METRO DIGEST || Pink pranks

Pink pranks

NORTH JACKSON

The pink pranksters of First Federated Church, 10786 Mahoning Ave., have done it again. The April Fools’ Day target of the yard full of plastic pink flamingos is the track at Jackson-Milton High School in “honor” of Dan Crish, assistant track coach.

Linda Crish bought a ticket and submitted her son’s name after reading about the project in The Vindicator. “I just thought it was such a good cause to raise money for the church’s food pantry and have some fun. If Dan gets a little embarrassed, that’s just a bonus,” she said.

“The goal was $600 to buy a new freezer,” said Pastor Jack Acri. “We came up just a little short but we’ll find a way to make it happen.”

Get Flocked is the second annual fundraiser with proceeds benefiting Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, the church food pantry that serves about 2,000 a year. Participants bought tickets and could submit the name of a person to receive the flock of pink flamingos.

Beef jerky robbery

CAMPBELL

Police are investigating a report of a beef jerky sale gone awry.

A 30-year-old Campbell man told police two men came to his Lettie Avenue home Thursday evening to buy homemade beef jerky. However, one of the men instead pulled out a handgun and demanded all the beef jerky and all the money the seller had, according to a police report.

He gave the men $150 cash, a laptop and a 15-pound bag of beef jerky.

Family program

AUSTINTOWN

Beginning Monday, Austintown Middle School will offer a program for Austintown students age 10 to 14 and their parents. The Strengthening Families program, sponsored by the The Mahoning County Family and Children First Council and Ohio Children’s Trust Fund, will start at 5 p.m.

Families will eat dinner at 5 p.m. The program runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It will focus on increasing family communication skills, preventing problem behaviors, showing love while setting limits and other issues. Free child care will be available for younger children while parents and teens are participating in the program.

The program dates, all beginning at 5 p.m., are Monday, Wednesday and April 11, 13, 18, 20 and 25.

Discussion planned on infant mortality

YOUNGSTOWN

In Youngstown and Mahoning County, black babies are nearly three times more likely to die before their first birthdays than white babies. Infant mortality impacts the health of the community.

The Dialogue on Racism Organizing Committee will discuss this issue during a dinner meeting scheduled from 5 to 7:30 p.m. April 28 at Mill Creek Community Center, 496 Glenwood Ave.

The event is free and open to community residents.

Registration for participation and dinner is required by April 21. Call Priscilla Hays at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 330-743-3175, or send email to execsecretarymvac@gmail.com.

The program is presented by ACTION (Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods), Mahoning Valley Association of Churches, Youngstown Department of Health and YWCA of Youngstown.