Metro digest || Miracle for cats

Miracle for cats

YOUNGSTOWN

The Cat Ladies Society needed a miracle to get the funds necessary to finish renovating their new shelter on Mahoning Avenue, and a miracle found them.

Tony and Mary Lariccia of Boardman were reading Tuesday’s Vindicator — Tony at work, while Mary read at the kitchen table — and the picture of the kitten in the story “Looking for a miracle” reminded them so much of their own cat, Ricky, that they immediately wanted to help.

“My husband found Ricky on a cold, winter night, and he’s been with us ever since,” Mary Lariccia explained. “We picked the paper up and responded to it.” She said her husband thought the $5,000 the society needed was such a small amount to help the cats in the shelter that they decided to give more. They gave $20,000.

Kim Koocher, the society’s owner, said they can now finish renovating the new shelter at 2217 Mahoning Ave., as well as catch up on their vet bills. “We’re very, very happy,” she said.

Students at air base

VIENNA

The 910th Airlift Wing at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station is hosting 23 Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets from Ohio high schools for a five-day encampment this weekend.

The cadets are ninth- through 12th-grade students at East and East Technical high schools in Cleveland, Green High School in Uniontown and Trumbull Career and Technical Center in Champion.

Reservists have volunteered to mentor the teens on leadership, teamwork, respect for others and Air Force core values.

GOLFF Challenge

CORTLAND

Twenty-four golfers with disabilities will take to the links for the 10th Annual GOLFF Challenge Tournament on Saturday at Tamer Win Golf and Country Club, 2940 Niles-Cortland Road N.E.

The annual tournament is between golf teams from Forum Health Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital, Howland, and Edwin Shaw Rehabilitation Hospital in Akron. Teams will tee-off at 1 p.m.

Toys for Tots cruise

EAST PALESTINE

The Nostalgia Haulers Truck Club will have its annual Toys for Tots Car Cruise from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday on North Market Street. The event includes food and music. New toys can be donated throughout the day.

Dead man’s vehicle

LISBON

Columbiana County Sheriff Ray Stone said Thursday that a vehicle belonging to a dead man has been found in the southern portion of the county.

Stone has been investigating the death of William S. Young, 70, in Wayne Township.

Young’s decomposed body was found on his property Aug. 11. His PT Cruiser was missing. The sheriff’s office became involved after Young’s bank could not reach him about suspicious activity on his account.