Evaluation ordered

Evaluation ordered

WARREN

One of two defendants charged in an alleged rape at the Trumbull County Children Services Board offices has asked for an evaluation to determine whether he was sane at the time of the alleged offenses and whether he is competent to stand trial.

Cody Beemer, 22, of Austin Avenue, entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday ordered that Beemer be evaluated regarding those matters.

Beemer’s next pretrial hearing will be Nov. 22.

Agreement reached

WARREN

Trumbull County commissioners approved a three-year contract agreement Tuesday between the county and 140 workers at the Department of Job and Family Services. The agreement contains a wage freeze and for the first time, allows the county to conduct random drug testing.

This is the fourth agreement with the workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, including workers in the county commissioners offices, Child Support Enforcement Agency and county recorder’s office. All of them contained wage freezes for three years, ending July 31, 2014.

JFS workers never had step increases in their contracts. Workers in the three other AFSCME contracts retained step increases in the new contract.

The county still is negotiating with workers at the sheriff’s office and the county 911 center.

Heltzel recovering

WARREN

Paul Heltzel, a Trumbull County commissioner who suffered a broken leg in a single-vehicle car crash in Indiana on Oct. 13, is in intensive care in Indiana after surgery Friday.

Heltzel, 66, of Niles, is expected to return to Trumbull later this week. He was returning from a hunting trip with three other men when the accident occurred.

Sobriety checkpoint

Canfield

The Mahoning County OVI Task Force will conduct a sobriety checkpoint this weekend.

Police will announce Friday the township or city where the checkpoint will be located, and the exact location will be announced Saturday.

“We want to make sure that motorists understand that officers will be vigilant in detecting and apprehending impaired drivers,” said Canfield Assistant Chief Scott Weamer.

The task force is funded through a federal grant and is comprised of police agencies throughout Mahoning County. Check points and saturation patrols will run through 2011 and most of 2012.

Biviano honored

WARREN

Ohio Auditor David Yost has honored Trumbull County Auditor Adrian Biviano for the sixth- consecutive year with the Auditor of State Award with Distinction.

The award goes to auditors who file financial reports on time and receive a “clean” audit report, meaning it did not contain any findings for recovery of funds, did not contain any material weaknesses, significant deficiencies or questioned costs, a press release from Yost says.

Facing charges

BOARDMAN

A 26-year-old Youngstown man accused of breaking and entering did not enter a plea Tuesday in Mahoning County Area Court here. Bryon L. Thomas, of Catalina Avenue, was arrested by U.S. Marshals and Boardman police Monday on charges of breaking and entering and probation violation. He is accused of breaking three jewelry display cases after smashing through the front door of Tele Gold Jewelers, 8051 Market St., on July 26, according to records. Bond was set at $2,500 and Thomas has a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

Public meeting set

POLAND

Village officials will have a public meeting about the storm-water utility ordinance that is up for referendum Nov. 8. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. today at Poland Village Hall, 308 S. Main St.