Agreement paves way for redeveloping site of former power plant

Agreement paves way for redeveloping site of former power plant

WARREN

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has authorized an agreement on the former Mahoningside power plant site on Summit Street Northwest to encourage re-use of the property.

The agreement, called a covenant-not-to-sue, protects the property’s owner or operator and future owners from being legally responsible to the state for further investigation and remediation of environmental hazards.

The 5.4-acre property at 650 Summit was home to a hydropower plant from the early 1900s to the late 1970s. When the city took ownership in 1999, it found soils contaminated with asbestos and PCBs.

In 2000 and 2005, U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA oversaw removal of contaminated soils. The city hired a certified environmental professional to further assess the site and remove any remaining contaminated soils to a level that would allow redevelopment.

Warren man, 18, charged in burglary

WARREN

Jon Tay Johnson, 18, of Randolph Street Northwest, was arraigned Friday in Warren Municipal Court on a felony charge of intimidation of a victim or witness and a misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen property.

Innocent pleas were entered for both charges.

He was arrested on warrants Thursday. Police say the charges relate to a burglary Dec. 11 at a home on Clermont Avenue Northeast and allegations that Johnson attempted to pawn some items taken from the burglary and tried to intimidate the victim of the burglary.

The 36-year-old victim reported that jewelry, an Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iPod and 40 to 50 games were taken by someone entering through a window.

If convicted, Johnson could get up to five years in prison.

Power out for hours on city’s East Side

Youngstown

About 2,000 Ohio Edison customers were without power for a few hours early Thursday due to an equipment failure.

David H. Turner, the company’s Mahoning County area manager, said the outage on the city’s East Side in the area of Thorn Hill Avenue, started about 12:30 a.m. and all customers’ power was restored about 3:20 a.m.

Speeding played role in 30% of fatal crashes

SOUTHINGTON

Excessive speed reduces reaction time and increases the severity of traffic crashes, so the Ohio State Highway Patrol urges motorists to obey the posted speed limit.

In 2011, 30 percent of all fatal crashes in Ohio were caused by speed-related factors, said Lt. Brian Holt, commander of the Southington Post of the highway patrol.

“Excessive speed greatly reduces a driver’s ability to negotiate an unexpected curve, to stop within an assured clear distance ahead or to steer safely around a hazardous object,” Holt said.

South Side woman stabbed in eyelid

YOUNGSTOWN

Police are looking for a 33-year-old Youngstown woman believed to be responsible for stabbing a 33-year-old South Side woman during an altercation Thursday.

The stabbing victim told police she had a previous altercation with her assailant in the summer.

She said she was leaving a friend’s home on Dewey Avenue and while walking to her car, the woman blocked her in and then slashed her left eyelid with a knife.

The attacker left the area. The victim drove herself to ValleyCare Northside Medical Center where she received three stitches to her eye.

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