Staph diagnosis at Youngstown school

Staph diagnosis
at Youngstown school

YOUNGSTOWN — City school officials said a fourth-grade boy at West Elementary was diagnosed with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) last week. The school was closed Wednesday and Thursday for cleaning and reopened Friday. The child didn’t contract the infection at the school, a district spokesman said, explaining that the family learned that he contracted it elsewhere. No other cases of staph infection have been reported in the school, a district spokesman said. Eagle Heights Academy was closed for cleaning Friday as the result of a girl with a staph infection. School officials didn’t know if the infection was the MRSA variety. The school reopened Monday.

Fact finder’s report

WARREN — There are two pieces of legislation on city council’s agenda this week: one to accept the fact finder’s recommendations regarding Warren city patrol officers, and one to reject it. Fact finder Joseph Gardner recommended that the 58 patrol officers receive an increase in wages of 3.3 percent in 2007, 3.7 percent in 2008 and 4 percent in 2009. The fact finder also recommended that patrol officers work 10-hour shifts, four days a week. The recommendation “should gradually bring the work force to pay which is comparable to other like cities and permit the administration policies to do so,” Gardner wrote in the report. If council rejects the recommendations the issue will automatically go to binding arbitration.

Sheriff wants to drive

CAMBRIDGE — Columbiana County Sheriff David L. Smith has asked a judge in Cambridge Municipal Court to grant him driving privileges. He faces two similar charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol after he was stopped by the Ohio State Highway Patrol while driving his unmarked cruiser about 9:30 p.m. Oct. 11 on Interstate 70 in Guernsey County. He also faces charges of speeding and crossing marked lanes. Smith’s trial is set for 9 a.m. Jan 17.

Armed robbery

YOUNGSTOWN — Police said a gunwoman robbed an adult toy store on Market Street. A surveillance videotape shows a masked gunman about 5 feet 6 inches tall at Adult Toys and Gifts, 1410 Market St., demanding money from the cash register about 10 p.m. Sunday. Police said that the audio leads them to believe the robber is female. An employee told police the robber demanded money then ordered him to lie on the floor and count to 100 before moving.

Rewarding recycling

WARREN — Trumbull County will celebrate America Recycles Day on Thursday with the fifth annual “Let Us Catch You Recycling” campaign. Any residents spotted recycling at any of the 31 drop-off sites in the county could win a recycled gift, such as a tote or duffel bag, both made from plastic soda bottles. The Geauga Trumbull Solid Waste District collects recyclables from more than 50 sites in Trumbull and Geauga counties. All sites accept glass bottles and jars, aluminum and tin cans, plastic containers 1-5, newspaper and magazines. For more information, go to startrecycling.com or call (330) 675-2673, Ext. 102.

Hermitage teen shot

FARRELL, Pa. — Southwest Mercer County Regional Police are investigating the shooting of a Hermitage teen. An officer heard shots at 12:56 a.m. Sunday on Roemer Boulevard at Hamilton Avenue. Police said the 15-year-old had a gunshot wound to his right shoulder and was in stable condition when taken to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh early Sunday. The victim’s name was not released.