Seeking donations

Seeking donations

YOUNGSTOWN — Beulah Baptist Church needs donations to help fund its food ministry program, which serves Southside Neighbors and the surrounding community. The church partners with the Alan Shawn Feinstein Foundation, which matches donations that the church receives. Feinstein, a philanthropist from Cranston, R.I., gives away $1 million annually to anti-hunger agencies.

Donations may be sent to Beulah Baptist Church, 570 Sherwood Ave., Youngstown, OH 44511.

Hepatitis A case

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Health and Butler County Health Department have identified a worker at P.F. Chang’s restaurant, 9435 Civil Centre Blvd., as having hepatitis A. The restaurant is off Interstate 75 in Butler.

People who ate at the restaurant between March 14 and 25 should contact their local health department, their physician or health department in Butler County for information about assessment and vaccination. The number is (513) 863-1770.

Lawyer reinstated

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown attorney Joseph F. Rafidi’s law license was reinstated Wednesday by the Ohio Supreme Court after a six- month suspension. Rafidi was suspended in July for reportedly using one client to gain access to one of the client’s family members, who also needed legal help.

The high court found that representing both clients at the same time, despite a potential conflict of interest and without informing either client, was wrong. Rafidi has been practicing law in Ohio since 2000.

Program for families

YOUNGSTOWN — West Elementary along with Volney Rogers Middle School will have a “Strengthening Our Families Program.” Sessions will be on seven consecutive Thursdays at West beginning April 17.

The sessions will include role playing, discussions, learning games and projects designed to build life skills in youths, strengthen family bonds and assist parents in dealing with children. The sessions are free.

Anyone wishing to participate should contact Edie Smith, Volney community leader, at (330) 744-7997, ext. 3030, or D.C. Colvin, West community Leader, at (330) 744-7999, ext. 3169.

McDonald board meeting

McDONALD — McDonald Board of Education meets in special session at 5 p.m. Sunday. The board will then go into executive session to discuss personnel. The board will discuss filling teaching positions to replace six retiring teachers. No formal action will be taken at the meeting.

Board member pleads

BROOKFIELD — Joseph Pasquerilla, a Brookfield school board member, has pleaded innocent in Trumbull County Eastern District Court to striking another board member in the face during a board meeting.

Pasquerilla, of West Lincoln Street, Masury, was charged with the misdemeanor assault charge after reportedly slapping board member Ron Brennan in the face during the March 5 meeting during a disagreement about who would replace a member who resigned, according to Sean O’Brien, an assistant county prosecutor.

Bond was set by Judge Ronald Rice at $1,000 with the stipulation that Pasquerilla doesn’t become involved in any violence. If found guilty, he faces a maximum $1,000 fine and six months in jail.

Facing another charge

BOARDMAN — The man Youngstown police say was the triggerman in the armed robbery last week of a KFC manager has been charged with another crime in the township.

Township police charged Taran Helms, 22, West Hylda Avenue, Youngstown, Wednesday with attempted robbery.

A 38-year-old woman reported Dec. 23 that a man had tried to steal her purse. Police later identified Helms as the man.

The woman told police that the man approached her from behind as she was getting into her car, telling her to move over in her car. When she refused, he grabbed her face so that she couldn’t scream.

Two other women saw the scuffle and pulled the man off the victim. The man dropped the woman’s purse when he fell, got up and fled.