Ex-coach’s hearing

Ex-coach’s hearing

YOUNGSTOWN

Gina L. Rango, a former assistant Youngstown State University softball coach, will have a hearing at 2:15 p.m. today before Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to determine if there’s probable cause she violated her probation.

A year ago, Judge Evans sentenced Rango, 28, of North Lima, to three years’ probation and fined her $1,000 after she pleaded guilty to four felony counts of oxycodone trafficking.

She also was sentenced to complete a drug-abuse treatment program and spend 200 hours speaking to young people about the dangers of prescription-drug abuse. Her driver’s license was suspended for two years.

Rango’s reported probation violation stems from her failing a drug test, said Martin P. Desmond, an assistant county prosecutor. A follow-up hearing will be at 10:30 a.m. April 20 before Judge Evans.

Patient-abuse probe

BOARDMAN

Police and the administrators at Briarfield of Boardman, a nursing home, are investigating allegations that two patients there were assaulted. A supervisor at Briarfield told police a new employee was training with a veteran employee and reported seeing the veteran worker assault two patients during their rounds, according to reports. The employee is accused of grabbing a female resident’s arm and shoving her from the hallway into a room and slapping another resident on the leg, police said.

A supervisor and another administrator examined the women, who both are dementia and Alzheimer’s disease patients, and found injuries consistent with the reported assault, records show. The employee was told an investigation was under way and was placed on administrative leave, reports state.

Cemetery cleanup

LIBERTY

Workers at Belmont Park Cemetery, 3346 Belmont Ave., will begin spring cleanup of grave sites March 15. All Christmas and artificial decorations must be removed by that date.