Historical society receives $500K gift

Historical society receives $500K gift

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning Valley Historical Society received a gift of $500,000 Wednesday from Dr. Maria M. L. Fok for the creation of the Tyler Mahoning Valley History Center, 325 W. Federal St., downtown.

Dr. Fok made a commitment for the gift in September, after touring the Tyler center. The money will be used to underwrite the main exhibition area in honor of her late husband.

This space will be known as the Drs. Thomas and Maria Fok Exhibit Gallery.

Dr. Fok’s campaign pledge was announced Nov. 6, when MVHS kicked off Phase 2 of the fundraising campaign.

The Phase 2 goal is to raise $1.5 million for Tyler center exhibits, education programs and endowments.

Gifts and pledges currently stand at $858,643 or 57 percent of the goal.

Officer promoted

YOUNGSTOWN

A 14-year veteran patrol officer was promoted Wednesday to the rank of detective sergeant.

Edward Kenney was sworn into his new rank by Mayor John A. McNally during a ceremony in council chambers.

Kenney takes the place of Cindy Dellick, who retired at the beginning of this month.

Kenney, who has patrolled a South Side beat for most of his career, is expected to be a patrol supervisor on the department’s afternoon shift.

Cigarettes stolen

AUSTINTOWN

Someone broke into a gas station early Wednesday and stole cigarettes.

Authorities were called to Shell, 4200 Mahoning Ave., about 4:36 a.m. for a breaking and entering.

Police found shattered glass and cigarette packs scattered throughout the lot.

Someone used a large rock to break the glass windows, gained access to the store and stole 24 packs of cigarettes.

A footprint on a broken piece of glass as well as two pieces of the large rock were secured as evidence.

A store employee said there would be video surveillance of the incident.

Police recover ATVs

AUSTINTOWN

Police recovered two ATVs stolen from storage on Meridian Road, according to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner.

The vehicles belong to Asplundh Tree Cutting.

They were taken about 2 a.m. Wednesday.

One vehicle was an eight-wheeled amphibious side-by-side, and the other was a Kubota side-by-side, Austintown police said.

Police located the vehicles through GPS trackers hidden on them.

They were found in a garage on West Princeton Avenue on Youngstown’s South Side.

Police were blocked by tires in the garage.

Police say the vehicles are valued at $20,000 each.

They were returned to their owner.

Lottery winner

YOUNGSTOWN

A Youngstown man won $142,000, after taxes, in an Ohio Lottery lottery game.

Henry Rutherford won $5,500 and an entry into the Top Prize Drawing after he won on a ticket in August 2013.

His entry was selected from a pool of 18 in the Money Mania Double Play Top Prize Drawing, according to a news release from the Ohio Lottery Commission.

He won $200,000, but after state and federal taxes, he receives $142,000, of which he said he plans to pay off his home mortgage.

Public hearing

HILLSVILLE, PA.

The Mahoning Township supervisors will conduct a public hearing at 2 p.m. today at the Mahoning Township Community Center to discuss and contemplate legal action against Penn National Gaming Inc. for its decision to withdraw from the Lawrence Downs Racino Development Project.

Man arrested

BOARDMAN

Township police arrested Brien Mennell, 45, of Youngstown on Tuesday after he purportedly stole a vehicle.

Mennell is charged with receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony, and also was arrested on warrants out of Mahoning and Trumbull counties and Union Township, Pa.

The car he was driving was reported missing from a Market Street business Tuesday.

Police then caught up with Mennell.

Mennell was taken to the Mahoning County jail and is scheduled to appear in Mahoning County Area Court here today.

Institute surpasses $1M campaign goal

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning Valley Lifelong Learning Institute announced Wednesday it has surpassed its campaign goal of $1 million, allowing it to enter into the next phase of expansion.

Lorilyn Shandor, campaign and gift planning director for Park Vista of Youngstown, said the campaign committee had raised $1,014,000 for program endowment and capital improvements, noting that outstanding community support had made it possible.

“I think that the Mahoning Valley’s belief in Park Vista and its mission really sustained this effort,” said Shandor.

The announcement was made at a small donor event in March, during which Shandor outlined the next steps for the growing institute.

Man faces charge

BOARDMAN

Andre M. Ballinger II, 25, of Youngstown, faces a misdemeanor domestic-violence charge after township police arrested him on a warrant Tuesday.

The charge stems from an incident Monday in which Ballinger reportedly assaulted the mother of his child, who reportedly gave birth to their baby Friday.

The victim told police the two began arguing and that Ballinger struck her in the eye with a soda bottle, and then jumped out of her car.

Police later discovered that Ballinger is on federal probation.

He was taken to the Mahoning County jail, pending an appearance in Mahoning County Area Court here today.