METRO DIGEST

Free mugs Friday for Disney Challenge

POLAND — Elementary students are giving away coffee mugs Friday to promote minimizing ecological footprints.

From 5 to 7 a.m. at Dunkin’ Donuts, 1301 Boardman-Poland Road, some Poland North Elementary fourth-graders will give away reusable coffee mugs as they compete in Disney’s Planet Challenge.

Giving away the reusable mugs encourages coffee drinkers not to use plastic-foam cups that they will throw away, Principal Mike Masucci said.

The challenge tries to get students thinking about effecting change in the world, and Poland students are researching environmental problems with plans to educate the public.

The grand prize is a trip to Disneyland in California.

Land legislation for V&M

YOUNGSTOWN — City council will meet at 12:15 p.m. Friday in special session to approve legislation taking 191 acres from Girard for a potential $970 million V&M Star Steel expansion project.

Youngstown council will consider the same legislation approved Oct. 12 by Girard council.

V&M will decide in December or January on the potential expansion project.

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams met Monday with officials of V&M’s parent company in Paris to discuss the proposal.

Windows broken in Warren break-ins

WARREN — Police are investigating whether three break-ins late Tuesday and early Wednesday at Warren businesses are related.

The first one was reported at 10:30 p.m. at Nikolaides Insurance, 504 Elm Road N.E., where officers responded to an alarm activation and found a rear window broken out with a brick. Someone went through the entire building, police said. About $50 was missing from a desk drawer.

At just after midnight, Valley Counseling, 318 Mahoning Ave. N.W., reported that someone had broken out a window and gone inside. It was not known whether anything was missing.

About 15 minutes later, the owner of Tricomi & Associates real-estate appraisers, 260 Monroe St. N.W., reported that someone had broken out the rear window of the office and removed a computer.

Driver pleads guilty in bicyclist’s death

YOUNGSTOWN — A driver accused of hitting and killing a bicyclist likely will be heading to prison for about four years.

Justin T. Clark, 19, of West Ravenwood Avenue, was charged with felony failure to stop after an accident in early August.

He pleaded guilty to that charge Wednesday in the courtroom of Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Clark faces a maximum of five years in prison. Prosecutors have recommended he serve a four-year term. Judge Krichbaum will sentence Clark on Dec. 16.

Police said Shelton Harris, 57, of Sherwood Avenue, was riding his bicycle along the 100 block of Hudson Avenue around 10 a.m. July 6 when he was struck by a blue Oldsmobile Cutlass. Harris was carried about 200 feet from the impact.

Detective Sgt. Patricia Garcar said two people in the car got out and ran after striking Harris, including Clark, who police said was driving the car, leaving the Oldsmobile at the accident scene.

Vietnam-era soldier, author to speak Saturday

YOUNGSTOWN — The rescue of Montagnard civilians and many other positive stories about the Vietnam War are chronicled in the book “Privileges of War,” a firsthand account written in 1969 by Thomas A. Ross, who was a lieutenant assigned to Operational “A” Team, Detachment A-502, with the 5th Special Forces Group in South Vietnam.

Ross is the featured speaker Saturday at a Veterans Day celebration and dinner program at the Scottish Rite Temple, 223 Wick Ave.

He has previously appeared on CNN, CNBC, NBC, CBS and ABC.

All veterans are invited to the program and dinner at no cost. Nonveterans and guests pay $10 each. The dinner is at 6 p.m., and the program begins at 7.

Reservations are required; call (330) 847-5177.