METRO DIGEST || Academic Decathlon today at YCS

Crash closes 616, sends 4 to hospital

YOUNGSTOWN

Four people were taken to hospitals after a three-vehicle crash Friday evening on state Route 616 in Youngstown between Oak Street extension and McGuffey Road. It was not known how serious the victims’ injuries were.

The crash, which occurred at 6:36 p.m., required authorities to close state Route 616 for a period of time, according to 21 WFMJ TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said a northbound vehicle went left of center and struck a pickup in the southbound lane, causing the truck to spin into the middle of the road and get hit by a third vehicle. The names of the people involved were not released.

Academic Decathlon is today at YCS

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown Christian School, 4401 Southern Blvd., is hosting 10 schools in the Northeast Ohio Regional Academic Decathlon competition today.

The live portion of the event, the Super Quiz Relay, begins at 1 p.m.

The United States Academic Decathlon is the nation’s foremost scholastic competition for high school students. About 250 students from 15 schools will be competing this month. Along with testing in seven objective subjects, including math, science, social science, literature, art and music, students must also deliver a four- to five-minute prepared speech, a three- to four-minute impromptu speech, and a professional job-style interview.

Students have the opportunity to earn scholarships for college based on their performance and are challenged to study enriched subject matter that goes beyond the boundaries of typical high school textbooks. The best and brightest students from area schools will compete.

Schools in Boardman, South Range honored

Columbus

The State Board of Education will honor the 18 Ohio schools that were selected as national Blue Ribbon Schools at a ceremony Monday. Two Mahoning County schools — South Range High and Boardman’s West Boulevard Elementary — and one Trumbull County school, Maplewood Elementary, are among those honored.

The Blue Ribbon School program identifies top-performing schools in both the state and the nation.

2-month old is found dead in parents’ bed

NEW WILMINGTON, PA.

A 2-month-old was found dead in his parents’ bed early Friday.

New Wilmington police said there was no obvious evidence of foul play at the scene, and Lawrence County District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa said that now “it appears that this death is very possibly accidental and is a horrific tragedy for the parents and their family.” The cause of death is pending an autopsy.

Police and an ambulance were called to a Waugh Avenue home at 3:04 a.m. about a child who was unconscious and not breathing. The child was found in his parents’ bed. His parents were present.

Efforts to resuscitate the child, who did not have a pulse, failed. He was taken to Jameson Hospital in New Castle, Pa., where he was declared dead shortly after 4 a.m. by an official from the Lawrence County, Pa., Coroner’s office.

The name and other details of the infant’s death will be made public after the autopsy, police said.

Early release for assailant is denied

YOUNGSTOWN

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court has overruled a motion for early release from prison for a 21-year-old man serving a four-year prison term for punching and seriously injuring a 67-year-old man in a West Side fast-food drive-through lane.

In a judgment entry filed Friday, Judge Krichbaum denied judicial release to Samuel Crayton, of Mathews Road, who has served 13 months of his prison term.

Crayton pleaded guilty to the Oct. 9, 2010, felonious assault against Thomas Dailey, a Canfield High School teacher, at McDonald’s, 3034 Mahoning Ave. Saying the attack was unprovoked, an assistant county prosecutor called for Crayton to serve his full term.

Sponsors sought for Beaver Park programs

NORTH LIMA

Beaver Township Park Board has started its annual sponsorship effort to help fund the 2012 park programs, such as music in the park and children’s programs.

For contributions of up to $100, sponsors are acknowledged in the park board’s activities programs; for $101 to $249, sponsors are acknowledged in the programs and included on a group banner displayed at events; for $250 and more, sponsors are featured on individual banners displayed at events, acknowledged in the programs and included on the group banner.

The sponsorship deadline is May 1. For information call the Beaver Township Park Board at 330-549-9552.

Salem parking ban

SALEM

In anticipation of heavy snowfall today, a parking ban is in effect on Salem streets through 10 p.m. today, city officials announced Friday night.

Lottery chief named

CLEVELAND

Ohio Lottery interim Director Dennis Berg has been appointed to the top job by Gov. John Kasich. The governor’s office announced the appointment Friday afternoon.

Berg has served as interim director for 13 months since the departure of Kathleen Burke after the election of Republican Kasich. She had been appointed by Kasich’s predecessor, Democrat Ted Strickland.

Berg has worked for the lottery since 1991 and formerly served as the lottery’s deputy director of finance.

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS