Fire in vacant house

Fire in vacant house

YOUNGSTOWN — A fire at 1520 Kensington Ave. at 5 a.m. Friday started in the living room of the vacant house and burned through a wall next to the electric meter, the fire department said. The occupants had moved out two days ago. Damage was set at $3,000, and the cause remains under investigation.

Sentenced for fleeing

WARREN — A Windham man, convicted of escaping from a police car after he was arrested at the Warren Wal-Mart in the theft of $25 worth of baseball caps in August, has been sentenced to six months in prison.

Chad Kesling, 27, of East Center Street, pleaded guilty to the felony charge in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

A Bazetta police officer had been called to the store Aug. 11 for a parking violation but got there in time to apprehend Kesling while he was running from the store. He was placed in the back seat of the cruiser while the officer talked to witnesses.

Kesling managed to remove one of his handcuffs, reach through the open cruiser window and unlock the door from the outside. The window was open 2 to 3 inches because of the high temperatures, officials said.

Kesling fled on foot. He was apprehended a few days later by a U.S. marshal.

Probe in infant death

WARREN — Police are waiting for the coroner’s autopsy report on an 8-month-old boy pronounced dead at Trumbull Memorial Hospital.

Anthony Greening Jr., of 2080 North Feederle Drive, was given prescription medicine for his cold by his father, Anthony Greening. The 23-year-old told police he laid his son down to sleep on his back at 10 p.m. Thursday and then went downstairs.

He said he later checked on his son and discovered his legs were blue, and that he was face down with his face on the blanket. Greening told police he called 911 and tried giving his son CPR. The call to police came at 10:18 p.m.

Detective Sergeant Dan Hudak said, “the father was very distraught.” Hudak said he does not suspect foul play.

New camp shower house

CANFIELD — Gary Erlinger, Scout executive of the Greater Western Reserve Council, Boy Scouts of America, announced that funding is complete for the construction of a new shower house at Camp Stambaugh. The gift, announced this week, was from the Home Savings & Loan Foundation for $20,000. The total cost of the project is estimated at $200,000, said Erlinger. The shower house will be designated as the Andrews Shower House in honor of the $100,000 gift from the John S. and Doris M. Andrews Foundation. Other foundations contributing to the project included The Florence Simon Beecher Foundation, The John D. Finnegan Foundation, The Youngstown Foundation, and The Walter E. and Carolyn H. Watson Foundation. The project was also supported by Kiwanis Clubs in this area. A spring completion date is expected.

Fire district open house

CANFIELD — The Cardinal Joint Fire District will open its fire stations to the public from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Fire personnel will host tours at fire houses on 104 Lisbon Street and 5007 Messerly Road. Young attendees will receive free stickers and plastic fire helmets.

Road closings

LAKE MILTON — South East River Road will be closed Monday through Wednesday between Ellsworth and Palmyra roads for a culvert replacement, the Mahoning County Engineer’s Office has announced. Traffic will be detoured along Ellsworth Road, state Route 534 and Palmyra Road. In Berlin Township, Leffingwell Road will be closed for one day on Wednesday for another culvert replacement. Traffic will be detoured along Bedell and Berlin Station roads and state Route 534.

Red Cross cookbooks

WARREN — The American Red Cross of Trumbull and Mercer counties has cookbooks for sale. All the recipes are from Red Cross staff, volunteers, friends of Red Cross and local contributors. They are available at two locations: 517 W. Main Street, Sharpsville, Pa. 16151; or 661 Mahoning Ave., Warren 44482 The cost is $8 a book. To mail order, send a check or money order for $10 each ($8 plus $2 for shipping) to either address.

Fair directors elected

LISBON — The Columbiana County Agricultural Society, which runs the Columbiana County Fair, has announced the results of its annual board of directors election held earlier this week.

There were three incumbent directors re-elected: Owen Unkefer of Columbiana, who has been serving as president; Paul Lease of Salem, and John Wolf of Lisbon.

Robert Crosser of Lisbon was also elected to the board. He will replace Tom Moore of Franklin Township, who sought re-election.

The directors will serve a three-year term.