3 men tell police they were chased, shot at

3 men tell police they
were chased, shot at

YOUNGSTOWN — Three men reported being chased from an Austintown nightclub and fired upon early Sunday.

According to police records, the men, ages 21, 21, and 23, were followed from the Raccoon Road club by an unfamiliar Oldsmobile upon leaving at 2:30 a.m. As they headed toward the city, the vehicle increased its speed and tried to run them off the road.

The men crashed into a tree near 3421 Vestal Road. As they ran for safety, the group reported hearing two shots fired, police said. The men could not identify their attackers, guessing only that they may have angered someone by dancing with girls at the club.

Man reports being
robbed at intersection

YOUNGSTOWN — A 51-year-old city man reported being robbed at gunpoint while idling at the intersection of Indianola Avenue and Hillman Street early Saturday.

The victim reported a man approached his car about 3:10 a.m., pointed a handgun at his head, opened the door and demanded that he get out. The man then drove away in the victim’s 1993 Buick Regal, licensed as CTJ6544, according to police reports.

Food ministries program

YOUNGSTOWN — Crossroads Church, 544 S. Meridian Road, will take orders for the Angel Food Ministries program from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 6 and from 9:30 to 11 :30 a.m. Feb. 9 and 16. The program is a a nondenominational, nonprofit ministry that offers a basic unit of groceries for a set price. The cost is $30. For information, call the church at (330) 799-9988.

Winter nature walk
at Villa Maria center

VILLA MARIA, Pa. — Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center will sponsor a winter nature walk from 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 24 at Villa Maria Community Center. Bill Whitehouse, naturalist emeritus of Mill Creek Metro Parks, will lead the walk. Participants will search for tracks and signs of animals who make the woods their home and discover the treasures of nature. Bring along stories of nature folklore, family wisdom and old wives’ tales to share. Recordings of owl species nesting in the woodlands at Villa Maria may draw out resident owls. Participants should dress for the outdoors and meet at Villa Maria Farm. Cost of program is $5. Registration is required by calling (724) 964-8920, ext. 3387, or sending e-mail to Cfanfer@humilityofmary.org.

New Castle officials

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — City council has confirmed four of new Mayor Anthony Mastrangelo’s nominees for department heads: Thomas Sansone, police chief, $67,389; Thomas Maciarello, fire chief, $58,754; Michael Rooney, public works director, $53,581; and Michael Bonner, solicitor, $54,429.

Sansone and Rooney are holdovers from the previous administration. Maciarello replaces Thomas Bulisco and Bonner replaces Paula Cialella.

Mastrangelo still has to fill the positions of parks and recreation director and code enforcement director as well as the chief administrative officer and finance officer.

Lawmakers also approved Mastrangelo’s appointment of Paul Stefano to the New Castle Area Transit Authority board. Stefano is a teacher in the New Castle Area School District. His term will expire Aug. 31, 2012. He replaces Mary Ellen Jessel, whose term expired.