A public celebration for the late congressman will be Nov. 30
YOUNGSTOWN
The family of former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr., who died Sept. 27, will have a public celebration of his “life and accomplishments” at 2 p.m. Nov. 30 at the DeYor Performing Arts Center’s Edward W. Powers Auditorium.
The doors to the auditorium, 260 W. Federal St., will open at 12:30 p.m. that day.
The event will feature guest speakers, said Heidi Hanni, the family’s spokeswoman. Additional details should be available early next week, she said.
Information also will be provided on a Facebook page, “Traficant Tribute: A Celebration of the Life & Accomplishments of James A. Traficant Jr.” The page was created Tuesday.
Powers can hold up to 2,300 people, but an employee there said Wednesday that there is discussion with the Traficant family about increasing that number if needed.
The event is free and open to the public, but tickets will be required. Free tickets will be available Nov. 17, starting at 10 a.m., at the DeYor box office on a first-come, first-served basis with a limit of four per person.
Shortly after Traficant’s Sept. 27 death, Hanni said the family would have an event to celebrate the former congressman’s life.
Traficant died four days after a tractor he was driving on his family farm in Greenford fell on top of him, making him unable to breathe. He was 73.
One of the area’s most controversial politicians, Traficant spent 17 years in the U.S. House, and before that served four years as Mahoning County sheriff.