Man charged in rape

Man charged in rape

BOARDMAN

A Boardman man was charged with rape, accused of assaulting a woman at a Halloween party in an apartment building on Lockwood Boulevard.

According to a police report filed Saturday, the victim told police that Jeffrey Johnston, 33, of Northlawn Avenue sexually assaulted her in the bathroom during the party.

When police arrived, they found the victim sitting near a roadway, “visibly upset and crying hysterically.” She told police what happened, and they arrested Johnston after finding him at the party. He denied having sexual contact with the woman.

The victim was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center in Boardman. Johnston was taken to the Mahoning County jail.

Johnston appeared in court Tuesday for an arraignment. He was released on bond and is set to be back in court Dec. 9.

Felony assault charges

GIRARD

A preliminary hearing for a man facing felony charges in two assaults Saturday morning on South State Street was postponed Wednesday.

Lester Wolfe, 45, of Berlin Center is to return to Girard Municipal Court at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Wolfe is charged with driving over a curb in front of Chesty’s Blue Collar Tavern and striking a man standing there. The man was injured in the knee.

About an hour later, at 2:15 a.m., police came across a fight in the middle of State Street. An officer immediately arrested Wolfe, a police report says. The victim was lying in the road bleeding from head wounds. He told police Wolfe hit him in the head with two 2.75-pound weight plates.

Citywide meeting set

YOUNGSTOWN

The city of Youngstown and Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. are planning to host a citywide meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Covelli Centre’s Community Room, 229 E. Front St.

Strategies to improve neighborhoods throughout the city will be presented for discussion and feedback.

For information, contact Tom Hetrick at 330-480-0423 or at thetrick@yndc.org.

Telephone pole on fire

STRUTHERS

A telephone pole outside City Hall at 6 Elm St. caught fire about 11 p.m. Tuesday. A fire dispatcher said the fire was caused by a jumper cable that split open. The dispatcher reported the fire was contained by 3 a.m. Wednesday and it did not spread beyond the pole.

Ohio Edison crews were on the scene Wednesday to reinforce the cables on the pole.

Eye surgery after attack

WARREN

A 20-year-old Niles man who was shot in the eye during an early-morning assault at Mahoning Avenue and Dunstan Drive early Tuesday had eye surgery Wednesday.

The man told police teenagers in a car fired BB guns at him, hitting him in the eye with one shot at 4:30 a.m. as he was walking. They also stole his cellphone.

He was taken to St. Joseph Health Center, where surgery was planned Tuesday to remove the BB from his sinus cavity, police said. He also sought treatment Wednesday for damage to his eye at an unspecified hospital outside of Warren, police said.

Five people were arrested in the attack, including one 18-year-old woman taken to the Trumbull County Jail, and four juveniles taken to the county’s juvenile justice center. All were charged with aggravated robbery.

Annual banquet set

SALEM

The Eastern Ohio Grazing Council’s annual banquet will be at 6:30 p.m. next Thursday at Winona Friends Church, 4615 Whinnery Road. Workshop topics will include “How proper grazing management improves soil health” and “Extended grazing and modifying grazing pattern with supplementation” of animal diets.

The cost is $10 per person. To register, call 330-627-9852 no later than Monday.

NAACP youth council

YOUNGSTOWN

The next meeting of the youth council of the local NAACP will take place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the East Branch Library study room, 430 Early Road.

Details of the upcoming Historically Black Colleges & Universities fair from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 22 at Warrensville High School near Cleveland will be discussed. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend. LK Williams is acting adviser. Call her at 330-788-1005 with questions.

Police probe theft

CAMPBELL

Police are investigating a theft of $820 from the McDonald’s restaurant on McCartney Road. A store manager reported to a police dispatcher that a manager was supposed to deposit the money for the company Sunday, but that manager assigned to handle that task reportedly never deposited the money.

No charges have been filed, but the detective division is investigating a suspect.