‘Tomato Alley’ reading

‘Tomato Alley’ reading

YOUNGSTOWN — Denise Debartolo-York will read the first book in a series called “Tomato Alley” at 6 p.m. Friday at Barnes & Noble, 381 Boardman-Poland Road.

The book was written by Brenda Rider and Chris Yambar of the A Way With Words Foundation. The foundation was founded by Rider in 2004 as a way for cancer patients to express their hopes, fears and emotions dealing with cancer.

The foundation also supports the ROCcK Children’s Choir. ROCcK means Raising Our Commitment to cancer Kids. The choir, which includes survivors, siblings and those touched by cancer age 3-17, will perform at this event to kick off the comic book and superhero Lifemaxx.

Lifemaxx is a comic book created by Yambar and Rider to help kids deal with the issues they face going through treatment. Copies of the comic book will be available at Barnes & Noble for $5.

LifeMaxx also will make an appearance to sign autographs and take photos with the customers.

‘Save Our Homes’ event

YOUNGSTOWN — A “Save Our Homes” seminar sponsored by the Youngstown Ohio Chapter of the NAACP will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16 at the Choffin Career and Technical Center, 200 E. Wood St.

The free event will provide alternative solutions for home- owners who are experiencing financial strains, at the risk of foreclosure, or nearing bankruptcy.

Contact the Youngstown Chapter NAACP to schedule interviews. For more information, visit www.naca.com or phone (330) 782-9777 or e-mail (preferred), NAACPYoungstown@yahoo.com.

‘We Are the Change’

NILES — Eastwood Mall, the Warren Junior Women’s League/GFWC and HandsOn Volunteer Network of the Valley invite artists to exhibit their work in the “We Are the Change” Exhibition at the Art Outreach Gallery in Eastwood Mall. The exhibition will run from June 12 through Sept. 6.

The goal of the exhibit is sharing the stories of local volunteers with the community through various media, according to Gail Stark, gallery spokeswoman.

For information on how to participate in the show, contact Corrie at cadams@hovn.org or (330) 782-5877 or Stark at (330) 219-7833.

Suspect in robbery

AUSTINTOWN — James E. Menton, 22, of Delason Avenue, Youngstown, was charged in the robbery of $688 in cash at Vivo Metal Trading.

The owner of the North Meridian Road business said a man believed to be Menton came into his office about 3:15 p.m. Monday to be paid for $3 worth of scrap. The man grabbed cash from a desk and punched him in the back before running out, the owner said.

The owner told police he chased the robber toward North Meridian Road, where the man got into a red Dodge Caravan driven by a woman and fled. A Vivo employee said that when he saw the chase, he got into his vehicle and pursued the van until it pulled into the parking lot along North Meridian Road. He told police the thief got out of the van and ran south, and the van fled.

The two pursuers caught the suspect and held him for police.

Menton is scheduled for arraignment this morning at Mahoning County Court in Austintown.