Man sentenced

Man sentenced

YOUNGSTOWN

Michael Bland, 22, was sentenced to 11 years in prison Monday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court after being convicted by a jury earlier this month on the charge of discharging a firearm into a habitation.

Bland received eight years for the charge and an additional three years for a gun specification tied to that charge.

He is accused of trying to force his way into a home in the 1300 block of Wick Avenue on Feb. 13, and when he couldn’t get inside, police said he fired several shots at the home. No one was injured.

He was convicted after a one-day trial Jan. 16. The sentence was handed down by Judge John M. Durkin.

YSU classes canceled

YOUNGSTOWN

Due to weather, all classes at Youngstown State University are canceled today. The university, however, will remain open and employees should report to work at their scheduled hours.

Classes are expected to resume Wednesday unless otherwise notified.

Frozen hydrant hampers fighting fire

BAZETTA

Fire Chief Dennis Lewis said weather hampered fighting a fire at 12:48 p.m. Monday as firefighters encountered a frozen hydrant then used another.

He estimated about $10,000 in damage to a condominium in the 3000 block of Ivy Hill Circle North. Lewis said a preliminary investigation pointed to an issue with remodeling the bathroom as cause of the fire.

The family’s six cats were rescued. The family is staying with relatives.

Red Cross warming center open in Liberty

LIBERTY

The Red Cross Mahoning Valley Chapter’s warming center at 3530 Belmont Ave., Suite 7, (across from Walmart) will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Wednesday.

The warming center is a place for people to get warm, if for example, their furnace needs repair, or they just want to get inside out of the cold and get a hot drink, said Karen Conklin, executive director.

She said the local Red Cross will continue to monitor the need for overnight shelters, the need for which is determined by the local emergency-management agency.

A triggering situation might be, for example, loss of power to a large number of people or widespread flooding, Conklin said. An overnight shelter provides cots, meals, counselors and other services as needed, she said.

Financial presentation postponed until Feb. 5

WARREN

In honor of January as National Mentoring Month, Inspiring Minds, Kent State University at Trumbull’s Enactus Group and managers from local Chase Banks have partnered to offer high school and college students the IM Financial Literacy Program to teach the importance of budgeting, balancing and saving money.

The Inspiring Minds students originally were to present their final project presentations to Kent State professors, Kent State Enactus members and Chase Bank managers today; however, due to weather, the event has been rescheduled for Feb. 5. The rescheduled presentations will be 4 to 6 p.m. in Room 223, second floor, classroom administration building at the Kent State University Trumbull Campus, 4314 Mahoning Ave. NW.

Employment guidance

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership is offering information sessions about its Workforce Development Program from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The Workforce Development Program, which helps people 18 and older who are unemployed or underemployed with guidance on work-related skills, will begin its next six-week class in February at MYCAP’s main office at 1325 Fifth Ave.

People interested must attend one of the information sessions, which provide an overview of topics and what is expected of participants. The program is free and for residents who have a high-school diploma or GED diploma and meet income guidelines.

For information, call MYCAP at 330-747-7921, ext. 1190 or ext. 1724 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Man faces charges

boardman

A 59-year-old man is in the Mahoning County jail after a Boardman police officer said he made threatening comments during his arrest on a criminal trespass charge.

Willie McLeod of Chattanooga, Tenn., is facing both the third-degree felony intimidation charge and the fourth-degree misdemeanor criminal trespassing charge.

Police were called to the Boardman Plaza just after 10 a.m. Friday on the report of a man soliciting for money.

McLeod was placed under arrest outside Hobby Lobby on the criminal-trespassing charge.

After he was arrested, he called the officer numerous names. He then attempted to spit on the officer and threatened the officer with physical harm, according to a police report.

No van rides today

BROOKFIELD

The Brookfield Township Community Van, or senior van, will not be operating today and Wednesday due to the low temperatures. The van will resume transportations on Thursday.

Charities join to send children to event

YOUNGSTOWN

The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley and the Difference Makers are collaborating to enable some 300 children to attend the Harlem Globetrotters basketball game on Wednesday at Covelli Centre, 229 E. Front St.

Children from St. Dominic Church, Mill Creek Children’s Center, the Boys and Girls Club and Big Brothers and Big Sisters will be treated to pizza provided by Wedgewood Pizza and the United Way before the game.

The children’s event was organized by St. Dominic Church’s Father Greg Maturi and Operation Redemption, a youth outreach revitalization program in Youngstown. The children will meet at St. Dominic, 77 E. Lucius Ave., at 5 p.m.

Beaver Township meeting canceled

NORTH LIMA

The Beaver Township Police Crime Watch meeting planned for today has been canceled due to the low temperatures. For information, contact Lt. Dan Valentine at 330-549-5338.

Trumbull Dems for voter task force

WARREN

The Trumbull County Democratic Party has formed a voter-registration and voter-turnout task force.

Chairmen are Cosmo Signoriello, deputy bailiff of Girard Municipal Court; and Eddie Colbert, Warren City Council member. Other members are state Rep. Sean O’Brien of Brookfield, D-65th; Warren Councilman Vincent Flask and community activist Cindy Michael.

After the group completes its voter-registration efforts, it will focus on having every registered voter cast a ballot.

“It’s not enough to simply register someone,” said Dan Polivka, Trumbull County Democratic Party chairman. “The key to victory, the key to turning this state around, lies in turning potential voters into powerful agents for change.”

Man faces drug charges

youngstown

Police arrested John Fritch, 31, of Wildwood Drive, Brookfield, about 7:11 p.m. Sunday at Gypsy Lane and Fifth Avenue on charges of possession of drug-abuse instruments and drug paraphernalia.

He was a passenger in a car stopped for a traffic violation. His movements in the car made police suspicious and they asked for and received permission to search the car, a report said. They found a syringe where Fritch was seated and two other used syringes and a silver spoon.

Fritch was issued citations and released at the scene.

Women arrested, face drug charges

YOUNGSTOWN

Two women were arrested and taken to Mahoning County jail after a traffic stop about 3 p.m. Sunday.

Megan Thompson, 28, of Hadley Street, was charged with possession of drug-abuse instruments and drug paraphernalia. Police found two used syringes and a crack pipe, a report said.

Candice Bacher, 30, of Stewart Street, the driver, was charged with drug paraphernalia and failure to appear after police learned about an active warrant for loud music.

Both women told police they had crack pipes in their underwear.