Fire destroys house

Fire destroys house

YOUNGSTOWN — A vacant house on the city’s South Side was destroyed in a fire. The cause of the fire at 69 Falls Ave. is under investigation. The fire department received the call on the fire at 9:39 p.m. Saturday and discovered the house fully engulfed when they arrived two minutes later. Because the house was in such poor shape and heavily damaged, firefighters said they let the house burn to the ground. No injuries were reported.

Volunteers needed

YOUNGSTOWN — The Salvation Army, 1501 Glenwood Ave., needs volunteers to help register clients for Christmas assistance. A training session is planned at 10 a.m. Sept. 20 at the SA building. Adults, families and youth groups with chaperones may volunteer. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Volunteers are needed during the assistance sign-up sessions, which are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 9-11, from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 12 and from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 13. Volunteers may select hours they wish to serve. Christmas assistance is available to Mahoning County families, couples, singles and senior citizens. Christmas assistance will be distributed in December.

Night to view the stars

LISBON — The Mahoning Valley Astronomical Society will be viewing stars and planets starting at 8 p.m. Saturday at Scenic Vista Park. Society members will have telescopes, and the public is invited and encouraged to bring their telescopes and ask questions of club members. People are asked to dim their vehicle’s headlights when entering the park to prevent disruption of the viewing. The rain date will be Oct. 13. The park is located on Wayne Bridge Road, three miles south of state Route 30 west of Lisbon. For more information, call (330) 424-9078.

Ribbon-cutting planned

YOUNGSTOWN — The Jewish Community Center, 505 Gypsy Lane, will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 18 to celebrate the opening of its newly renovated Child Development Center. The center has undergone extensive construction and renovations throughout the summer with the goal of providing child care and preschool services to children from 6 weeks to 12 years. Rabbi Franklin Muller of Congregation Rodef Sholom will conduct a mezuzah ceremony. A mezuzah is a piece of parchment inscribed with Hebrew verses from the Torah. The community center is a nonprofit organization that provides fitness, aquatics, educational and child development services to people of all ages, races and religions.

Democrats set meeting

POLAND — The Democrats of the 17th and 6th Districts, a local political organization, will have its next meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Poland Baseball Association hall on Sheridan Road. The guest speakers are Kenneth A. Carano, the governor’s regional director for the Mahoning Valley, and Mahoning County Auditor Michael Sciortino. Also, nonpartisan candidates running in the November election are invited to address the club.