METRO DIGEST || Valley firm deceives donors

Donors deceived

YOUNGSTOWN

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and his counterpart in Pennsylvania won a restraining order Wednesday against a Mahoning Valley-based company for deceiving donors while soliciting for charities that cater to police and firefighters. The restraining order was part of a lawsuit filed Wednesday against Encore Music Productions Ltd., which listed addresses in Boardman and Sharon, Pa., saying it deceived donors by not giving 100 percent of the donations to charity, as promised; telling call-makers to falsely identify themselves as police officers or firefighters; and failing to identify themselves as professional solicitors. The lawsuit, filed in Allen County Common Pleas Court under the state’s Corrupt Activities Act and the Ohio Charitable Organizations Act, names 18 defendants, almost all of them from the Mahoning Valley. A message was left at Encore Music for comment.

Golf-store snatching

NILES

Police are looking for a man who snatched an elderly woman’s purse in a store parking lot about 3 p.m. Wednesday. The man pulled alongside the 89-year-old Girard woman’s car while it was parked at Golf Headquarters at U.S. Route 422 and state Route 46. He opened her door and took the purse, then drove away, police said. The man was driving a black Honda four-door. He is black, about 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs about 250 pounds, police said.

Leaf collections

STRUTHERS

Though Mahoning County no longer will fund curbside leaf collections, the street department will continue pickup of leaves for composting at its expense. Residents must purchase their own biodegradable bags, which are available at home-improvement stores, and the street department will pick up properly bagged leaves daily.

Earlier this month, the Mahoning County Solid Waste Policy Committee voted to reduce county recycling division funding for leaf pickup this fall to help balance the budget, which has faced problems since last year’s closing of Central Waste landfill in Smith Township.

Youngstown BOE

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown school board will have a special meeting behind closed doors at 5 p.m. today at the Irene L. Ward Building, 20 W. Wood St. Goals and expectations for the superintendent will be discussed.

YMHA meeting

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority will have a regular meeting at noon today in the board room at Amedia Plaza, 131 W. Boardman St.