METRO DIGEST || Wellington backs Greene for sheriff

Wellington backs Greene for sheriff

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County Sheriff Randall A. Wellington endorsed Jerry Greene, sheriff department’s director of jail services, to replace him as sheriff Friday.

Wellington said “I believe [Greene] has the experience, the qualifications and the character to serve Mahoning County as an outstanding sheriff.”

Greene will face current Poland Township Police Chief Brian Goodin and retired Youngstown Police Chief Jimmy Hughes in the March 6 Democratic primary. Wellington, sheriff since 1999, announced earlier this year he wouldn’t seek re-election.

South Side robbery

YOUNGSTOWN

Police are looking for three armed, masked men who robbed a 21-year-old South Side man of a firearm and money.

The man, who has a permit to carry a firearm, told police he pulled into the driveway of a home in the 300 block of West Warren Avenue on Friday morning when the three men ran up to him, pulled guns and demanded his possessions. The masked thieves took the man’s gun, holster and $50 before running off.

Hearing for suspect

BOARDMAN

A Youngstown man accused of kidnapping and rape will be back in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing at Mahoning County Area Court here.

Terrence D. Phillips, 41, was arrested Wednesday at the Travelers Inn on Market Street. A 23-year-old woman told police Phillips approached her on Hillman Street in Youngstown, threatened her and forced her to go to the Boardman motel early Wednesday morning, according to reports.

Phillips is accused of raping the woman at the motel before the woman escaped and called police for help, officers said.

Phillips did not enter a plea at his Thursday arraignment, and bond was set at $25,000 for each charge, according to court records.

Lowellville meeting

LOWELLVILLE

Village council will have a special meeting at 9 a.m. today followed by its reorganization meeting at 9:30 in village hall, 140 E. Liberty St.

Arrests in Poland

POLAND

Township police arrested two men in an attempted burglary Thursday. Justin Adams, 23, of East Palestine, is charged with burglary, and John Paul, 49, of Canfield, is charged with complicity to commit burglary, police said.

Officers received a call about a burglary at a home on Clingan Road about 7:15 a.m. and the suspects were able to enter the garage before fleeing, police said. Officers arrested the men a short time later, reports state.

Art deadline extended

YOUNGSTOWN

Because of the holidays, the entry deadline for the 74th Butler Area Artists Annual Exhibition has been extended from Wednesday to next Saturday.

The annual juried show, set for March 11 through April 8 at the Butler Institute of American Art, features works in all media by artists living within a 40-mile radius of Youngstown. Entered works must have been created within the past two years.

This year the exhibition will be judged by John Smolko, an artist and educator from Kent.

For an entry form, go to butlerart.com, and print the 74th Area Show document that is included in the PDF folder, located on the home page. Call 330-743-1107, ext. 210 for more information.

City safety summit

YOUNGSTOWN

The public is invited to attend a safety summit sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force and the Youngstown Police Department from 9 to 11 a.m. next Saturday at St. Dominic Church, 77 E. Lucius Ave. Local block watch leaders and safety forces will focus on safety throughout the city in 2012.