2 arraignments set

2 arraignments set

YOUNGSTOWN — Two Canfield men charged in separate high-profile cases will be arraigned next Tuesday morning in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Dale Giffin, 59, of Topaz Circle, is charged with six counts of rape, and Bryce D. Burke, 26, of Mercedes Place, is charged with failure to stop after an accident. Giffin, who resigned as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Cornersburg last fall, is accused of raping a parishioner while she was a young adult between 1993 and 1996.

Burke is accused of driving away after a body dislodged from under his car. On Nov. 29, Andrew Culp, 22, of North Main Street, Columbiana, was found in the westbound lane of Midlothian Boulevard near Euclid Boulevard and died from his injuries.

Parents, pupils compete

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Afterschool Alliance will give parents of Hayes Middle School pupils a chance to see if they’re smarter than their kids. The program will offer a “Are You Smarter than Your Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Grader?” academic contest at the school, 1616 Ford Ave., from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

The goal is to highlight for parents the kinds of questions their children face on the Ohio Achievement Test this spring. Tony DiRenzo, a former Youngstown city school principal and now a continuous-improvement consultant with the Ohio Department of Education, will be the guest speaker. If a parent wins the contest, he or she receives a “chore certificate” from their child promising to do one week of chores chosen by the parent.

If the child wins, he or she gets a “reward certificate” requiring the parent to fill a reasonable wish of the child’s choosing.

The event is open to the public, and refreshments will be provided.

Achievement program

YOUNGSTOWN — The Family Empowerment Student Achievement Institute/Youngstown City Schools Partnership will have a celebration of achievement for the Youngstown city schools and teachers at 4 p.m. today at Chaney High School, 731 S. Hazelwood Ave.

The public program will recognize, celebrate and award the hard work and dedication of teachers who have made a difference in the educational success of their pupils, as identified by those achieving pupils. Schools that have achieved an Ohio academic rating of excellent, effective and continuous improvement will also be recognized.

Delay calls until May

McDONALD — Schools Superintendent Michael Wasser is asking potential applicants for three teaching positions opening due to retirements not to call the school until May.

Resignations for early retirement for fifth-grade and third- grade elementary school posts and a high school math position were accepted by the board Monday.

$28,000 in fire damage

YOUNGSTOWN — Heavy smoke was seen coming from 52 Winchester Ave. on the West Side when firefighters arrived around 10:20 p.m. Monday.

The occupant said he smelled smoke and then found the kitchen on fire. He left the house and made his way to a relative’s place across the street. The man said he had not been cooking. Firefighters said the fire spread to the living room and sun porch. Damage was set at $28,000 to the house and contents, and the cause is under investigation.