Free gun locks available

Free gun locks available

NEW MIDDLETOWN — Police Chief Vince D’Egidio announced that free gun locks are available to all, not just village residents, at the village police department.

The locks, which secure guns so they cannot be fired, were provided by Operation Child Safe, a national program to keep firearms out of the hands of children. Village offices are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

Local lottery winner

HOWLAND — Daniel H. Bertuzzi won the top prize in the Ohio Lottery instant game Blazing Bucks. Bertuzzi won $150,000.

After mandatory federal and state taxes totaling 31 percent, Bertuzzi will receive a check for $103,500.

He purchased the winning ticket from Lottery News Connection II, 8280 E. Market St. Lottery News Connection II receives a $1,500 bonus for selling a winning ticket.

‘Critical’ after shooting

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — A city man was flown to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, Pittsburgh, where he is in critical condition after a shooting here, police said.

The shooting happened at 11:39 p.m. Monday.

Police said Eric Grimm, 27, was shot while he was inside a house at 314 Florence Ave. by someone outside the residence.

Grimm does not live at the residence. He was shot several times in the arms, shoulder and face.

He was taken to Jameson Memorial Hospital first before being transferred to the Pittsburgh hospital.

7 sites for vote on levy

WARREN — Only seven polling locations in Cortland and Bazetta Township will be open in all of Trumbull County on Feb. 3 — special election day — so that voters can decide whether to approve a renewal levy for Lakeview schools.

The school district is asking voters for renewal of a 3.15-mill, five-year levy for the emergency requirements of the school district to raise $890,000 per year.

To reduce the number of polling places that have to be open, voters in the school district who live in Mecca Township Precinct A, Warren Township Precinct E and Warren City Precinct 2-D will be told to vote absentee or given a specific polling location in Bazetta or Cortland to vote.

There are 36 registered Lakeview voters in Mecca Township, 129 in Warren Township and 25 in the city of Warren.

Costs of sewer projects

WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners are expected to approve resolutions today giving the final cost assessments to owners of properties on March Avenue and Sampson Drive, both in Liberty Township, for recently completed sewer projects.

The March Avenue project, which serves 47 property owners, will cost each owner $65 per front foot and $2,082 for the lateral connection from the sewer line. The tentative cost presented at the June 19, 2007, public hearing was $95 per front foot and $2,917 for the lateral.

The Sampson Drive project, which serves 14 property owners, will cost each owner $80 per front foot and $1,489 for a lateral connection. The tentative cost presented at the May 1, 2007, public hearing was $88 per front foot and $1,957 for the lateral.

New Castle store robbed

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Police are looking for the man who robbed a city store shortly after it opened for business.

An employee of Revol Wireless at 173 S. Jefferson St. told police a man came in and demanded money shortly after 10 a.m. Monday.

The employee told police he thought the man was joking, but then he pulled up his shirt to show a revolver in the waistband of his pants. The robber got away with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

Facing drug charges

YOUNGSTOWN — A passenger in a car that was pulled over after police saw it leave a known drug house on East High Street was charged with possession of crack cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Salene Ballard, 39, of Park Vista Drive was arraigned Tuesday in municipal court. She will be back in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing. Police stopped the car Ballard was in after the driver failed to signal a turn around 7:30 p.m. Monday. Ballard had an open can of beer near her feet, a crack pipe next to the can, and her hand covered a crushed rock of suspected crack, police said.

Another passenger, Abbot Collins Jr., 53, of East Ravenwood Avenue was wanted on three outstanding warrants, two for probation violations and one for a traffic offense. The driver, Rosalie Mosley, 52, of Sycamore Street was cited for having an expired license, police said.

Arrests made in robbery

NEW CASTLE — Pennsylvania State Police New Castle have arrested two people in the robbery of First Merit Bank in Union Township.

According to a press release issued late Tuesday, Betty Jo Buteria, 40, and Gregory Lee Wilmouth, 51, both of Edinburg, are being held on $100,000 bond each. Reports say Buteria entered the bank Saturday wearing a mask and claiming to have a gun. She was given an undetermined amount of cash along with a “dye pack” that detonated upon her leaving the bank. Police also believe Buteria was involved in the robbery of a Tic-Toc store in North Beaver Township on Jan. 1. The press release said charges in that robbery may be forthcoming.