Petitioning legislators

Petitioning legislators

BOARDMAN — The township’s Web site includes downloadable letters to state legislators asking for legislation to allow large urban townships to add a 0.25 percent sales tax to help fund township, police, fire and road services. “Boardman Township, the 10th largest township in the state with a population of over 42,500, is facing many economic challenges,” the letter says. “In Boardman, we serve over 100,000 shoppers and visitors who consume our police, fire and road safety services every day yet these visitors do not contribute to their cost. In addition, Boardman generates over 60 percent of the total sales tax in Mahoning County — yet our citizens only enjoy a small fraction of that back to fund township services.” The township’s Web site is www.boardmantwp.com.

Attempted abduction

WARREN — A 15-year-old girl told police she was the target of an attempted abduction near the downtown last week. The girl told police she was walking in the 1300 block of West Market Street about 4 p.m. Thursday when a man driving a blue Pontiac pulled to the curb and ordered her inside the car.

She refused to get into the car and ran to the nearby U.S. post office on High Street with the man following in his car. After she alerted a postal employee, the man drove off.

Investigating shooting

WARREN — Detectives are trying to determine how a 29-year-old woman received a bullet wound to the head. Aaliyah McBride of Ogden Avenue Northwest is at St. Elizabeth Health Center after being transferred from Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital. Police were sent to TMH about 3:15 p.m. Saturday. McBride originally told police a man shot her during a carjacking at Porter Street and Seneca Avenue. Detective Wayne Mackey, who is investigating the shooting with Detective Sgt. Jeff Cole, said they have received differing accounts of what happened from those living in the Ogden house where a gun was found. The investigation continues.

Crash damages cruiser

HOWLAND — A township police car was severely damaged when struck by a vehicle driven an alleged drunken driver. Police Chief Paul Monroe said Monday a vehicle driven by Richard C. Stone Jr., 31, of Gretchen Drive, was northbound Saturday morning on state Route 46 near Ragland Circle, when it crossed the center line and struck the southbound cruiser driven by Patrol Officer Jeff Williams who was attempting to avoid a head-on crash. Monroe said the cruiser was struck on its left side and pushed into a sign pole. Williams was released from St. Joseph Health Center after treatment for neck and head injuries. Stone was charged with drunken driving and driving without reasonable control, the chief said.