Tax volunteers needed

Tax volunteers needed

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning Youngstown Community Action Partnership is looking for volunteers to help with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

The VITA program offers free tax help to eligible individuals and families in Mahoning County who make $52,000 or less and need assistance in preparing their own basic tax return.

Volunteers will work with MYCAP to receive the necessary IRS training, offered online, before they begin to donate a couple of hours per week or month, depending on their schedule, to file tax returns.

People interested in becoming a volunteer tax preparer should contact Jim Johnston at 330-747-7921, ext. 1203.

Activities canceled

YOUNGSTOWN

Due to the frigid weather, all activities at the Arab American Cultural & Educational Center, 15 Belgrade Ave., are canceled today.

Energy seminar

WARREN

Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith will give a seminar at 6 p.m. Thursday to local government officials on energy conservation within their buildings.

The seminar will involve a presentation by Johnson Controls relating to upgrading or repairing facilities.

It will be in the Trumbull County commissioners hearing room on the fifth floor of the County Administration Building, 160 High St. NW.

Found in Lawrence Co.

NEW CASTLE, PA.

A deadly mix of heroin and the narcotic Fentanyl that state Atty. General Kathleen G. Kane said is believed to have caused 22 deaths in Western Pennsylvania has been found in Lawrence County, Pa.

The heroin, in bags stamped with the words Theraflu, Bud Ice, and Income Tax, has been identified by narcotics agents in Allegheny, Westmoreland, Armstrong, Butler, Beaver and Lawrence counties, Kane said.

However, she said the stamped bags could already or eventually be available in other counties across Pennsylvania.

“We are contacting hospitals, medical examiners, and police departments in surrounding areas to be on the lookout for these specific stamps of heroin. I urge the public to avoid this already dangerous drug, and to assist law enforcement in their investigations. Anyone with information should call the Bureau of Narcotics Investigations at 1-800-442-8006,” Kane said.

Women file suit

YOUNGSTOWN

Three women whose federal lawsuit against the Trumbull County Children Services agency was dismissed a year ago have filed a similar suit in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

The women, Shemia Fudge of Warren, Kenya Kennedy of Los Angeles and “T.W.” of Warren, allege former Children Services youth leader Rita Watson of Girard sexually abused them in her Boardman home while they were under Watson’s supervision with the agency.

The suit seeks $1 million for each of the women filing the suit, which was filed by Atty. David Engler.

Tim Schaffner, Children Services executive director, has said of the three women that the agency investigated allegations against a youth leader about four years ago and reported the allegations to the Warren Police Department, but no charges were filed.

The lawsuit doesn’t specify a time when the purported abuse took place.

Fire damages garage

youngstown

A fire in a garage at a 414 N. Glennellen Ave. home on the South Side about 10:40 p.m. Monday caused about $20,000 in damage, fire reports say.

Crews were called to the home and found flames coming from an attached garage that had been remodeled as living space, fire reports said.

The occupants said they were on the second floor of the home when they were alerted to the fire by noise and were able to get outside.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

No one was injured.

Car hits tractor-trailer

liberty

A woman suffered minor injuries after her car hit a tractor-trailer on Interstate 80 in Liberty Tuesday.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said Emma Bonila of Lorain hit the truck when she lost control of her car while they were both traveling west.

The accident happened around 9:30 a.m.

After hitting the truck, she crossed the median and ended up in the eastbound lanes.

She was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center with minor injuries.

She was cited for failure to control her car, the patrol reported.

SOUP dinner planned

WARREN

Warren SOUP will have its next micro-finance dinner 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at The Movement, 480 E. Market St.

Tickets will be sold at the door.

The SOUP provides micro-funding for creative local projects that will have a positive impact on the city of Warren.

The SOUP is a public dinner of soup, salad and bread for $5.

SOUPs involve presentations from no more than four local groups seeking funding for their projects, and people have the opportunity to ask a few questions before voting for their favorite project.

The winner is announced at the end of the evening, and it receives the money raised from the Warren SOUP event that night.