Water-conservation request may end

July 27, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

SHARON, PA.

Aqua Pennsylvania officials are hopeful they can lift the water conservation request sometime today for customers in the Shenango Valley, Pa., and a small portion of Trumbull County.

However, Aqua is waiting to evaluate the effect of Sunday’s heavy rains on the Shenango River, the source of water for the Shenango water treatment plant, before lifting the request put out after a crude-oil spill Friday into a tributary in Brookfield Township that runs into the river.

The spill caused Aqua to shut down the raw-water intake at its Sharon water-treatment plant as a precaution to protect its drinking-water supply. Booms were placed in the tributary and Shenango River to capture the oil.

As of Sunday morning, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection had not authorized Aqua to lift the conservation request.

School chief resigns

CALCUTTA

Citing philosophical differences, the Beaver Local school board on Saturday accepted the resignation of Superintendent Kent Polen but kept him on as a special assistant.

The board, by a vote of 4-0, also appointed Louis Ramunno, 67, of Salem, as interim superintendent, effective Aug. 1.

Board President Bill Croxall said the parting between the board and superintendent was mutual and for the good of the district.

“We’ll get through it. We hired a good guy (in Ramunno). The board will work diligently to make sure we have a smooth transition,” Croxall said, noting he is looking for a “bright new beginning.”

Salem treasurer quits

SALEM

The Salem school board Friday accepted the resignation of the district’s treasurer and named an interim.

James Wilson is taking the same job with ACCESS, a state-licensed Informational Technology Center which services 26 school districts in Columbiana and Mahoning counties.

Staff/wire reports

More Digest, A6

Raccoon Road detour begins for thousands

CANFIELD

Continuing construction in the area of U.S. Route 224 and state Route 11 will mean more traffic moving through the heart of Canfield for a few weeks.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is closing Raccoon Road to all through traffic beginning today between Route 224 and U.S. Route 62, also known as Canfield Road.

The recommended detour is Route 224, to State Route 46 through Canfield, to Route 62.

According to the latest traffic count provided by the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, nearly 9,000 vehicles travel Raccoon Road between U.S. 62 and Route 224 each day.

The stretch of road is also a popular route to the Canfield Fair, which begins on Sept.2. Raccoon Road is scheduled to reopen three weeks before the start of this year’s fair, according to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast news partner.

The work is part of a $6.5 million project to replace and widen the Route 224 bridge over Route 11, widen Raccoon Road at Route 224 and widen the state Route 11 southbound ramp to U.S. 224.

Community food drive set Sat. in North Lima

NORTH LIMA

The Beaver Township Parks Department will host a community food drive from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Nonperishable food items will be collected to donate to a local food pantry. Drop-off locations for the goods are the township administration office in the South Range Plaza; the nature preserve at state Route 165; and Woodworth Park on Warren Avenue off Western Reserve Road.

For information, call 330-549-3993.

Trumbull NAACP hosts arts carnival

WARREN

The Trumbull County NAACP will be hosting the Carnival of Arts from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at T.C.A.P., 1230 Palmyra Road, for the annual Trumbull County Unity Day.

There will be live music featuring gospel artist For Grace, as well as vendors, local artists, line dancing and more. Top area chefs will also be in attendance with “A Taste of Warren.”

Tickets are $15 and children under 10 are free with advance reservation.

Proceeds will go to Freedom Fund Scholarship.

For information, email naacp_warren@ymail.com or call 330-469-3247.

6th Ward Coalition sets Aug. 12 meeting

YOUNGSTOWN

The newly formed Sixth Ward Citizens Coalition will meet from 6 to 7 p.m. Aug. 12 at Newport Public Library, 3730 Market St., and focus on electing interim officers to lead in setting up the organization. Those who would like to volunteer to be a part of coalition’s leadership should contact Dario Hunter before the meeting at 330-423-4236 or dario@coalition6.com.

Farm Bureau sets meeting at Vernon’s

NILES

The Trumbull County Farm Bureau will have its annual meeting Aug. 13 at Vernon’s Cafe, 720 Youngstown-Warren Road. There will be a 6 p.m. reception and 6:30 p.m. dinner.

The meeting will include a recognition of county programs; the election of county board trustees and delegates to the Ohio Farm Bureau 2016 annual meeting; setting of county policies for 2016; recognition of 2015 membership volunteers; and recognition of 2015 scholarship recipients.

The Trumbull County Farm Bureau has a membership of 3,100.

Reservations are required by Aug. 6 by calling 440-437-8700 or emailing nefarmbu@fairpoint.net.

Youngstown YWCA hosts artists camp

YOUNGSTOWN

The YWCA of Youngstown, 25 W. Rayen Ave., will host a Young Artists Camp for youth in grades four through six from 9:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 10 through 14.

Participants will experiment with different forms of art, including sketching, painting, clay sculpting, and graffiti. The camp also includes field trips and an artwork showcase party.

The cost is $50, which includes materials. Limited scholarships are available.

For information or to enroll, contact Jennie at 330-746-6361, ext. 125.

Backpack program at Austintown store

AUSTINTOWN

Area residents can benefit from a national backpack giveaway campaign by TCC, the largest Verizon premium wireless retailer in the United States, from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the TCC store at 5507 Mahoning Ave.

One backpack per child present will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. The backpacks are not limited to Austintown residents and there are no income requirements.

Each participating TCC store will donate 200 backpacks. All leftover backpacks will be donated to local schools.

Cuts hit UA arts hall

AKRON

The curtain may be coming down on the University of Akron’s Broadway in Akron series and other popular shows at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall.

The school, which announced $40 million in cuts earlier this month, says it’s getting out of the business of being a concert and events promoter.

UA Vice President for Advancement Lawrence Burns said the nearly 3,000-seat, on-campus venue isn’t closing and it will still house academic programs and be available for .

But its role in the local arts community certainly will be changing.

“We’re not going to abandon the arts in the community, particularly those who want to come in and use the facility,” Burns said. “It’s just that we won’t be serving as the risk-taking promoter of those events ‘” unless there’s a funding source to do that.”

Librarians in decline

COLUMBUS

In the past 10 years, the number of librarians, or full-time equivalents, in Ohio public schools has dropped by 43 percent, from 1,628 in the 2004-05 school year to 923 in the 2013-14 year, according to the Ohio Department of Education.

Dozens of studies point to children with higher reading levels and better overall performance in schools that have full-time, licensed librarians, a position that requires both a master’s degree and a teaching license. Staff/wire reports