Back to school in Struthers

Back to school in Struthers

STRUTHERS — Attendance was back to normal Tuesday in Struthers schools. Some 400 of the high school’s approximately 600 students stayed home Monday because of a message etched on a boys’ restroom wall that some believed indicated a shooting would occur Monday.

Schools Superintendent Robert Rostan said it was “business as usual” Tuesday in the school district.

Police Chief Robert Norris said the investigation is continuing, and no arrests had been made or charges filed as of Tuesday, although Rostan said a suspect has been identified.

Neither Norris nor Rostan would release the contents of the message scratched into the wall, discovered March 27, that led to a search of all student lockers at the high school Friday. No contraband was discovered in the search.

Talk of a final resolution

WARREN — Police Chief John Mandopoulos and his attorney, Danny Thomas of Warren, will meet with city officials today in City Hall to reach a final resolution on the chief’s discipline. Mandopoulos has not been at work since Thursday. He was not available to comment Tuesday.

Thomas said the discipline issue would be resolved today, adding that he is “going over everything” that will be needed for the meeting since he only recently became involved in the matter.

Doug Franklin, Warren safety-service director, charged Mandopoulos administratively for his conduct regarding Gary Cicero, city personnel director, in November.

Cicero said Mandopoulos maliciously had him searched as he entered the police station for a meeting and prevented him from getting to his meeting.

Ruling in writing

AUSTINTOWN — The ruling on a misdemeanor assault charge against Heidi Gill, 40, of Niles, will be handed down in writing. The bailiff for Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown said Judge Diane Vettori had not come to a decision during the sentencing hearing Monday and was under advisement on the case Tuesday afternoon.

She said once the judge rules, sentencing will be put in writing, time-stamped by the court clerk and mailed to all parties. The bailiff said she doesn’t know when a decision will be made.

Gill, 40, of Niles, was charged after a July 2 attack on a woman, who was 18 at the time, inside Denny’s Restaurant on Mahoning Avenue. Several witnesses told police the attack, in which Gill slapped, punched and pulled out the victim’s hair, was unprovoked.

Gill made national headlines in September 2007 when she was stunned by a Warren police officer with a Taser outside a Warren bar.

Warren intruders

WARREN — A 25-year-old Homewood Avenue Southeast woman reported that two men were inside her house when she came home around 1 a.m. Tuesday. The men had a handgun and assaulted her, then fired a shot at her boyfriend and fled the area on foot. There were no injuries, and nothing was missing.

Marine Corps family night

VIENNA — The Cleveland Marine Corps Recruiting Station is having a Family Night for parents and friends of applicants in the delayed entry program at 7 p.m. today at the Marine Corps Reserve Station at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, 3976 King-Graves Road. Drill instructors from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, S.C., will be on hand to give a real-life demonstration of and answer questions about recruit training. The event is to educate families about the transformation that loved ones will soon undergo so the families will be better prepared to support their sons or daughters while they are at recruit training.