Lowellville festival starts

July 15, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

LOWELLVILLE — The annual Lowellville-Mount Carmel Society Festival begins tonight at 6 at the Mount Carmel Society at McGaffney and Washington streets.

The festival continues through Saturday, ending with a grand fireworks display.

Hours are 6 to 11 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, with fireworks at 11:30 p.m.

From Wednesday through Friday, the Baby Doll Dance will take place after sundown. The tradition features a large papier-m ¢ch doll that dances and shoots fireworks out of itself.

There will also be boccie and morra tournaments, food, rides and games.

Washington Street and Quarry Road will be closed during festival hours.

Retirement celebration

YOUNGSTOWN — The community is invited to retirement celebration for Millicent S. Counts at United Methodist Community Center 334 North Pearl Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. Special presentations will be made at this time.

The community is invited to celebrate Counts’ last day of service at United Methodist Community Center. She worked there 31 years, the last as executive director.

Mahoning Co. tax bills

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County property owners will receive their second-half real- estate tax bills in the mail in the coming days, Treasurer Lisa A. Antonini announced.

Mailing of tax bills began Tuesday for about 166,000 parcels of property. The deadline to pay without penalty is Aug. 7. Property owners who do not receive statements by July 24 should call the Treasurer’s Office at (330) 740-2460 to confirm payment amounts or request copies of bills.

Reading camp for kids

EAST PALESTINE — A communitywide reading camp for children entering kindergarten to fifth grade will be at the East Palestine City Park Community Center from 1 to 3 p.m. July 20-24.

The program, which is offered by the East Palestine Elementary School and PTO, will consist of reading, activities, crafts, prizes and more. Students in sixth grade or older are welcome to participate in this program as youth volunteers. Registration forms are available to the East Palestine Memorial Public Library. Registration will also take place on the first day of the program at the Community Center at 12:30 p.m.

For more information, call Candy Cope at (330) 207-1808 or the East Palestine Memorial Public Library at (330) 426-3778.

Police charge 2 boys

WARREN — Boys age 17 and 12 were charged with aggravated robbery by police after a painter working at a house on Benton Street Southwest said the boys tried to rob him at gunpoint. The painter said the two boys entered the house where he was working about noon Monday, with the 17-year-old ordering the painter to put his hands in the air and empty his pockets. The 17-year-old cocked the rifle when the painter said he had nothing of value.

The 17-year-old was wearing a blue bandanna over his face. When the painter started to call 911, the boys ran into a nearby house, where police arrived later and arrested them, finding two rifles in the house.

Natural-gas leak reported

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — A natural-gas leak caused the evacuation of several businesses Tuesday at Long Avenue and Mill Street, the city fire department reported.

Someone in a building on the corner that houses doctor’s offices and a drugstore smelled gas and called the gas company, which called the fire department at 8:52 a.m., the department said.

Crews worked throughout the day to repair the leaking gas main on Long Avenue.

The fire department said gas levels inside the building were high enough to have caused an explosion. A nearby restaurant and barbershop were also evacuated.