Wilson to return today

Wilson to return today

U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, recovering from emergency colon surgery Oct. 11, was to return to the U.S. House today to get back to work. Wilson, of St. Clairsville, D-6th, had a routine screening colonoscopy in Ohio and suffered a perforated colon during the Oct. 8 procedure. Doctors in Washington, D.C., performed the emergency surgery three days later.

Wilson spent a week in a D.C. hospital, including five days in intensive care. Doctors told him at the time that he would need an additional four weeks of recovery. He was to resume a light schedule today, one week ahead of schedule.

Wilson’s district includes all of Columbiana County and a portion of Mahoning County.

Object damages truck

YOUNGSTOWN — Someone hurled an object from the Steel Street overpass above Interstate 680 southbound and it struck the windshield of a 1999 Volvo tractor-trailer around 7 p.m. Sunday, police said. The driver said the windshield broke out and the object also caused a large dent to the hood.

Drug charges at school

YOUNGSTOWN — A 16-year-old East High School student with nine packaged-for-sale rocks of crack cocaine and two Tramadol (pain) pills was arrested Friday at the school on felony charges of aggravated trafficking in crack and possession of drugs in a school and taken to the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center, reports show. The principal had been looking through the school for the Rockview Avenue boy to suspend him for not attending classes Friday. The boy was found in the cafeteria and then taken to the office where the drugs and $42 were found in his pants pockets, police said.

Fire damages home

NILES — A blanket too close to a heater is being blamed for a fire Monday morning that resulted in $26,000 damage to the Melissa Danz home at 326 W. Third St. Danz told firefighters that she was sleeping in a front bedroom and her 9-year-old son was sleeping on a living room couch. Danz said she woke up to the alarm clock about 7:30 a.m. and noticed a blanket on fire in the living room. She got her son outside and attempted to put the flames out with another blanket, receiving a singe on her foot. The fire report noted the cause was a blanket too close to a space heater. There was no smoke alarm in the house.

2 armed robberies

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — New Castle police are investigating two unrelated armed robberies. Police said a man entered Cascade Express convenience store on Moravia Street at 7:37 p.m. Sunday and held a gun to a female customer’s neck and demanded money. The clerk handed over the cash and the man ran off.

Police arrested a man in an unrelated robbery Friday evening. Lorenzo Jackson Jr., 20, of Home Street is charged with robbery, theft, simple assault and possession of a controlled substance. Police said the 21-year-old male victim was in a Whippo Street apartment when he was hit and then a knife was held to his throat at 9:51 p.m. Friday. Police said the man ordered the victim to empty his pockets or have his hands cut off. Jackson was later identified as the suspect by police and when Jackson was arrested, police found a bottle with suspected crack cocaine in his pocket.

8 caught in drug sweep

LISBON — Eight people were taken into custody Monday during sweep by the Columbiana County sheriff’s office, the U.S. Marshals Service, the county’s drug task force and local police officers.

Six people had been indicted on felony offenses, including four on drug-related cases.

An additional two people were picked up on bench warrants. One was for failing to appear in court and the other one was for a probation violation.