Local arrests

Drug, other charges

YOUNGSTOWN — The driver of a car stopped for having no front license plate was arrested on charges of possession of crack cocaine, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle and driving under suspension. Shanetta Sly, 27, of West Hylda Avenue, was arraigned Tuesday in municipal court. Her bond was set at $12,500 and preliminary and pretrial hearings for Feb. 14. Police said a loaded .22-caliber handgun with the serial number scratched off was found under the driver’s seat and a bag of crack on the seat. Another bag of crack was found in Sly’s pants by a deputy at the jail, police said. The car, which was stopped at 10 p.m. Monday on Hudson Avenue, was towed and held for the owner.

Nominations sought

SALEM — The Salem Historical Society is seeking nominations for its 2008 Citizens of Honor award. The inaugural class of 24 citizens was installed in 2006 during the bicentennial. Two more people were honored last year. Candidates are Salem-connected citizens from the past or present who have distinguished themselves with service to their community, their career, or to their country. The society plans to announce two winners during its Founders’ Day program in April. Nominees can come from any field. Their accomplishments, community involvement and other activities should be described. Suggestions are to be submitted to the society by Feb. 26. All nominations will be kept on file for present and future consideration. Information should be sent to the committee at 208 S. Broadway Ave.

Teen charged in arson

YOUNGSTOWN — A 17-year-old Chaney High School boy was arrested at the school today on charges of aggravated arson and tampering with evidence after a review of school bus security tapes showed him using a cigarette lighter to ignite a piece of paper and cigarette on Jan. 31. Fire Lt. Kevin Johnson said in his report that students on the bus opened windows and moved away from the burning paper. The East Avondale Avenue boy is then seen on the tape throwing the lighter out a window.

Death row inmate dies

YOUNGSTOWN — A 77-year-old Huber Heights man on death row at the Ohio State Penitentiary was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center on Dec. 16, placed on life support and died Jan. 30 at the hospital, said Keith Fletcher, prison spokesman. He declined to discuss James Taylor Sr.’s medical problems, other than to say he had several and noted the inmate’s age. The Dayton Daily News reported that Taylor was sentenced to death after killing a couple at a Valentine’s Day dance in Fairborn in 1998.

To find a polling place

MERCER, Pa. — A new voter or new resident in the county uncertain of which precinct he would vote in now has the ability to access that information online. The Mercer County election office has posted precinct maps for the 100 precincts in the county at www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us. Link to Election/Voter Registration and then Precinct Maps. Links are provided for each of the 48 municipalities in the county. Those municipalities that encompass more than one precinct show the boundaries for those precincts. Voters can then go back and link to Polling Locations to get the address of their voting district. County elections chief Jeff Greenburg said he had a couple of requests recently for maps and while they were available in the office in books there wasn’t an easy way to distribute them to the public. With the assistance of Chico Askin from the county’s MIS department, every map was scanned and downloaded to the county Web site this week.

Missing man sought

YOUNGSTOWN — Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Albert D. Byrd, 35, of West Princeton Avenue, is asked to call Detective Sgt. Patrick Kelly at (330) 742-8911 or 911. Byrd was reported missing Jan. 3. He was last seen Christmas morning by his wife, reports show.