Metro digest || Grant for pets of abuse victims

Grant for pets of abuse victims

SHARON, Pa.

Mercer County AWARE has received a one-time start-up grant of $2,500 to create on-site housing for family pets of clients seeking services at its Sharon shelter, the Shirley Bursey House, located on Logan Avenue.

The grant, from the American Humane Association’s Pets and Women’s Shelters Program, will be used to purchase supplies such as cages as well as create an outside shelter and dog-run area where families can interact with their pets. AWARE is committed to providing education, support and advocacy for all people in Mercer County impacted by domestic and/or sexual violence.

2010 Trophy Party

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Chapter of the Latin American Motorcycle Association will celebrate its 2010 Trophy Party from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday at Rosetta Stone Cafe Vault Room, 110 W. Federal St. Admission of $15 includes food, soda, water, cash bar and music by DJ Kenny Reyes. A pre-party will be at Biketown Harley Davidson, 5700 Interstate Blvd., Austintown, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sobriety checkpoint

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning Valley OVI Task Force will increase its impaired-driving enforcement, including a sobriety checkpoint at a location not yet disclosed, from 9 p.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. next Sunday.

Two-house blaze

NEW CASTLE, Pa

Two houses on Lyndal Street were damaged in a fire. Firefighters arrived at 425 Lyndal at 12:04 a.m. Saturday, four minutes after they received the call, to find the duplex fully engulfed. The fire quickly spread to the house next door at 427 Lyndal. A tenant at 425 Lyndal and the homeowner of the house next door were able to get out without being injured, firefighters say. The house at 425 Lydal was heavily damaged. The blaze was confined to the attic at the house next door, but it received a lot of smoke and water damage, firefighters said. The cause is undetermined and under investigation, firefighters said.

3 women charged

YOUNGSTOWN

Three Youngstown women face charges after police said they assaulted a woman, took about $2,600 in cash and a vehicle.

Police said a 20-year-old Youngstown woman was in her boyfriend’s Ford Explorer in front of a store on Gypsy Lane shortly before 2:30 p.m. Saturday when she was approached by two women. The women — Dashawanta Tarver, 22, of Elm Street, the estranged wife of the 20-year-old’s boyfriend; and Brittany Gardner, 25, of Plazaview Court — assaulted her, according to a police report. She tried to leave, but the car was blocked in by a Chevrolet minivan, police said. Police said Erica L. Stewart, 31, of Ohio Avenue got out of the minivan and joined the assault.

The victim dropped about $2,600 in cash — she had cashed two student loan checks — as well as jewelry and other items during the assault, police said.

Tarver and Gardner took the Explorer and crashed it into a utility pole on Saranac Avenue, police said. Stewart then arrived at the accident scene. Only $145 was found, police said. Police charged the three in connection with the robbery and took them to the Mahoning County jail.