Metro Digest

Fundraiser for hunger

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning United Methodist Church is participating in the 13th annual Feinstein $1 million challenge to fight hunger. Last year, $197 million was raised by participating agencies during March and April.

The Alan Feinstein Foundation of Rhode Island will award agencies between $250 and $40,000, and the awards are proportionate to the amount that each agency receives. Agencies report donations received during the months of March and April that will go toward the Feinstein challenge. Donations can include cash, checks and food items (valued at $1 per item or pound).

All donations to Mahoning UMC’s food pantry can be sent to the church at 2214 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown, OH 44509 by the end of April.

Men shot at three times

YOUNGSTOWN — Two men were inside their vehicle when it was shot at three times.

A 25-year-old Austintown man and an 18-year-old Youngstown man told police they were driving on Julian Street approaching Indianola Avenue just before 3:30 a.m. Sunday when a dark-colored Pontiac Grand Am with one burned-out headlight pulled behind them and opened fire.

The 25-year-old said the gunmen shot the trunk of his car three times before fleeing in an unknowing direction, according to a police report. No one was injured.

Board lays off 2 clerks

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Board of Health laid off two clerks and approved the deletion of two positions, staff engineer and city inspector, from the master salary ordinance. The engineer and inspector positions have not been filled for many years, and their work is being done by registered sanitarians, said Neil Altman, health commissioner.

Also, the department announced plans to celebrate National Public Health Day on April 5 by offering free blood-pressure screening, tuberculosis testing and blood-sugar and cholesterol screening between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the health department at Oakhill Renaissance Place, 345 Oak Hill Ave. Participants should fast at least eight hours for the blood-sugar and cholesterol tests. For more information, call (330) 743-3333, ext. 263.

Car stolen

YOUNGSTOWN — A city man’s car was stolen after he was dragged from the driver’s seat.

A 74-year-old Labelle Avenue man told police a woman he knows as “Lady” asked him for a ride to F&N Market on Market Street about 1:30 p.m. Monday.

When the pair arrived at the store, the woman asked for money to buy beer, according to a police report. When he told her he didn’t have any money, the woman got out of the car, dragged the man out of the driver’s side and onto the ground.

The man told police she took $2 from his pocket and his car keys and said, “I dare you to call the police,” before driving off in his car.

Car stuck on tracks

LEETONIA — Police Sgt. Rick Dattilio helped a woman escape injury after her car became stuck on railroad tracks about 9:45 p.m. Sunday.

Chief John Soldano said that Mary Davis, 64, of Youngstown, was working for a medical program and turned onto the tracks based on directions from her global positioning device. The chief said she probably meant to turn right on to Front Street.

Her car became stuck. Dattilio told her to get out of the car several times, but she did not. He also called for trains to be alerted. He eventually helped her out of the vehicle and got her to safety a few minutes before an eastbound train hit the car from the rear and pushed it down the tracks.

The chief said the vehicle was destroyed. The investigation was turned over to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Trooper B.A. Canyon said Davis was charged with failure to control for driving onto the tracks.