METRO DIGEST || Free family event

Free family event

BOARDMAN

Boardman Park will host a free family event Saturday at Maag Outdoor Theatre.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. with hayrides, bounce-around rentals and a balloon man. Live music, a magic show and a “Frozen”-themed sing-along will follow.

Attendees are asked to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets. Concessions will be available.

Dragelevich plea

YOUNGSTOWN

A Poland man accused of stealing six-figures’ worth of lottery tickets during his time as an Ohio Lottery employee has pleaded guilty.

According to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, David Dragelevich, 40, appeared Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court and pleaded guilty to the charge of theft in office.

Investigators discovered more than a year ago he had taken more than $100,000 worth of tickets while he worked as a regional sales representative at the Ohio Lottery’s North Canton office.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Dragelevich admitted cashing the stolen lottery tickets after manipulating various retailer accounts in the Akron and Youngstown areas.

He originally was seeking the court’s permission to begin substance-abuse treatment in lieu of criminal prosecution. That request was denied, however, after the amount of money stolen turned out to be higher than originally thought.

The court has not set a date for Dragelevich’s sentencing.

Bike Run fundraiser

LORDSTOWN

UAW Local 1112 Community Services Committee will host its annual Rollin’ the Dice Bike Run Saturday.

The event will begin at the union hall, 11471 Reuther Drive, and will end at Faces Lounge in Newton Falls.

Registration will start at 9 a.m., and the run will start at 11 a.m.

Proceeds from the event will be used for the Care n Share program, which feeds 400 families at Christmas time.

Cocaine charges

CLEVELAND

A federal grand jury has indicted a 20-year-old Youngstown man on a charge of attempting to possess with intent to distribute more than 1.1 pounds of cocaine, the U.S. attorney said Wednesday.

Juan Jose Rojas Pena committed the crime July 13, according to the indictment.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Postal Service.

In another case, Christopher A. Brown, 35, of Youngstown, was federally indicted on charges of operating a Parkcliff Avenue crack-cocaine distribution house during June and with possessing with intent to distribute more than an ounce of crack cocaine and heroin June 10.

That case was investigated by the DEA and the Youngstown police vice squad.

Both cases are being prosecuted by David M. Toepfer, a Youngstown-based assistant U.S. attorney.

Assault at Gabe’s

BOARDMAN

A Youngstown teen faces a second-degree felony charge after an incident at Gabriel Brothers, 850 Boardman-Poland Road.

Asia Posey, 17, of Tod Lane is charged with robbery after police said she tried to take merchandise from the store Tuesday and then assaulted a store employee while trying to flee.

Police also arrested Laquasha Mitchell, 19, of Palmer Avenue, who was at the store with Posey. She was arrested on an active theft warrant from Niles. Posey’s case was referred to the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center.

Street closed for event

YOUNGSTOWN

Lansing Avenue will be closed between Oak and Emmett streets from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday for the Celebrate Golden Strings event.

Health Fair today

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown Community Health Center, 726 Wick Ave., will host a Community Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.

There will be free blood-sugar and blood-pressure testing and Head Start enrollment.

U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, is expected to visit about 11 a.m.

Representatives from Caresource, Buckeye and United Healthcare also will be present, and information regarding the Affordable Care Act will be available.

For information, contact Youngstown Community Health Center at 330-747-9551.

Obscenity charges

CORTLAND

Michael T. Lennox, 49, of Wakefield Drive is charged with two felony counts of pandering obscenities and two misdemeanor counts of public indecency.

The charges stem from a complaint filed with the Cortland Police Department on June 28 in which the family of a girl, 13, reported that Lennox exposed himself to her at Lennox’s house multiple times in recent years.

After the public-indecency charges were filed in Central District Court on Aug. 5, Cortland police located Lennox driving his car and took him into custody on a warrant. He admitted having child pornography on his cellphone, which is why the pandering charges were added, said Detective David Morris.

Not-guilty pleas were entered for him, and his case was bound over to a Trumbull County grand jury.

2 house fires in city

YOUNGSTOWN

Investigators are looking for the cause of a fire at a home at 3117 Dearborn St. about 8:10 a.m. Thursday.

Reports said an ambulance crew in the neighborhood spotted smoke and alerted firefighters, who found heavy fire in the home when they arrived.

The owner of the home said he was renovating it and a previous tenant just moved out. He told firefighters he had just replaced $1,200 worth of plumbing, reports said. Damage is listed at $4,500.

About 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, flames broke out at a vacant home at 201 Byron St. Loss there was $6,000, which reports said is a total loss. The cause of that fire is listed as arson. There were no injuries.

Council vacancy

MCDONALD

Michael O’Brien, McDonald Village Council president pro tem, is accepting letters of interest until Aug. 25 to fill a vacant seat on council. Letters should be addressed to O’Brien at the municipal building, 451 Ohio Ave., McDonald, OH 44437.