New members elected
New members elected
NILES
The Trumbull County Tourism Bureau elected three new members at last week’s annual meeting.
Chris Carfangia from Pine Lakes Golf Club was elected to a three-year term to replace outgoing golf course trustee Gary McMullin from Yankee Run Golf Course; Jim Bugos from the WD Packard Music Hall/JAC Management was elected to replace Zachary Svette from Trumbull County MetroParks; and Michele Janci from the Residence Inn Niles assumes the at-large seat vacated by Jerry Usselman.
New this year was the presentation of a “Member of the Year” award recognizing the efforts of a member who exemplifies the mission of the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau. Don Sutton, owner of Market Square in Kinsman and creator of the Tour Route 7, received the award.
House struck by car
CHAMPION
It was a surreal experience for a Champion couple whose house was struck by an out-of-control car involved in a 7 p.m. single-car crash Saturday on Oak Hill Drive.
The man was sitting in his living room, and his wife was in bed on the first floor when the car driven by David Flask, 25, of Warren, tumbled into the house and crashed into the porch and one exterior wall.
Flask was in satisfactory condition Monday in St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.
The man said he was nearly asleep when the crash pushed a wall about 5 feet into the house, along with lots of debris from the car.
“Oh, boy, what a mess,” he said. It’s remarkable with the amount of damage done to the house that neither he or his wife were injured, he said.
Man arraigned
YOUNGSTOWN
A man was arraigned in municipal court Monday after a gun was found in his car Saturday morning at a DUI checkpoint on the lower West Side.
Judge Elizabeth Kobly set bond at $10,000 for George Dunlap, 32, of Ridgeway Avenue in Struthers, who was a passenger in a car that was pulled over at the checkpoint at Mahoning and Belle Vista avenues about 3 a.m. and charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.
Reports said the driver told officers there was a loaded gun in the glove box and the gun belonged to Dunlap, who was a passenger although the car was his.
Reports said Dunlap told officers he locked the loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver in the glove box because he and his friends were going drinking in downtown Youngstown.
Man threatens wife
BOARDMAN
A Boardman man who faces a domestic violence charge is set to appear in court today after police said he threatened his wife with a gun.
Paul Gribben, 34, was arrested Friday at his Southern Boulevard residence after his wife reported to township police that he threatened her with a revolver during a fight about divorce proceedings.
According to a police report, Gribben refused to let his wife sign divorce papers when she came to his house Friday.
When she began to leave the residence, Gribben then came out of the house with a gun, pointed it at her and told her to leave or he would kill her, she told police.
The victim gave police photographs from the incident that depict Gribben holding a gun.
Gribben is free on bond, pending a court appearance today.
Special meeting set
POLAND
The Poland Township Board of Trustees will have a special meeting at 8 a.m. Wednesday at the Poland Township Government Center, 3339 Dobbins Road.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss a union grievance.
Christmas event
BOARDMAN
Boardman Park will host a Community Christmas event from 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 7.
Participants can bring natural decorations — such as popcorn strings or pine cones covered in peanut butter — to adorn one of the park’s pine trees.
To reserve a tree, call the park office at 330-726-8105 or email angela@boardmanpark.com.
Santa will make an appearance at 4:20 p.m., Christmas music and caroling will begin at 4:30 p.m., and the lighting of the Community Christmas Tree will take place at 4:45 p.m.
All activities are free and will take place near the gazebo and St. James Church.
The park administration will accept donations of canned goods for Second Harvest Food Bank.
Specialized dockets
NEWTON FALLS
Newton Falls Municipal Court has earned final certification as a treatment court from the Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission on Specialized Dockets.
“Specialized dockets result in significantly lower recidivism rates, which means offenders become productive members of society, for which we all benefit,” said Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor.
Specialized dockets are courts dedicated to specific types of offenses or offenders and use a combination of techniques for holding offenders accountable while also addressing the underlying causes of their behavior.
There are more than 150 specialized dockets in Ohio courts that deal with issues such as drugs and alcohol, mental health, domestic violence and sex offenses.
Rate changes delayed
GIRARD
City council postponed an ordinance amending water rates and voted against an ordinance amending sewer rates at its meeting Monday.
The ordinances will now go back into utilities committee meetings for discussion.
The city’s law director, Brian Kren, did not like language in the ordinances, so committee members will discuss it with him.
The language allows the city to base water rates and sewer rates on the cost of living.
Toys for Tots program
YOUNGSTOWN
Area Chuck E. Cheese locations and the Northern Ohio USO will have “Red, White & Blue” day Friday.
Shoppers will be invited to drop off a new, unwrapped toy for the annual U.S. Marine Toys for Tots program.
Chuck E. Cheese will give those who drop off a toy 50 tickets and five free tokens.
Participating Chuck E. Cheese locations in the Mahoning Valley include Niles and Boardman.
Woman in custody
YOUNGSTOWN
A woman who escaped police custody twice this month from St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital is in the Mahoning County jail on $40,000 bond.
Dawna Martin, 29, of Matta Avenue, was arraigned before Judge Elizabeth Kobly Monday in municipal court on charges of escape, receiving stolen property and unauthorized removal.
A sheriff’s department report said detectives spotted her and another man on North Maryland Avenue.
Both are wanted on several warrants.
The man ran away toward Interstate 680 south and the detectives were not able to find him.
Martin was detained and was taken to the hospital for a medical problem she was complaining of when she walked away.
The report said it was the second time in three weeks she had walked out of the hospital with a police hold.
Jail records show she was taken into custody Friday but there is no information on where or when she was caught.