METRO DIGEST || Mahoning River cleanup today

River cleanup event

GIRARD

Friends of the Mahoning River will host a cleanup today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Participants will meet at 11 a.m. at Girard City Hall, 100 W. Main St., then be shuttled to the cleanup site on Front Street. Those interested are encouraged to bring rakes, shovels and chain saws, as the area is overgrown and has been used as a trash-dumping ground.

The group is readying the area for the inaugural paddle of the Trumbull Canoe Trails Paddling Club on June 8, which will be preceded by the Mahoning Riverfest at the B&O Station, 530 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown, June 7. The city of Girard has applied for an Ohio Department of Natural Resources grant to install a permanent launch site at the Front Street location.

For more information about the cleanup project, contact Don Rex, a Friends of the Mahoning River board member, at 330-219-2459.

Robotics competition

WARREN

Delphi Packard and the National Packard Museum will have their third annual FIRST Robotics competition from noon to 4 p.m. next Saturday at the National Packard Museum, 1899 Mahoning Ave. NW.

FIRST Robotics teams from area high schools and middle schools will be on hand to demonstrate their robots and answer questions.

FIRST Robotics teams from Warren G. Harding, Champion, Girard, Austintown Fitch and Canfield high schools are scheduled to appear, along with Warren McGuffey K-8 and Austintown Middle School teams.

Vote results certified

WARREN

The Trumbull County Board of Elections on Friday certified the election results for all of the levies and major races in the May 6 primary election.

That includes Democratic primaries for county commissioner won by Frank Fuda, state representative won by Sean O’Brien and Michael O’Brien and probate judge won by James Fredericka.

Fund cut criticized

YOUNGSTOWN

Council members from Cincinnati and Toledo joined Mahoning County Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti and Ohio Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, in criticizing Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, for cutting the Local Government Fund.

The officeholders, all Democrats, said Friday that the state’s surplus, which exceeds $1 billion, came from Kasich’s decision, backed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly, to cut the Local Government Fund. That has made it difficult for local governments to fix potholes, pave roads, mow grass and demolish vacant houses, said Toledo Councilwoman Lindsay Webb. Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld said the cuts have forced communities to cut back on safety services.

Car cruise set Sunday

NEW CASTLE, PA.

The Rapid Tappets Car Club will host its 24th annual dust-off car cruise from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Shenango Area Junior/Senior High School, 2550 Ellwood Road.

The event will feature food, door prizes and raffles, along with hundreds of cars. The entry fee is $2, and all makes and models of vehicles are welcome. Dash plaques will be given to the first 400 vehicles registered. For more information, call 724-924-2219, or email tudone2@comcast.net.