Gas opt-in letters go out

Gas opt-in letters go out

CANFIELD— Starting Monday, township residents began receiving letters allowing them to opt into a gas aggregation program.

Trustee Bill Reese said the 12-month period will run from November 2008 to October 2009.

Residents who are already Dominion East Ohio Gas customers and chose to enroll in the program will receive a fixed rate of $9.29 per Mcf, or per 1,000 cubic feet from IGS Energy of Columbus.

Reese said residents who would like to opt in can call (800) 280-4474. They will have about three weeks to do so.

B&O invites Obama supporters to party

YOUNGSTOWN — Supporters of Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, are invited to an election party from 8 p.m. today to 2 a.m. Wednesday at the B&O Station and the Box Car Lounge, 530 Mahoning Ave. About 400 to 500 people, including several officeholders seeking re-election, are expected to attend.

Green Team helps fund cleanup

CAMPBELL — Shiloh Baptist Church and Neighborhood Ministries, with the assistance of a grant from the Mahoning County Green Team, will be conducting a neighborhood cleanup event around the Kirwan Homes and surrounding areas Saturday starting at 10:30 a.m. Cleanup teams will meet at the Neighborhood Ministries office at 75 Jackson Street in Campbell.

The teams will sort the trash and deliver the recyclable items to the recycling center near Campbell City Hall, said Gerald Hamilton, Neighborhood Ministries director. Lunch will be served from 1 to 2 p.m.

Duplex fire injures man

SHARON, Pa. — A man was injured in a duplex fire Monday morning, the city fire department reported.

Jack Tubb, 226 Third Ave., was hospitalized at Sharon Regional Hospital with second-degree burns on his face, said fire Chief Terry Whalen. His injuries were not life-threatening, Whalen said.

Whalen did not know his age.

The fire broke out around 6:40 a.m. in Tubb’s bedroom, Whalen said Monday afternoon, though he did not know the cause yet.

Tubb and his 16-year-old daughter made it out of the house before fire crews arrived, Whalen said.

Tubb’s mother, Nancy Tubb, who owns the house, lives on the other side of the duplex. Whalen said that her side of the house is still livable, but Tubb’s side has extensive smoke and water damage. His bedroom was also destroyed.

Teenager to be pilot for day

VIENNA — Carissa Page, of Warren, will become the 33rd honorary Air Force Reserve second lieutenant and Pilot for a Day at the 910th Airlift Wing on Wednesday at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

The purpose of the Pilot for a Day program is to reach out to the community by providing an exciting day of activities to children who live with a chronic or life-threatening disease or illness. Carissa, 13, is receiving treatment for cancer at Akron Children’s Hospital at St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center.

As part of the program, the Pilot for a Day receives a genuine air crew flight suit and other mementos, a tour of the base, and is taxied down the main runway aboard the C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Village flushes water system

LEETONIA — The village will begin flushing its main water distribution system this morning to improve water quality.

The work will take about two weeks. Customers may experience discolored water or low pressure or volume during the work.

The water is safe to drink. The village recently flushed the water reservoir and water tower.

Police save on new dress code

AUSTINTOWN— Township police officers will no longer be donning the light-blue shirts they’ve worn for the past 45 years.

Police Chief Robert Gavalier said the new dress code went into effect Saturday .

Officers are now wearing dark-blue shirts and pants.

Gavalier said the switch will save each officer about $27 per uniform.

“The guys usually buy five to seven uniforms,” he said. “The stripe on the pants was an extra $10 to $12, and they’re saving about $15 on the shirts.”

Road-raged driver charged with assault after chase

MERCER, Pa. — A man is charged with aggravated assault after a road-rage episode in which he chased the victims for 20 miles, state police reported.

Rockne Keith Barber Jr., 38, of Sandy Lake, was arraigned Saturday and taken to Mercer County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bond, police said. His preliminary hearing will be 11 a.m. Nov. 14 before District Magistrate Lorinda Hinch in Mercer.

Barber chased three men in another vehicle around 3 a.m. Saturday along state Route 62, state Route 258, state Route 19, Fairview Road and Fredonia Road, police said. He rammed their vehicle twice and forced it off the road once, which resulted in damage, police said.

He was arrested later at his home, police said. Barber is also charged with simple assault, reckless endangering, harassment, criminal mischief and reckless driving.