Troopers patrol city

Troopers patrol city
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Ohio State Highway Patrol has allocated several troopers to patrol within the city limits with a goal of reducing urban fatalities, said Mayor Jay Williams. The goal, he said, is consistent with the city's proactive efforts to help create a safer community. Troopers will focus on U.S. and state routes within the city. This will allow city officers to focus more sharply on the residential neighborhoods and businesses within the city. The joint effort will last until early March and serve as a trial period to evaluate the collaboration, the mayor said. He expects future joint efforts will occur this year.
Appeal for blood donors
Because of blood drive cancellations and decreased donor turnout resulting from this week's snowstorm, officials of the Northern Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross are appealing to area residents to donate blood at scheduled drives for the remainder of this week. "The storm has caused the cancellation of nearly 20 drives, representing over 1,000 potential blood donations, which further tightens already low blood supplies," said Karen Kelley, regional communications and marketing manager. "We are encouraging eligible donors to call (800) GIVE-LIFE or visit RedCrossDonor.org to find a convenient blood drive location."
Attempted robbery
WARREN -- One shot was fired through the window of a grocery store during an attempted robbery in the parking lot. Police were called to the Save-A-Lot at 1020 N. Park Ave. at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday after a shot shattered the plate glass window in the front of the store. Two witnesses said they heard gunshots after two men approached a man in a Dodge Durango. No one was injured.
911 for emergencies only
YOUNGSTOWN -- Walter Duzzny, Mahoning County emergency management agency director, is urging the public to call 911 only for real police, fire and medical emergencies.
Duzzny said Thursday that 911 dispatchers have been bogged down with many nonemergency, snow-related calls pertaining to such things as driveways that need to be plowed or people who need transportation to work or shopping. "It just consumes a lot of time that they can better devote" to emergency communications, he said. The emergency dispatchers not only take 911 calls, but they also communicate with police, fire and ambulance crews, he noted.
Recycling pickup delayed
YOUNGSTOWN -- Jim Petuch, Mahoning County Green Team director, urged the public to leave recycling bins at the curb because recycling collections have been delayed one day by the snowstorm. There were no collections Wednesday, and collection crews must catch up, he said. "We're running a day behind. We're doing the best we can. We had 99 phone calls this morning on our machine. So just be patient. Those curbside bins will be picked up," he told the Mahoning County commissioners Thursday.
Running for mayor
POLAND -- John H. Yerian has filed petitions at the Mahoning County Board of Elections to run as a Republican candidate for village mayor. Yerian is an employee of Butler Wick Trust Co. and Butler Wick Co. and was born and reared in the village. He is a member of Town One Streetscapes and Rotary International.
Boardman cleanup
BOARDMAN -- The first meeting to organize a township cleanup will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the township government center, Market Street. A date for the cleanup event hasn't been set, but it will likely be in April or late May. Last year marked the first township-organized community cleanup and included a drop-and-go event where residents could drop off their unwanted but still usable items. The items were donated to charity.