5,500 lose electricity in Mahoning Valley

September 11, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

AKRON

Ohio Edison is investigating why a wire came down in Poland Township causing power outages for more than 5,500 customers in Mahoning County Thursday night.

According to the website, First Energy Corp., the parent company of Ohio Edison, reported that about 2,365 customers in Poland Township, 1,120 in Struthers, 958 in Springfield Township, 457 in Boardman, 438 in Poland, 108 in Youngstown, 58 in Beaver Township and 17 in Lowellville were affected.

Fewer than about 10 customers in Hanover and Fairfield townships in Columbiana County were also affected.

The wire came down near the corner of Arrel and Struthers roads, said a First Energy spokeswoman.

Power was expected to be restored by 12:30 a.m. Thursday night for all customers.

Boardman band night

BOARDMAN

The Boardman Spartan Marching Band and Boardman Band and Orchestra Parents Inc. will present Boardman Band Night at 7 p.m. Saturday at the new stadium off Nisonger Drive on campus. The show will feature a variety of musical selections, including “Fanfare for the Common Man,” Carole King’s 1974 hit “Jazzman,” “Shout It Out Loud” and “Rock and Roll All Night” by KISS, Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance,” selections from the film “Pitch Perfect” and more. The show also will feature a flag routine by the Spartan Silks and a dance by the Spartan Sweethearts and Twirlers. Gates open at 6 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. Seniors citizens 60 and older will be admitted for free. For information, visit www.boardmanband.org.

Picnic for veterans

ELLSWORTH

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9571, 11397 Ellsworth Road, is hosting a “Veterans Recognition Picnic” open house from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday. The recognition program is at 6 p.m. Among the displays is the portable “Hall of Honor Wall” on which is listed the names of all veterans from Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties who sacrificed their lives in all wars. Also, individuals and businesses that contributed to the post renovation will be recognized. For information, call Fred Schrock at 330-538-3834.

Domestic violence reported in Girard

GIRARD

Dakota Frantz, 23, of Girard entered a not-guilty plea to a charge of domestic violence during his arraignment Thursday in Girard Municipal Court. According to a police report, officers arrested Frantz early Thursday after a 27-year old woman told them Frantz had hit her, kicked her, pushed her to the ground and tried to take her cellphone. The report says the woman had small bruises on her knees. Frantz’s pretrial hearing has been set for Sept. 23.

Park bridge renovated

GIRARD

One of Girard’s oldest bridges just got a face lift. Mayor James Melfi cut a ceremonial ribbon this week in celebration of renovations to a bridge in Liberty Memorial Park. A NatureWorks grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources paid for $38,000 of the renovations and the city paid the remaining $74,000, Melfi said. After the ribbon-cutting, the Girard High School Cross Country team hosted its annual invitational meet in the park. The park, located near Liberty Street, opened in 1926 in honor of World War I veterans.

Report: Boy had gun WARREN

Police are looking for a Warren G. Harding High School student who was in the parking lot of the Jefferson K-8 Building at 3:46 p.m. Wednesday with what looked like a handgun. The building is on Tod Avenue Southwest. The boy left the parking lot heading east on Fifth Street Southwest on a mountain bike, school personnel said. Police went looking for the boy, 14, after learning his identity, but they were unable to locate him, according to a police report.

Kids crying for help

WARREN

Police were called to a house in the 500 block of Commerce Avenue Northwest at 12:45 a.m. Thursday after a neighbor reported three children yelling for help near the street. Police found children age 5 months, 3 and 6 alone, and the house was dirty. About 30 minutes after police arrived, a fourth child, age not provided, arrived. She told police she had left the house for an hour to visit someone but thought it would be OK because the other children were asleep. The children’s mother was contacted, and she came home from working the midnight shift at a restaurant to take care of the children. Children Services was notified.

Bar association event

YOUNGSTOWN

Judge Beth Smith of Mahoning County Domestic Relations Court will be the speaker at the Mahoning County Bar Association’s annual opening of courts ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday. The event will be in Judge Maureen A. Sweeney’s courtroom in the Mahoning County Courthouse. A portrait of the late Judge Robert Lisotto of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to be displayed in the courthouse will be unveile. Atty. Thomas Wilson of Comstock, Springer and Wilson will receive the association’s professionalism award given to a lawyer who embodies the lawyer’s creed and has practiced law for 30 years or more. Thirteen new association members will be introduced.