Metro digest

Candidates disqualified from November ballot

YOUNGSTOWN — Two candidates seeking to run in the November general election were disqualified because they lacked the needed signatures to get on the ballot.

The Mahoning County Board of Elections disqualified Mike Stanec of Sprucewood Drive as an Austintown Township trustee candidate. He needed 25 valid signatures and had only 18. The board disqualified Brenda Kimble of Cabot Street as a candidate for the Youngstown Board of Education. She had 117 valid signatures and needed 150 to be a candidate.

Early dismissal Monday

STRUTHERS — Struthers Middle School will have early dismissal at 12:15 p.m. Monday due to a scheduled power outage for a city project. The outage will affect the middle school only.

Nurse charged

GREENVILLE, Pa. — A nurse who worked at UPMC Greenville has been charged with diverting prescription pain medication from the hospital. Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett alleges that Michael Miller, 47, of 1703 Park Lane in Greenville, was taking Percocet for his own use.

According to court documents, Miller repeatedly signed out Percocet for another nurse’s patient, including doses only 10 minutes apart.

Miller is charged with one count of acquisition of a controlled substance by fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, a felony, and one count of possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.

He faces a maximum penalty of 16 years in prison and a $255,000 fine if convicted, Corbett said.

Miller was arraigned Wednesday, released on $5,000 bond and will be prosecuted in Mercer County.

Police: Kids left alone; endangerment charged

STRUTHERS — A woman is charged with endangerment after police said she left her small children alone for nearly four hours. The city prosecutor’s office said Jessica Rucker, 30, of Sexton Street, is expected to turn herself in today on a warrant.

Police could not find her after her boyfriend complained to them early Wednesday that Rucker left their 1-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter alone. He told police he saw Rucker at a bar on East Midlothian Avenue. When he asked her who had the children, she laughed, he told police.

He ran home to find his son upstairs screaming in his bed. His daughter was asleep on the couch downstairs.

Police said the children were alone from 10 p.m. Tuesday to nearly 2 a.m. Wednesday.

Children Services was notified, and the children were placed in the temporary custody of their paternal grandparents.

Walk earns $75,000

BOARDMAN — The recent annual Buddy Walk event brought in more than $75,000 to assist those with Down syndrome, a figure that far exceeded organizers’ goal of $40,000.

At least 2,200 people, including actor Chris Burke, took part in the Aug. 15 walk in the Shops at Boardman Park to raise money for those with the chromosomal condition.

Burke, who played Corky in the popular TV series “Life Goes On,” has the condition.

Most of the funds will go toward renting a 1,300-square-foot space to house the Down Syndrome Association of the Valley’s Center for Success, slated to open in October, which also is Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

Expedition stolen

YOUNGSTOWN — Police are looking for a white Ford Expedition with the words “Got Milk” inscribed on the sides. The SUV was stolen when its owner showed it to a friend on the South Side. According to police, the 22-year-old owner of the Expedition was in the parking lot of Jordan’s Market on Market Street just after 10 p.m. Wednesday showing the truck to a friend he identified as Gary. The owner went into the store, leaving the keys in the ignition, only to find the truck and friend gone upon his return.