in court Jan. 11 for a pretrial. A neighbor called police at 11:50 a.m. Saturday after finding Spinelli’s two boys, ages 2 and 3, outside playing with the dead animal. The younger boy was not wearing shoes and his diaper was full of urine and feces; his brother was in wet pajamas, police said. Spinelli told police she thought the boys were inside sleeping. The children were to be placed in temporary foster care, police said.

4 arrested on DUI

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Four people were arrested on drunken-driving charges during a sweep performed by the Pennsylvania State Police in Lawrence County. The patrol was working on the program throughout the county from 11 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday. Troopers also gave out 28 traffic citations and six traffic warnings.

Video records theft

YOUNGSTOWN — The surveillance video at St. Dominic Church recorded a theft of $200 from the candle box collections around 5 a.m. Monday, reports show. The 20-year-old suspect has been caught in the past stealing from the church, police reports show.

Copper, water stolen

YOUNGSTOWN — Copper and a water tank were taken from 143 N. Evanston Ave. during a break-in at the unoccupied house, reports show. Entry was gained through a rear door, police said. A construction worker hired to board up the place reported the break-in Monday.

Commuter-train study

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. (AP) — The Westmoreland County Transit Authority has agreed to pay $500,000 to study a possible commuter train to Pittsburgh from New Kensington and other parts of the Allegheny Valley. Democratic state Sen. Frank Dermody of Allegheny County has long championed the project. Dermody is from Oakmont, one of dozens of towns along the Allegheny River whose commuters rely on Route 28 to get in and out of Pittsburgh. Dermody says those commuters have long needed another alternative to driving.