Recorder will take oath

Recorder will take oath

YOUNGSTOWN — Noralynn Palermo, who was appointed to fill the unexpired term of county recorder, will take the oath of office at noon today in the Mahoning County Courthouse rotunda. Palermo has worked in the recorder’s office for 32 years and was appointed recorder after Ronald Gerberry resigned in April to fill a vacancy in the Ohio House of Representatives. Judge Maureen A. Cronin of common pleas court will administer the oath to Palermo, who will become the first female recorder in county history.

Home catches fire

YOUNGSTOWN — Two people escaped injury after their Canfield Road home caught on fire. Firefighters were called to the South Side home about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. There was no cause or a damage estimate available late Wednesday.

Fire caused by food

YOUNGSTOWN — A fire at 627 W. Evergreen Ave. started when food cooking on the stove was left unattended, the fire department said. The Tuesday afternoon fire, which did about $13,000 damage, was confined to the kitchen area but smoke spread throughout the structure. No injuries were reported.

Conservation specialist

CORTLAND — Jessica Carver of Homeworth has been hired as conservation specialist for the Trumbull Soil & Water Conservation District. Carver is a recent graduate of The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster, having earned an environmental resource management degree. She recently completed her 200-hour internship with the Trumbull SWCD, as well as an internship with a soil scientist in the Canton area on natural resource issues. For Trumbull SWCD, she will primarily work in the field, conducting inspections on urban conservation practices with developers and contractors. She was raised on a dairy farm in Columbiana County with her parents, Gregg and Phyllis, who still live there.

Sentencing in theft

MERCER, Pa. — Judge Thomas Dobson of Mercer County Common Pleas Court has placed Guy Simpson, 22, of Lucy Street, Masury, on 18 months’ probation for two counts of misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking or disposition. Court documents state that Simpson used another man’s credit card without his knowledge or authorization to make $340 worth of purchases at businesses in Sharon and Hermitage in 2006. The judge also ordered Simpson to make restitution.

Parole in jeopardy

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Lawrence County’s former treasurer Gary Felasco was recently cited by the department of corrections for an infraction serious enough to jeopardize his expected parole in August. Felasco is serving a one to seven year sentence at the State Corrections Institution at Albion, Pa., for stealing money from his county office. Sue McNaughton, DOC spokesperson, confirmed that Felasco is being disciplined for misbehaving, but would not give any details. Nathan Bortner of the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, said the parole board will review the matter once it has been through the DOC appeals process. Felasco is accused of a Misconduct Class 1 offense — the most serious classification for prisoner offenses. McNaughton said those offenses range from being in an unauthorized area to refusing to obey orders. Bortner said his scheduled parole could be revoked if the infraction is serious enough. He was expected to be released Aug. 1.

Money for park

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire said he placed a $500,000 earmark in an appropriations bill for water and sewer improvements at the Millennium Technology Park in Neshannock Township. The House passed the Interior-Environment Appropriations bill, which needs to be passed by the Senate and signed by President Bush. The money will create 270 acres for use by advanced technology and advanced manufacturing companies, said Altmire of McCandless, Pa., D-4th. His congressional district includes Lawrence County.