Fatal fire probed

Fatal fire probed

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County coroner and other agencies continue to investigate a fatal fire on the city’s East Side.

A body was found inside 3660 Nelson Ave. when Youngstown firefighters arrived to put out a blaze at 2:40 p.m. Monday.

The front of the house was engulfed, and the cause of the blaze is unknown at this time, firefighters said.

A sign in the yard advertised the property for sale, firefighters said.

Arson investigators and the Ohio Fire Marshal’s office are investigating. The case has been sent to the detective division of the Youngstown Police Department.

Parent input sought

SALEM

The Salem Board of Education is close to launching a new initiative to get input from the community on the school district’s future.

Board member Nick Bush said Monday that the survey looks at programming, performance, prestige (or reputation), convenience and service, learning environment and culture and financial stewardship.

Bush said he wants as many parents as possible to go online and answer the questions on the district’s website, www.salem.k12.oh.us.

Part of the survey also looks at safety and whether students have access to the best learning tools.

In the survey, people can rate those items on a scale of one to six. Postcards will be mailed to parents in the next day to let then know they can take part.

Responses must be made by Oct. 22. Bush said the results will be reviewed by the end of the year.

Call to duty

NEWTON FALLS

A call-to-duty ceremony will take place this morning for the 292nd Engineer Detachment in the Ohio National Guard. The event begins at 11 a.m. at the First Church of God, 426 W. Broad St. About 40 soldiers from the 292nd will travel to Fort McCoy, Wis., for training. The group will later deploy to Iraq for Operation New Dawn. The 292nd was activated Sept. 1, 2007, as part of the Ohio Army National Guard to conduct asphalt-paving missions to support military operations. This is the unit’s first mobilization.