More local news

Blessing ceremony set

HOWLAND — A blessing ceremony and public open house is at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Wexford Center, 1950 Niles-Cortland Road N.E., St. Joseph Health Center’s newest campus.

Services offered at the site include St. Joseph Urgent Care Center, St. Joseph Warren Orthopedics and Sports Medicine with Dr. William Woods and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation with Dr. Stephanie Kopey. These services join the St. Joseph Outpatient Surgery Center and the St. Joseph Pain Management Center, which are located in buildings adjacent to the Wexford Center.

Among the features of this location is the GE Definium 5000 imaging technology, digital equipment which replaces traditional film X-rays.

St. Joseph Health Center is part of the Humility of Mary Health Partners integrated health system located in the Youngstown/Warren area.

Altier to serve at summit

LIBERTY — Patrolman Robert Altier of the Liberty Police Department will be part of the security force at the G-20 economic summit Sept. 24-25 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

Chief Rich Tisone said Altier will be on the inner perimeter security force. “It’s a great opportunity for one of our officers to be part of this,” Tisone said. The chief noted no overtime costs are involved.

Foster-parent meetings

LISBON — The Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services will offer four informational meetings about the Foster/Adoptive Parent process in the county.

The free meetings are to increase public awareness and explain the process for those interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents.

The seminars will be on Thursday at the Kyes Family Service Center in East Palestine; and Sept. 21 at the job and family services office. Programs will be from 5 to 6 p.m. and from 6 to 7 p.m. both days.

People can call (330) 424-7781, ext. 3140, to register for the location and time of their choice or e-mail fostercarerecruiter@comcast.net.

Food distribution

BOARDMAN — Bridge of Hope Assembly of God, 7580 Glenwood Ave., is hosting Great Food for All distribution. Online orders may be made until 9 p.m. Oct. 5. Telephone order deadline is noon Oct. 7. Distribution will be Oct. 17. Call the church for details or check the Web site at www.greatfoodforall.com.

Free workshops at YWCA

WARREN — Beginning Thursday, the Warren YWCA and The Solace Center will offer a series of three free workshops for mothers and their teenage daughters on healthy conflict resolution. The workshops are designed to support moms, caregivers, guardians and grandmothers and the teens that they are caring for through this most challenging and tumultuous time – the teenage years.

Mary Olesh, a certified family life educator and executive director of the Solace Center, will facilitate the three interactive sessions. They are: “Getting to Know You!,” Thursday, 4 to 6 p.m.; “Whose House Is This Anyway!,” Nov. 14, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and “We Are Family!,” Jan. 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

All workshops are at the Warren YWCA, 375 N. Park Ave. Space is limited. Call the Warren YWCA at (330) 373-1010 for a reservation.

Fire inspector terminated

SALEM — Steve Andres, Salem’s safety-service director, said Monday he had sent a termination letter to a member of the fire department who had pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual battery with a minor.

Brian Wilms, 49, of Merle Road, had been on administrative leave from his job as the fire inspector since March.

He pleaded guilty last week to a prosecutor’s information, according to Tim McNicol, the assistant Columbiana County prosecutor who handles sex cases.

Wilms admitted he engaged in sexual activities with a child under the age of 10.

McNicol said the defendant could be sentenced to one to five years in prison. Sentencing was set for 2 p.m. Dec. 4.

Teen arrested at game

WARREN — Police arrested a 15-year-old girl at the Harding High School football game Saturday night after she purportedly hit another girl in the face with an object that may have been a kubotan, a martial arts weapon about 6 inches long and the diameter of a marker pen.

A Warren police officer working security at the game said he witnessed the assault about 9:30 p.m. The girl was being restrained by school personnel after the attack and was combative, a police report said, adding that scene became “very chaotic” because of the size of the crowd around the girl.

Hot-line training classes

YOUNGSTOWN — Help Hotline Crisis Center is offering free training classes for people interested in volunteering for the 24-hour Hotline. Classes will meet from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on five consecutive Mondays beginning Sept. 21 and ending Oct. 26, and one Saturday, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers are asked to make a six-month commitment. For more information, call Help Hotline at (330) 747-2696.

Swine flu at Westminster

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — Westminster College officials said that 10 students have been diagnosed with the Novel H1N1 flu, more commonly referred to as the swine flu.

Students who live more than 150 miles from campus are allowed to be isolated in their dormitory rooms. Those who live closer were sent home.

Judith Duda, director of the Student Health center, said Monday that the H1N1 diagnosis for the 10 students has been confirmed.

A college spokesman said last week that two students had been diagnosed with flu, but it wasn’t immediately known if it was the seasonal flu or H1N1. Both were immediately quarantined, one in the health center and one in her off-campus apartment.

Westminster has a student body of 1,600.

Woman reports rape

YOUNGSTOWN — Police are investigating the reported rape of a 28-year-old East Side woman by a man with whom she is acquainted.

Police interviewed the Lilburne Street woman early Monday at the Boardman branch of St. Elizabeth Health Center. Reports say she was still visibly shaken from the attack, which had taken place just after midnight Monday.

The woman told police a 43-year-old man called her and asked her to come by his Canfield Road home to talk. The woman said she went to the home and once inside the man sexually assaulted her. Police noted bruising to the woman’s arms where she had been grabbed and held.