Thursday, March 19, 2015
Air base support
YOUNGSTOWN
The Western Reserve Port Authority has approved a $25,000-per-year contribution for three years to the effort by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber to hire someone to avoid closure or reductions at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna.
John Boccieri, a former congressman, squadron commander at the base and a port authority board member, abstained from voting on the measure.
He received an opinion from the Ohio Ethics Commission last month indicating he should “fully withdraw from consideration of matters before the authority that will affect [the Air Force Reserve’s] interests.”
Rose Ann DeLeon dies
YOUNGSTOWN
Rose Ann Jersan DeLeon, former executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority, died over the weekend.
DeLeon, 60, of the Cleveland area, was hired to operate the port authority’s new economic-development office in 2009 and stayed in that position until early 2014 when she left because of illness.
She had been off work for several months in 2012 while battling cancer.
DeLeon had been vice president of strategic development and government affairs for the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority before coming to the Mahoning Valley. She had worked at the Cleveland port authority since 1993.
Services will be 11 a.m. today at St. Thomas More Parish in Cleveland.
Electronic court filings
BOARDMAN
The Mahoning County commissioners Wednesday approved a resolution of necessity to buy the e-filing Exchange Software license from CourtView Justice Solutions of Canton for $78,975. The launch of electronic document filing is planned for September in civil cases in the county’s common pleas court.
Volunteers needed
YOUNGSTOWN
The American Red Cross Lake to River Chapter, 3530 Belmont Ave., is seeking volunteers willing to donate $10 and an hour of their time Friday, Saturday, or Sunday participating in a pilot program, “Be A Hero,” with DittoTalk, a Youngstown startup company, that officials believe will transform the way nonprofits raise money.
Using DittoTalk software, the Red Cross is asking volunteers to do five short web presentations each to their friends and family with the goal of educating people about the work of the Red Cross and recruiting volunteers and raising money, said Karen Conklin, chapter executive director.
DittoTalk has successfully used its software in the for-profit sector, and this weekend is testing its effectiveness in a nonprofit setting. For information and to volunteer, call the Red Cross at 330-392-2551, ext. 114.
Car-seat inspection
WARREN
Safe Kids Mahoning Valley is offering a car-seat inspection from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Diane Sauer Chevrolet, 700 Niles Road SE.
At the event, parents, grandparents and guardians can learn how to properly install a child’s car or booster seat from nationally certified technicians. To schedule an appointment, call 330-729-1387.
J-M meeting change
NORTH JACKSON
The Jackson-Milton school board has changed the time of its meeting today. The regular meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the high-school building, 10748 Mahoning Ave.
Power restored
YOUNGSTOWN
The last of 530 customers who lost power early Wednesday morning when a van ran into a utility pole at about 5:45 a.m. at Garfield and Glenwood avenues had their power restored about 1:25 p.m. Wednesday.
A FirstEnergy spokesman said by 7:25 a.m. about 371 customers had their power restored and the remainder regained their power when a new pole was installed.
Police cited the elderly driver of the van for failure to control. There were no injuries.
Fuel in stream
AUSTINTOWN
Township fire officials were called to an area business after some fuel drainage went into a nearby stream.
Austintown fire officials were called about noon Wednesday to the Pilot Travel Center, 1150 N. Canfield-Niles Road. Lt. John Fritz said workers there had power-washed the fuel aisles during the truck stop’s “annual spring cleaning.”
The water ran over the storm drain, but “there wasn’t that much fuel that went into the stream” of the Mill Creek MetroParks Bikeway, Fritz said.
The dish-washing liquid was in the stream, the same substance fire officials said they would have used to break down petroleum in a stream.
Wellness fair Friday
SALEM
The Supplemental Station of Salem, 1139 E. Pigeon Road (state Route 45), is offering a free community health and wellness fair from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.
The fair includes free healthy food samples, hourly door prizes and vendors offering health and wellness information and health checks and assessments. For information, call 330-337-3835.