METRO DIGEST || Learn how to help kids

Learn how to help kids

YOUNGSTOWN

In recognition of November as National Adoption month, Mahoning County Children Services will conduct a program on One Church, One Child from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday at New Bethel Baptist Church, 1507 Hillman Ave.

Participants can learn how to help children.

The Revs. Kenneth Simon and Robin Woodberry are hosts. Patricia Amendolea, One Church, One Child local coordinator; Atty. Randy Muth, CSB executive director; and the Rev. Lewis Macklin, OCOC national vice president, will be participants.

Lunch will be provided. For information, call the church at 330-747-2125.

Akiva program

YOUNGSTOWN

The kindergarten at Akiva Academy, 505 Gypsy Lane, will present a special Thanksgiving/Hanukkah program to family and friends at 9:30 a.m. today. The children will recite special poetry, sing songs about Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, and present a “cornucopia of thankfulness” for the audience.

This year, Hanukkah begins Thanksgiving Day and concludes Dec. 5. Usually occurring in December, Hanukkah shows up at different times each year because the Jewish and Gregorian calendars are not calculated the same way.

The Thanksgiving convergence has only happened once before, in 1888, and will not be seen again until 2070 and 2165.

Foster family fun night

NEW WATERFORD

Abundant Life Fellowship, 46469 state Route 46, will host its annual foster family appreciation dinner and fun night at 5 p.m. Dec. 9 in the fellowship hall.

All area families who are or have been foster or adoptive families are invited to the buffet-style dinner, which will be served starting at 6 p.m. The evening will include entertainment, games and prizes and gifts for children.

Reservations with a list of all your children’s first names must be turned in by Dec. 2 at 330-426-9061 or the church office at 330-457-7317.

Bullying expert

CAMPBELL

Phil Chalmers, an expert on teen violence and bullying, will make a stop at Campbell Elementary/Middle School, 2002 Community Circle, on Monday as part of his “True Lies” tour.

Chalmers, who lives in Northeast Ohio, has been studying youth culture, along with juvenile homicide and juvenile mass murder, for more than two decades. His work has been featured on Montel Williams and Howard Stern, and he can be seen on the E! Network shows “Billionaire Crime Scenes” and “Too Young To Kill.”

The anti-bullying and crime-prevention assembly will begin at 6 p.m. It is open to the public.

For information, visit www.philchalmers.com.

Fire chief warns of smoke-alarm scam

WARREN

Fire Chief Ken Nussle issued a warning Wednesday for residents to be alert for fraudulent telephone calls offering to check a household smoke alarm.

The Warren Fire Department is not making these calls, Nussle said.

“Do not invite anyone into your home without first checking the legitimacy of the call,” Nussle said. He suggests calling the fire department at 330-841-2542 to report a suspicious call.

“The safest thing to do is just say ‘no’ and hang up,” Nussle said. “Then call the department to report it.”

Plant open house will mark 25th year

CHAMPION

Ohio Star Forge Co. will celebrate its 25th anniversary at its plant on Saturday with an open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The company is marking a $20 million expansion at the plant, which will create 26 jobs.

The plant is at 4000 Mahoning Ave in Champion Township.

New tourism trustees

WARREN

Three new trustees were elected during the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau’s annual membership meeting in Cortland. More than 40 members attended.

Elected to a three-year term to replace outgoing restaurant/entertainment/attraction/event venue trustee Jim Economos, owner of the Saratoga Restaurant, is Jordan Taylor of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

JV Ferrara of Julia’s Bed & Breakfast of Hubbard will replace Scott Kifer of Best Western of Warren. Gwen Logan, Trumbull County executive dog warden, assumes the at-large seat vacated by Kimmer Wolfinger of FarmGirl’s Artful Clutter & Such of North Bloomfield.

Appeal denied

WARREN

The Ohio 11th District Court of Appeals has dismissed an appeal filed on behalf of a Detroit man charged with murder in a November 2012 Warren gunbattle.

Atty. Heidi Hanni, representing Derrick Peete, 23, asked the appeals court to review an October decision by Judge Ronald Rice of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court regarding a delay she sought in Peete’s trial.

But the appeals court said the type of decision Judge Rice rendered is not appealable.

Peete’s trial was scheduled to begin Nov. 12, but Judge Rice canceled that trial date and set a final pretrial for Jan. 16, 2014, after Hanni filed another motion asking for the trial to be delayed because her mother is terminally ill.

Peete and Derrick Hatch, 26, also of Detroit, are charged with murder in the death of Marco Dukes, 32, of Warren.

Drug charges

CAMPBELL

City police arrested a 24-year-old Youngstown man on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Alekum Najee McLendon of Lansdowne Boulevard was stopped for speeding at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday on Wilson Avenue.

An exterior sniff of McLendon’s car by the city’s police dog resulted in probable cause for a search.

Officers then found a clear plastic bag containing 6 grams of suspected marijuana, along with $1,203.67.

McLendon was arrested and given a Friday court date.

He is charged with possession of drugs, a first-degree misdemeanor, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. In addition, he was cited for the speeding violation.

Seeking suspect

HOWLAND

Township police are looking for Brad Mowery, who they say committed an armed robbery at the BP gas station on Niles-Cortland Road on Tuesday, according to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner.

The suspect was last seen driving south on state Route 46 in a blue GMC Sonoma.

Police are asking anyone who knows the whereabouts of Mowery to contact them at 330-856-5555.