Thieves burn wiring

Thieves burn wiring

WARREN — Copper thieves apparently struck again at a commercial building on McMyler Street Northwest, though their efforts apparently didn’t get them very much.

Warren firefighters responded to a fire call at 1824 McMyler at 9:22 a.m. Saturday, finding a building full of smoke.

Firefighters forced their way in and then located the source of the smoke toward the center of the building — a pile of burning wiring. The fire was extinguished without anything more than smoke damage to the building, and no injuries were reported.

Because the wiring in the building had been stripped away, firefighters believe vandals had attempted to strip the plastic coating off of the wiring by setting it on fire inside the building. The vandals were gone when firefighters arrived.

“It looks like the smoke got too thick and they backed out,” a fireman said. The building has been vandalized in the past, he said.

Charged after break-in

WARREN — A 45-year-old city man is charged with breaking and entering and resisting arrest after police found him inside of Washington Alternative School, 2609 Draper Street S.E., about 7 p.m. Friday.

David Keener, of 2698 Draper Street S.E., was apprehended by two police officers and police dog Ziggo after he tried to flee from the officers. Keener was taken to the Trumbull County Jail.

Stabbing reported

YOUNGSTOWN — A North Side man was stabbed Friday night at an apartment complex on Verona Avenue on the city’s East Side, police reports said..

Michael Williams, 48, of Woodbine Avenue, was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center about 9 p.m. with a 2-inch, shallow knife wound to his chest, according to police reports. The injury was not life-threatening. Williams identified his assailant as the sister of an East Side woman he was apparently dating, police reported.

Panic to Power seminar

WARREN — A seminar called Panic to Power will be from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at Panera Bread, 3641 Elm Road. Its goals are to teach conflict resolution and build self-esteem. It costs $50. For more information and to register by Jan. 11, visit www.panictopower.net.

Winter Crisis Program

WARREN — The Winter Crisis Program at the Trumbull Community Action Agency is continuing this winter. People in need of utility assistance may contact the agency or walk in on Monday and Wednesday mornings beginning at 7:30 for the first 15 people to arrive. Customers must provide photo identification and Social Security cards or photo IDs that include their Social Security number, proof of all income received in the past 13 weeks for all household members, utility bills or fuel receipts, and proof of disability if disabled. Customers must have all documents to be seen for an interview.

To be eligible for assistance, customers must have a disconnection notice on their gas and/or electric utilities. Customers using fuel oil, propane, coal or wood must have less than a 10-day supply to be eligible.

Garbage collection

WARREN — The city’s environmental services department will be closed New Year’s Day. Garbage collection will be one day late for the rest of the week. Friday’s pickup will be Saturday. Those with live Christmas trees can take them to the Packard Music Hall parking lot. Trees will be ground up Jan. 26. Signs will be posted directing those to where to drop them off. For more information, call (330) 841-2561.

HEAP appointments

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning Youngstown Community Action Partnership is scheduling appointments for the Emergency Home Energy Assist Program (HEAP). Potential applicants must call to make an appointment before coming in to complete an application. The 24-hour/7-day-a-week toll-free number is (866) 223-1125. A limited number of walk-ins will be taken from 8 to 9 a.m. for individuals whose service has already been disconnected and customers with less than a 10-day supply of bulk fuel.

HEAP provides assistance to low-income households that have had utility service terminated, face the threat of disconnection, or have less than a 10-day supply of bulk fuel. The program runs through March 31, 2008.