METRO DIGEST

Child-abuse information

GIRARD — First Christian Church, 140 E. Broadway Ave., will have an informational meeting “How to Recognize Signs of Child Abuse/Neglect” at 7 p.m. Oct. 27. The public is invited.

Judy Turs-Chak, Triage Department Supervisor of Trumbull County Children Services Board, will do the presentation and explain what action is taken by the CSB once the maltreatment is reported.

In addition, Renee Bastounis, foster/adoptive recruiter, will speak about foster care and adoption through CSB, the requirements, commitment and need.

The presentation will last about 30 minutes with a question-and-answer period to follow.

There is no cost to attend the meeting, but those interested are requested to call in their reservations to the church office at (330) 545-6130 by Oct. 26.

NEOCAP wins award

WARREN — The Northeast Ohio Community Alternative Program was recently recognized by Gov. Ted Strickland and Terry Collins, director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, with the Clifford Skeen Award.

NEOCAP was recognized for excellence and innovation in providing community corrections. The award is named after Clifford Skeen, who sponsored the Community Corrections Act, which was approved by the Ohio Legislature in 1979 to reduce the number of nonviolent offenders in the state prison system.

NEOCAP was selected from 18 community-based corrections facilities in Ohio. NEOCAP, located on Pine Street in Warren, serves more than 360 offenders per year by providing them with a treatment program.

NEOCAP serves Trumbull, Ashtabula, Geauga, Portage and Lake counties.

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WARREN — Diane N. Drawl, a certified public accountant and Mecca Township fiscal officer, has been hired to serve as the Trumbull County commissioners’ administrator over the $2.6 million in annual spending of seniors levy money.

Voters countywide approved the levy in November 2005. The county commissioners approved her appointment Wednesday.

Drawl, of Edgewater Drive, Cortland, will make $50,000 per year with full county benefits and will serve a 120-day probationary period. She will work directly under the county commissioners but oversight will also be provided by the county auditor’s office.

Drawl replaces the Area Agency on Aging of Niles, which administered the levy spending for the first several years but resigned recently over conflicts with the county commissioners and SCOPE, an agency that operates senior centers throughout the county and is one of the largest service providers using levy money.

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BOARDMAN — The American Red Cross Mahoning Chapter is offering another “Safety Saturday” Oct. 17, at the training center across from St. Elizabeth Health Center on McClurg Road.

Participants can register for a full day of Red Cross Safety Training. Adult CPR and first aid are offered from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for $50.

The course includes hands-on training by a certified American Red Cross instructor, a take-home manual for each participant, all materials needed to complete the training, and American Red Cross certification upon successful completion.

Learn everything from scene safety to patient assessment, emergency care and treatment and how to use emergency services.

To register or learn about other classes offered at the Red Cross in Boardman, call (330) 726-6063 or go to the Web site www.mahoning.redcross.org.

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WARREN — The American Red Cross of Mercer and Trumbull counties is offering a CPR and first aid class at the Warren office, 661 Mahoning Avenue Northwest, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 21, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 26 and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 28.

There will also be a CPR and first aid class from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Warren office.

The class includes adult, infant and child CPR and first aid. For more information call (330) 392-2551.

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AUSTINTOWN — Drs. Karlock, Flauto, Arters and Reichard of Austintown Podiatry Associates are having their annual shoe drive for the needy through Christmas.

Last year, more than 1,000 pairs of shoes were collected to help the needy. Gently worn or new shoes can be dropped off at any of their three office locations: 1300 S. Canfield-Niles Road, Austintown; Boardman, 7010 South Ave., Suite 3, Boardman; and 3802 Elm Road N.E., Warren.