Man sues church, diocese

Man sues church, diocese

YOUNGSTOWN — A Campbell man who said he was injured when he fell to the floor from an unstable chair at a St. Brendan’s Church bingo game has sued the church and the Diocese of Youngstown for unspecified damages. Joseph Longo, of Sixth Street, and his wife, Patricia, filed the suit, which demands a jury trial, Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. As he sat down to play bingo Nov. 5, 2005, Longo said, the chair’s legs broke off and he injured his back and left hand “including his ring finger and baby finger.” Diocesan officials did not respond to a request to comment.

Vietnam War ceremony

YOUNGSTOWN — The general public, especially those who have loved ones or friends who were killed in the Vietnam War, are invited to the 16th annual Laying of the Roses ceremony Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Vietnam War Memorial on the square in downtown Youngstown.

The ceremony honors the 100 Mahoning County residents killed and two county residents missing in action during the Vietnam War with the placing of a rose in their memory at the base of the memorial by a family member or friend. There will be a short ceremony, which will include an invocation and the playing of taps. The event is sponsored by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 135. Co-sponsors are the American Legion Post 472 and International Association of Workforce Professionals Youngstown Sub-Chapter. Gus Guzman organized the event.

Dollar General robbery

BOARDMAN — A robber got away with an undetermined amount of cash from an East Midlothian Boulevard discount store. The employee told police that about 1 p.m. Thursday, a man in a hooded sweat shirt came up to the counter at Dollar General, said he had a gun and demanded money from the register.

The employee, who had to ring up an item to get the register to open, gave the man the money and he fled the store toward a nearby apartment complex. The employee told police she didn’t see a gun. Police checked the area but didn’t find the robber.

Cats for adoption

YOUNGSTOWN — Anyone interested in adopting cats that are being rescued from an abandoned upstairs apartment at 1934 E. Midlothian Boulevard on the South Side, may call Diane Less Baird at (330) 502-5352. Baird said she will foster the animals at her home. The cats’ plight was featured last week in The Vindicator after 72-year-old Helen Zbell, who lives in the downstairs apartment, asked for help. Zbell has been feeding the animals and buying litter since the upstairs renters left several weeks ago.

Leavitt Road detour

WARREN — Leavitt Road between Kibler Toot Road and Risher Road in Warren Township will be closed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday for a culvert replacement. The recommended detour includes Palmyra and Risher roads.

Hermitage pilot dies

GREENVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Mercer County authorities say the pilot of an experimental plane is dead from a crash on a highway.

The coroner identified the pilot as 37-year-old Daniel Lloyd of Hermitage. The plane crashed Friday morning along state Route 58 in Greene Township, about 70 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.

Fire officials say the plane crashed shortly after taking off from Greenville Municipal Airport nearby. The highway reopened shortly before 6 p.m. Friday.

State police said the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating, but that agency did not immediately return calls to comment.

Mayoral race debate

CAMPBELL — The North County Democrats, a local political organization, will have a debate Monday between Campbell Mayor John Dill and his challenger, Anthony Fontes. The event is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Roosevelt Park community room off of U.S. Route 422. The public is invited to attend.

Also at the meeting, Al Sauline of Aqua Ohio and a representative from the group that opposes permitting the mayor to lease or sell the city’s water treatment plant will discuss the citizen initiatives on that matter, which will appear on Tuesday’s ballot.

Showing support for levy

YOUNGSTOWN — The city school district is looking for supporters of the proposed 9.5-mill tax levy on Tuesday’s election ballot to ring a bell in support of the city schools. The bell will be posted at 20 W. Wood St., the district’s central office, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Election Day, and the plan is to have someone ring it every 15 minutes. Those interested in ringing the bell should call (330) 744-6932. The bell was also used in a successful 2000 levy campaign seeking funds for the district’s building renovation and replacement program.

Volunteer sign-up drive

CANFIELD — Angels for Animals is having a new volunteer sign-up drive from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays at its headquarters at 4750 state Route 165. Animal care, office and other assignments are available seven days a week. To inquire call (330) 549-1111, ext. 316 , or e-mail at info@angelsforanimals.org.

Sons take over diner

BROOKFIELD — The Brookfield Diner, 524 state Route 7 S.E., will be managed by John and Gus Vournous after the recent death of their father, owner Steve Vournous, in a traffic accident in New York. The diner has been owned and operated by the Vournous family for the past 21 years.