METRO DIGEST || Air show sponsorship OK’d

Sponsorship OK’d

VIENNA

The Western Reserve Port Authority, which runs the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, approved a motion Monday afternoon authorizing a $25,000 sponsorship for the Thunder Over The Valley air show coming to the airport and the Youngstown Air Reserve Station on May 17 and 18.

The port authority is hoping the sponsorship will be a challenge to other organizations to also purchase a sponsorship to help provide the money to stage the show.

The station’s community council has begun soliciting organizations and companies to partner with the air base by buying sponsorships ranging from $100 to $50,000 that give the sponsor VIP passes and, in some cases, rides in a B17 or B25 bomber.

A website for information is at www.thunderoverthevalley.com.

Bridge closed

GIRARD

The city is closing the bridge into Liberty Park until it can be replaced or repaired. An engineering firm inspected the bridge and condemned it several days ago, Mayor James Melfi said. The city will solicit bids for the work.

Man sentenced

WARREN

Carl D. Washington, 25, of Peace Avenue Northwest has been sentenced to six years in prison for robbing and kidnapping a 17-year-old girl and her mother in August.

Washington received his sentence in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

He also was indicted last summer on federal charges accusing him of being a felon in illegal possession of a firearm.

Washington spent three years in prison for firing a shotgun close to a 31-year-old Warren man in January 2010. The man had followed Washington and two other men to take their picture to give to police, because the Washington Street Northeast resident had noticed them hanging around near his house and suspected they were selling drugs.

After firing the gun, Washington fled, and broke into an Olive Street home before police captured him.

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