Man shot in chest is now in Pittsburgh hospital

October 1, 2008 at 12:10a.m.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Police are investigating a shooting in the city.

Brian Acierno, 20, was shot at 6 p.m. Monday near Jim’s Brushless Car Wash on Jefferson Street, police reported.

Acierno is from Freedom, Pa., and gave the City Rescue Mission in New Castle as his second address.

Acierno was shot in the chest with a small-caliber handgun, police said. He was taken to Jameson Health Center, then transferred to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh.

A spokeswoman at UPMC Presbyterian would not release information on his condition Tuesday.

Police reported that two men were involved in the shooting. Acierno told them he knew the men but not their names.

Church has rummage sale

EAST PALESTINE — Centenary Methodist Church is having a rummage sale through Friday in the church basement. The church is at the corner of Market and Main streets. Hours are 5 to 7 p.m. today; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.

Driver ‘critical’ after crash

VOLANT, Pa. — A man who police say fell asleep at the wheel and wrecked his car remained in critical condition Tuesday at St. Elizabeth Health Center.

Frank Burk, 42, of Mercer, Pa., was injured after his car left the road and hit several boulders, then a telephone pole, state police in New Castle reported. The accident happened around 5:15 p.m. Sunday.

Police said they’ll cite Burk for careless driving.

Firefighter injured

WARREN — One firefighter was injured while fighting an arson fire in a vacant house at 2740 Peerless Ave. S.W. that destroyed the house. The fire started at around 3:30 p.m. Monday.

Firefighter Mark Thigpen had an injury to his shoulder and neck but did not require treatment. Fire Chief Ken Nussle said he has recommended that the home be demolished.

Grant for Beatitude House

YOUNGSTOWN — Beatitude House recently was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Kennedy Family Foundation, a component fund of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley.

The grant will be used to support Beatitude House’s current campaign and enable its programs to continue helping homeless and other disadvantaged women in the Mahoning Valley.

Beatitude House is working to raise $1,416,953 by January 2010 in order to reach its overall campaign goal of $6 million.

Beatitude House, sponsored by the Ursuline Sisters, provides disadvantaged women and children with the opportunity to transform their lives by creating homes, providing education and fostering healthy families. .

The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley is operated exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes to promote the well-being of residents of Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

Harvest Day is planned

BEAVER CREEK — The Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center will be having drawings for theme baskets and gift certificates during Harvest Days, which are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The drawings will be at 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $1 each or 10 for $5.

Among the businesses that have donated items for the drawings are: Bo’s Pet Shoppe, Primitive Gatherings, Sitler’s Flowers & Greenhouse and Subway, all of Columbiana; and Dairy Queen and The Original RoadHouse, both of East Palestine. The Center will also be collecting used cell phones and ink jet cartridges, which will be recycled. They will be collected both days at the Wildlife Education Center’s table.

Teens ask for a ride, then rob man in car

YOUNGSTOWN — A 19-year-old South Avenue man who cashed his paycheck at a convenience store on Market Street told police that he was robbed of the cash by two teenage boys who asked for a ride from the store Monday night.

The victim said the suspects told his mother, who was driving, to pull over near Chalmers Avenue around 9:30 p.m. The mother said she heard one of them say “Give me all your money” and saw a handgun pointed at her head. The victim handed over the cash from his paycheck, and the suspects ran off.

Police said video surveillance at the convenience store will be checked because the suspects had been inside.

Part of Appalachia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is ready to call three Northeast Ohio counties part of Appalachia.

The U.S. Senate has approved a measure that would add Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning counties to the Appalachian Regional Commission’s jurisdiction.

Lawmakers announced the move on Monday, and President Bush is expected to sign the bill. The House approved their part of the measure earlier this year.

The commission’s goal is to fight poverty in the region that stretches through 13 states. Already, 29 of Ohio’s 88 counties qualify for money from the commission to pay for job training and economic development.

Teacher talks on hold, waiting for mediator

EAST PALESTINE — Contract talks between the East Palestine Board of Education and its teachers union are on hold until a federal mediator schedules another meeting for the parties, school Superintendent Tom Inchak confirmed Tuesday.

Both sides met with a federal mediator earlier this month but no agreement was reached and little progress was made, Inchak confirmed. He said he cannot release any specific information about the negotiations but noted that speculation that talks have been delayed because of the school district is inaccurate.

“We’re all at the mercy of the federal mediator,” Inchak said. “The next session will be held when he schedules it. Until then, there’s nothing the district can do.”

The teachers union, The East Palestine Education Association, represents about 83 teachers. The teachers have been working without a contract since June 30. The association and the board reached a bargaining impasse on Aug. 8.

Flu shots available

YOUNGSTOWN — Meridian Services, 527 N. Meridian Road, will provide flu shots to the general public, from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday.

The cost for the flu shot will be $25 with a variety of payment options including: cash, check or credit card. Medicare Part B and Anthem Lumenos will also cover the entire cost. Meridian Services is a community-based behavioral healthcare organization. For more information, contact Ellie Platt at (330) 797-0070 or eplatt @meridianservices.org.

Thursday show sold out

YOUNGSTOWN — Thursday’s performance of “How His Bride Came to Abraham” at Youngstown State University Theater is sold out. Tickets are still available for the remaining performances: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Oct. 10 and 11; and 3 p.m. Sunday and Oct. 12. Call the box office at (330) 941-3105.