METRO DIGEST || Fundraiser for Quiz Bowl team

Competition fundraiser

AUSTINTOWN

The Austintown Quiz Bowl team is raising funds for a competition trip to Illinois.

The school’s team finished fifth in the Mahoning County League Tournament, and the fundraising is in hopes of competing in Illinois.

Valerie Baiss, a Spanish teacher in the district, said in a release this is the first time the team will be able to go.

Donations can be sent directly to Academic Team, c/o Valerie Baiss, Austintown Fitch High School, 4560 Falcon Drive, Austintown 44515.

YSU herbarium tribute

YOUNGSTOWN

The herbarium at Youngstown State University, featuring a collection of more than 100,000 plant specimens, will be dedicated in memory of the late Carl F. Chuey, professor of biology, at 11 a.m. today.

Chuey, who led the effort to grow the facility into one of the largest in the state of Ohio, provided a gift of $100,000 to establish a program endowment to fund the herbarium in perpetuity.

When he arrived at YSU in 1967, the herbarium in Ward Beecher Hall had 200 specimens. Today, there are more than 100,000, making it the fourth-largest of 35 herbaria in the state.

Chuey died last spring at age 70.

Mizu break-in

BOARDMAN

Township police are searching for a suspect after a break-in into Mizu Restaurant, 60 Boardman-Poland Road, in which $1,000 was taken from a cash register.

Police responded to the business early Wednesday and discovered the glass front door had been shattered, with a brick laying nearby.

Surveillance video of the incident reportedly shows a male suspect enter the business and take a cash drawer and a computer before running out of the building.

The total loss to the business, including damages, is estimated at $1,500.

East Park detour

NILES

East Park Avenue between Pratt Street and East State Street will be closed May 19 for a bridge inspection performed by MS Consultants Inc. of Youngstown.

The recommended detour route is west on East Park Avenue, south on state Route 46, east on McKees Lane, north on Belmont Avenue, west on Olive Street, north on Clay Street, west on Walnut Street and North on Pratt Street.

Fickes stays in prison

WARREN

Van G. Fickes, 51, who killed his mother and brother 31 years ago in Warren, will remain in prison at least another five years, eligible for a parole hearing in February 2020.

Fickes was convicted of killing Christine Fickes, 42, and Ronald Fickes, 24, in their West Market Street home Oct. 10, 1983, and was sentenced to 30 years to life.

Salt Springs closure

WEATHERSFIELD

Salt Springs Road between state Route 46 and Fifth Street will be closed May 19 for a bridge inspection performed by MS Consultants Inc.

The recommended detour route is west on Salt Springs Road, south/east on Austintown Warren Road, northeast on Depot Street and north on Route 46.

Brockway Sharon closing

ORANGEVILLE

Brockway Sharon Road between state Route 609 and Orangeville Kinsman Road will be closed May 20 for a bridge inspection performed by MS Consultants Inc. of Youngstown.

The recommended detour route is south on Brockway Sharon Road, west on state Route 609, north on state Route 7, east on state Route 88 and south on Orangeville Kinsman Road.

Culvert detour

HARTFORD

Custer-Orangeville Road between state Route 305 and state Route 609 will be closed Monday through May 29 for culvert replacement.

The recommended detour route is west on state Route 305, north on state Route 7 and east on state Route 609.

Jailed on drug charge

YOUNGSTOWN

A Salem man was taken to the Mahoning County jail on a possession of heroin charge after a traffic stop at 4:40 p.m. Tuesday on the South Side.

Reports said Richard Pasco, 35, was driving a car that was pulled over at Market Street and Vermont Avenue for not having a front license plate.

A passenger told police there was a syringe under the seat. Police then found a plastic bag that had a dose of heroin inside.

Pasco admitted the heroin was his and the passenger said he already had used the syringe to inject heroin earlier in the day.

Pasco was taken to the jail. The passenger, Justin Downs, age and address not available, was cited for possession of drug-abuse instruments.