Rabid raccoons

Rabid raccoons

BOARDMAN

Laboratory reports confirmed that two raccoons found in the township tested positive for the rabies virus variant common to raccoons in the eastern United States.

The animals were found near South Avenue and Western Reserve Road and near South Avenue and Boardman-Poland Road, said an official with the Mahoning County Health Department.

Officials from the local unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services offices ran preliminary tests on the raccoons that indicated they were positive for rabies. The specimens were then sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for variant typing.

Residents should be vigilant and not interact with or feed wildlife, said Mary Helen Smith, director of environmental health for the county health department.

Faculty urges vote

YOUNGSTOWN

A group of 20 science faculty at Youngstown State University are urging city voters to cast ballots in favor of the anti-fracking Community Bill of Rights charter amendment.

These faculty members Thursday made the same statement in May when city voters rejected the amendment for the third time. “This ban does not have to be permanent but should remain in effect at least until companies can control the air pollution [especially the harmful volatile organic compounds], safely treat radioactivity in the waste, and are required to clean their used fracking water before safely returning it to the natural source from which it came,” the statement reads.

Half-marathon

COLUMBIANA

The second annual Hilloween Half Marathon and two-person relay is set for 7 a.m. Sunday at Columbiana High School, 700 Columbiana-Waterford Road.

Columbiana–Waterford Road, Metz Road, Lower Elkton, Kelly Park Road, Fairfield School Road, Crestview Road, Cherry Street, Middleton, Fairfield Avenue, and Duquesne will be closed except for local traffic and delays from 7 to 10 a.m.

Volunteers and police will help redirect traffic while runners are in the vicinity. Those interested in running either the 13.1 mile half-marathon or a portion of the course as a two-person relay team can register on the race website at the Siembida & Boggs Philanthropic Foundation, www.SandBFoundation.org. The half-marathon costs $40. The two-person relay fee is $35 per person. Age group awards, overall male and female awards, and finishing medals will be awarded to the first 100 runners.

Race-day registration beings at 5:30 a.m. and closes at 6:45 a.m. For details, call race directors Crystal and Josh Boggs at 330-482-9105.

More Digest on A5