Bin fire investigation

Bin fire investigation

BOARDMAN — The township fire department is investigating a rash of fires in trash bins that have occurred in the past two weeks. Most of the fires occurred in receptacles positioned away from buildings and caused damage only to the bin and its contents, although one fire early Wednesday was dangerously close to a business, firefighters said.

Business owners or managers with trash or cardboard trash bins closer than five feet to their buildings should contact the bin rental company and request that they move it at least five feet from the business. If anyone has any information regarding these fires, contact the Boardman Fire Investigation Unit at (330) 729-9535.

Star gazing in park

BOARDMAN — Students from the Youngstown Astronomy Association will be at Boardman Park on Friday to teach children about the planets. Crafts, snacks and beverages will be provided during the free program, which runs from 8 to 10 p.m. Participants should meet at the park’s Georgeanna Parker office parking lot. Anyone with a telescope is encouraged to bring it, and images will also be projected onto a television screen.

Boil notice lifted

AUSTINTOWN — A recommendation that residents on West Rockwell Road boil their water has been lifted. The boil notice also affected 165 and 171 N. Canfield Niles Road. Residents were to boil their water after road work forced a shutoff of water service Monday.

School deadline extended

McDONALD — McDonald Schools Superintendent Michael Wasser extended the deadline for open enrollment for kindergarten and grades two, four and six to June 8. The deadline was May 4. Parents or guardians interested in enrolling their children can obtain application packets between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the board of education office, 419 Seventh St.

Richardson wins poll

LORDSTOWN — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson received the most votes (25.5 percent) in a Tuesday straw poll organized at Lordstown High School by government teacher Terry Armstrong and his students.

Tied for second place were New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama at 20.5 percent, followed by former Sen. John Edwards and Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland at 13 percent; Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd, 5 percent; and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, 2.5 percent.

The poll was open to the public. A straw poll for the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination will be held in the fall.

Task force checkpoints

WARREN — The Trumbull OVI Task Force will operate two checkpoints today to deter and intercept impaired drivers. The first will be from 4 to 8 p.m. and the second from 7 to 11 p.m. Locations have not been announced. Also, the task force continues its strict enforcement of seat belt violations. Offices have zero tolerance for offenders, said Kim Peters, task force safe communities coordinator.

Grease fire destroys home

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — A family lost most of its possessions after a grease fire destroyed a home. New Castle Fire Chief Tom Bulisco said Ortorious Williams fell asleep while cooking french fries at his home at 409 Waldo St. He awoke at 9:21 p.m. Tuesday to find smoke and fire throughout the two-story home. Williams and his wife, Caprice, and four children were in the process of moving to a new home, and Mrs. Williams and the children were at the other home, Bulisco said. They were renting 409 Waldo St., the fire chief said. Damage to the structure is estimated at $20,000 and the contents at $10,000.

One-car crash kills woman

MERCER, Pa. — A 22-year-old Mercer woman died in a one-car crash on Pa. Route 62 near Fox Mine Road in Jackson Township. Pennsylvania State Police said they are investigating the crash where Jessica Cobb, a passenger, was ejected from the vehicle. The vehicle, a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer, left the northbound lane and hit an embankment and several fence posts at 8:50 p.m. Tuesday. The car then rolled several times before stopping. Police said the driver, Kelly Perrine, 38, of Jackson Center, had to be extricated from the car. Two other passengers, Frank Stevenson, 49, and Trent Stevenson, 21, also of Jackson Center, along with Cobb were ejected from the vehicle. Perrine was treated at Grove City Medical Center. Trent Stevenson was released from the same hospital, but the hospital had no record of Frank Stevenson.

Center to offer classes

CANFIELD — The adult education program at the Mahoning County Career & Technical Center is offering help for people who are preparing for their GED or want to brush up on their math, reading or other skills. Daytime classes begin Tuesday and will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday each week at the Canfield Presbyterian Church, 140 W. Main St. For details, call the center at (330) 729-4100.