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Coalition to sponsor walk against crime
YOUNGSTOWN
Westside Citizens Coalition members and supporters will take to the streets Saturday to raise awareness of crime on that side of the city.
“We’ve had [a number] of shootings on the West Side,” said Becky Hutton, the organization’s treasurer. “We need to do something, so we decided to hold walks. We’re trying to take a stand before it’s too late.”
The most notable crime in recent months on the city’s West Side was a Nov. 16 double-murder on Mahoning Avenue. But there have been other shootings and robberies on the West Side, Hutton said.
The coalition is having five “We Love Youngstown” community walks Saturday.
Participants are asked to meet at any of the five locations at 5 p.m. with the walks starting at 5:30 p.m. The walks will be about 30 minutes each but could go longer if the weather is nice, Hutton said.
The locations are: Foxy’s Restaurant and Lounge on North Meridian Road; Strikers and Casa Ramirez, both on Mahoning Avenue; Molly’s on Salt Springs Road; and Pizza Joe’s on Canfield Road.
Those on the West Side also are asked to support the cause by turning on their porch lights from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday.
“We were hoping for five to 10 people per walk, but we’ve received a lot of feedback, and we’re expecting a lot more to participate,” Hutton said. “We want to raise awareness and let criminals know we’re not going to put up with this. We’ll be out in full force trying to keep the city safe.”
The West Side organization envisions joining forces with other citizens groups in the city to have similar events throughout Youngstown, Hutton said.
Councilmen Mike Ray, D-4th, and Paul Drennen, D-5th, who represent the West Side, said they’ll attend the We Love Youngstown event.
“Outreach like this is important,” Ray said. “Getting people involved in their community is important. We have [crime] issues, and I want them to be addressed properly.”
Drennen added: “I support the cause. It’s great to see people coming together to help out the community.”