Trumbull sheriff wants stimulus money for rural areas

WARREN — The Trumbull County Sheriff’s Department is asking the federal government for $975,000 through the stimulus bill Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Recovery Program to establish a greater police presence in rural townships.

Gary Slovinsky, a Vernon Township trustee, was one of the township officials who attended Tuesday’s Trumbull County commissioners meeting to support the application, which commissioners are expected to approve Thursday.

Slovinsky said there is crime in the rural areas, such as Vernon, “just like the cities.”

Dominic Marchese, a Johnston Township trustee, said there are a lot of daytime break-ins in both townships.

“Surprisingly, a lot of that comes from Youngstown,” Marchese said, speculating that criminals are using state Route 193 (Belmont Avenue) that extends north out of Youngstown and Liberty into Vienna, Fowler, Johnston and Gustavus. Vernon is just east of Johnston.

For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com