Check for Haiti aid

Check for Haiti aid

YOUNGSTOWN

Volney Rogers Middle School’s art club will present a check to the local chapter of the American Red Cross for relief efforts in Haiti at 2:30 p.m. today.

The art students had a project, “Hearts for Haiti.” Children shaped, decorated and sold hearts made of clay in the form of necklaces and pins. The projects were sold last month to teachers and fellow students with the proceeds going to the Red Cross for the earthquake victims.

Included in the Haitian relief funds was money raised by the children from a bake sale and the sale of pumpkin seeds.

Fire in basement

campbell

A fire Tuesday at 447 Devitt Ave. was contained to the basement, the fire department said. No one was home when the fire broke out at 11:40 a.m., the department said.

The rest of the house, owned by Kenny Arendas, had smoke damage. The cause is under investigation.

Charges from shooting

YOUNGSTOWN

A city man is in the Mahoning County jail, accused of shooting at a U.S. marshal.

Dale Kennedy, 24, of Seneca Avenue, appeared Tuesday before Judge Elizabeth Kobly in Youngstown Municipal Court on a felonious-assault charge. The judge set bail at $100,000 and a new court date for next Wednesday.

Police responded Monday evening to shots fired at a house in the 300 block of Alameda Avenue. Officers reportedly saw a U.S. marshal chasing Kennedy.

The marshal apprehended Kennedy on Ford Avenue and recovered the 9 mm handgun he is believed to have been carrying.

During the arraignment process, prosecutors told the court Kennedy had fired at the marshal and could face additional charges.

Gunfire investigated

YOUNGSTOWN

City police are investigating gunfire that erupted on the East Side this week.

Officers were called to the 1100 block of Springdale early Monday to investigate. They located several spent shell casings along the street and found a 1998 Chevrolet Suburban with the rear window shot out and a bullet hole in the front windshield.

Two brothers riding in the vehicle told police they left a family party on the North Side and were followed by a green Dodge. The brothers told police they reached the Springdale house, the Dodge pulled up, and someone opened fire on the truck.

Passport fair Saturday

poland

The Poland Branch of the Youngstown Post Office, West McKinley Way, will offer a passport fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday to provide passport information to U.S. citizens and to accept passport applications.

The branch joins the U.S. State Department in celebrating Passport Day in the USA 2010, a national passport acceptance and outreach event.

U.S. citizens must present a valid passport book when entering or re-entering the United States by air. U.S. citizens entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda at land borders and sea ports of entry must present a passport book, passport card or other travel documents approved by the U.S. government.

The Poland branch will also be providing photo services for a fee. Information on the cost and how to apply for a U.S. passport is available at www.travel.state.gov. U.S. citizens also may obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at (877) 487-2778.

Drug take-back

Austintown

The township police department will have a drug take-back program for Mahoning County residents.

From noon to 3 p.m. April 5, county residents are asked to bring their old pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drugs to Austintown Police Department at 92 Ohltown Road for disposal.

No illegal drugs, syringes or needles will be accepted.

The effort is a cooperative event among the Recycling Division of the Mahoning County Green Team and drug-education officers of Mahoning County. Additional collections are planned for June, July and August.

PennVest loan

hermitage, pa.

The Hermitage Municipal Authority will receive a $13.78 million low-interest loan from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. PennVest awarded the loan at its board meeting Tuesday, said state Sen. Bob Robbins, R-50th, and state Rep. Mark Longietti, D-7th.

The Hermitage authority will apply the funding toward the anticipated $18.2 million cost of a long-term capital-improvement project that will expand the capacity of the Bobby Run Water Pollution Control Plant from 5 million gallons per day to 7.7 million gallons per day. The project also includes upgrades that will allow the plant to accept biodegradable waste from restaurants and grocery stores, including grease-trap waste.

Clean Energy Network

CHAMPION

Two program coordinators for Kent State University Trumbull Campus will discuss energy-related topics at the Clean Energy Network meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in Room 117 of the university’s Technology Building, 4314 Mahoning Avenue N.W.

Marie DaBelko, coordinator of Workforce Development & Continuing Studies, will explain programs that relate to green and renewable energy, such as energy auditing and green-building basics for real-estate professionals and contractors.

Tony Davis, coordinator of green- and renewable-energy programs at the campus, will speak about online courses and how they reduce transportation needs.

For more information, call Dave Ambrose at (330) 647-3666.