More copper thefts

More copper thefts

YOUNGSTOWN — Copper wire and tubing worth about $4,000 was stolen in three separate thefts reported Monday to police. An AT&T representative said roughly 80 feet of cable infused with copper wires valued at $1,000 was taken off utility poles in the 1300 block of Bennington Avenue. The cut cable temporarily disrupted service to several customers. A contractor working at 822 E. Avondale Ave. found the door kicked in and around 200 feet of copper tubing worth $2,000 missing. A section of fence was cut to gain entry to Allied Erecting on Poland Avenue and copper wire estimated at $1,000 was missing.

Drowning victim ID’d

SHARON, Pa. — The victim of a weekend drowning has been identified as a Nigerian student in his second year at Grove City College. Mercer County Coroner J. Bradley McGonigle ruled the death of Samuel O. Durodula an accidental drowning. Durodula, 21, was boating with friends in the Duck Pond section of the Shenango River Lake on Sunday when he and the others started swimming. He went under shortly after they entered the water at 2:30 p.m. Divers from Jamestown found his body about 6 p.m. An autopsy was performed Monday in Erie.

Man shot while driving

YOUNGSTOWN — Police said Jerald Perkins, 51, of Coronado Avenue was shot and wounded while driving on Bennington Avenue on his way to visit a relative. Perkins was with two other men when they slowed to look at house numbers in the 600 block of Bennington around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. They told police someone began shooting at their car, and Perkins, who was driving, was hit in the right side. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center, where he was initially listed in stable condition. The hospital had no information on him Tuesday. Police said his car suffered numerous bullet holes in the driver’s side.

Board of elections hires

WARREN — After months of debate and an opinion from the Ohio secretary of state’s office over whether the Trumbull County Board of Elections should get two more full-time employees, the board reached a compromise Tuesday. The board split 2-2 April 3 on whether to hire two more employees to handle what elections staffers say is an increasing work load brought about by numerous new election laws.

The two Republicans, Craig Bonar and Ron Knight, voted against the hiring. Democrats Sherron Platt and Barbara Katzenberger voted for the hirings. The board referred the tie vote to Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who advised the board in a letter July 3 that she chooses to stay out of staffing issues.

After an executive session Tuesday, the board voted 4-0 to hire two additional part-time employees: Andrea Hathhorn at $11.50 per hour for up to 29.5 hours per week; and Nicholas Jordan at $8.50 per hour for up to 29.5 hours per week.

Health board will meet

WARREN — The Trumbull County Board of Health will have a special meeting at 3:30 p.m. today in the first-floor patient waiting room of its offices at 176 Chestnut Street to approve a resolution that reinstitutes most of the septic regulations approved in 2003. The health board approved new septic regulations in December 2006 in response to 2005 Ohio legislation that went into effect Jan. 1. The Ohio Legislature, however, struck down those regulations in the state budget signed into law about two weeks ago.

New athletic director

AUSTINTOWN — The school board voted to hire a new athletic director at its meeting Tuesday. Robert Conklin, who lives in Boardman, begins Aug. 1 under a one-year contract at a salary of $64,400. He comes from the Ashtabula Area City School District, where he was athletic director. Before that, he served as athletic director at Struthers, where he also coached. Conklin replaced Joe Nohra, who took a position as assistant principal at Fitch High School.