Free firewood available

Free firewood available

YOUNGSTOWN —Mill Creek MetroParks is offering free firewood to whoever can cut it and haul it away. The park district’s wood-storage shed on West Golf Drive will be open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday and Nov. 8. Those interested must bring a chain saw and a vehicle to transport the wood. Only 15 vehicles will be permitted in the lot at one time. Trucks larger than a pickup are not allowed, nor are trailers. Firewood cannot be removed from Mahoning County. Those caught carrying the wood into another county can be punished by up to a $4,000 fine. For more information, contact the MetroParks at (330) 702-3000.

Program to reopen

NEW CASTLE, Pa. —A homeless outreach program that closed its doors Sept. 15 due to the state budget crisis will reopen Wednesday, according to Denny Robbins, who is on the facility’s board of directors.

Located at 217 N. Mill St., the facility, which opened Jan. 1 and is funded with county mental health/retardation money, was serving 50 homeless, poor, drug- and alcohol-dependent or mentally ill clients daily. It provided rehabilitation, food and everyday items such as sleeping bags, tents and hunters’ heating packs.

Robbins credited resumption of the program to quick action by county Controller Dave Gettings’ office to move the state funds, which are slowly beginning to flow into the county, into the program.

H1N1 flu inoculations

LISBON — The Columbiana County Health Department will give H1N1 flu vaccine to children age 3 through 10 who have chronic illnesses from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday at Trinity Friends Church, 33937 state Route 30. There is no charge. Pre-registration is recommended, but registrations will also be taken that day. Registrations can be made through the Ohio Department of Health’s Web site, www.odh.ohio.gov.

Beatitude House seeks gifts for homeless moms

YOUNGSTOWN — The homeless children of Beatitude House will soon have an opportunity to take a trip to Santa’s Workshop. But their visit isn’t for themselves — they’re choosing Christmas presents for their moms. Beatitude House is seeking donations of gift items to stock the shelves of the workshop. Practical items, such as gloves or socks, and not-so-practical items, such as bath sets and perfume, are welcome. Candles cannot be accepted. Donations of new, unwrapped items are accepted from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Beatitude House’s administrative offices, 238 Tod Lane. All gifts must be received by Dec. 14. Beatitude House provides assistance to disadvantaged women and children in the Mahoning Valley.