Arraigned in slaying

Arraigned in slaying

YOUNGSTOWN — The man accused in the shooting death of 22-year-old Lawrence E. Anderson II was arraigned Wednesday in municipal court.

Bond was set at $1.5 million for Damon Damous, 25, on charges of murder and illegal possession of a weapon based on a prior conviction. Damous turns 26 on Friday.

Anderson, of East Pasadena Avenue, was reported missing by his mother June 12. His body was found Monday in the basement of a vacant apartment complex at 309 W. Glenaven Ave. on the South Side.

Tour de Spin begins

YOUNGSTOWN — The 2008 Tour de Spin begins today and will run until July 27. The kickoff spin will be 7-9 p.m. at the Youngstown Central YMCA on North Champion Street.

Participants are required to sign a pledge card and commit three days each week to ride. Once registered, riders are randomly selected to teams, which represent actual Tour de France teams.

There were more than 100 participants in last year’s kickoff spin. For more information, contact Maureen Horvath at (330) 744-8411, Ext. 155.

Chief’s hearing date set

GIRARD — The Civil Service Commission has set a date for a hearing on an appeal by former Police Chief Frank Bigowsky concerning a decision by city leaders to demote him to a patrolman. The hearing will be at 2 p.m. July 23 at city hall.

Bigowsky and the city will have the right to bring attorneys and call witnesses before the commission. The commission plans to have a decision in the days after the hearing.

Intersection work starts

BOARDMAN — Sewer work began Wednesday across Tippecanoe Road at the intersection with Lockwood Boulevard. Traffic will be maintained by flaggers; work will occur during daylight hours.

U.S. Route 224 just east of state Route 625 is reduced to one lane westbound and two lanes eastbound for bridge construction.

This work is part of a $4.1 million project to widen the approaches of the Route 224 intersection with Tippecanoe Road and Route 625. Work is scheduled to be complete by July 2009.

Grant to aid repairs

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Foundation granted $30,000 to Beatitude House to repair apartments that house 12 homeless families on the North Side.

Teresa Boyce, Beatitude House’s development director, said the building’s plumbing and historic hardwood need attention. “It actually rained in one of the apartments last month,” Boyce said.

Beatitude House provides transitional housing to help disadvantaged women and children leave homelessness.

School panel OKs plan

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — The city school board has adopted a $38.3 million spending plan for next year, with no tax increase.

The 2008-09 budget reflects a 2 percent increase over this year’s spending plan to cover increases in general operations. The school district has $6.2 million set aside for its unreserved fund balance.

The tax rate remains at 17.27 mills, which hasn’t changed since 2003. One mill generates $549,000.

With 3,500 pupils, the district spends about $11,000 per pupil. The state average is $11,800 per pupil, school officials said.

Seeking volunteers

NORTH LIMA — Beaver Township park officials are looking for a few helping hands this summer. Volunteer group Friends of the Parks seeks residents to join in cleaning up the township’s parks, which include Woodworth and Memorial parks and the Beaver Township Nature Preserve.

Friends of the Parks helps prepare the grounds for events. For information, call (330) 549-9552.

Baby-sitting training

WARREN — The American Red Cross of Trumbull and Mercer Counties is offering baby-sitting training from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 11 at the Warren facility, 661 Mahoning Ave.

The cost is $40. For more information, (330) 392-2551.