Lawn penalties

Lawn penalties

LOWELLVILLE

Village council voted this week to set penalties for unkempt lawns.

The ordinance forbids letting grass grow more than 7 inches tall on developed properties or more than 10 inches tall on undeveloped properties. Growth of “noxious weeds” is also prohibited, along with plants that obstruct the sidewalk. Upon the first offense, violation of the ordinance is punishable as a minor misdemeanor. Fines can range from $250 to $1,000.

Council also reduced pay for the part-time tax commissioner from $10,000 a year to $350 a month. Councilman William Flora cited the commissioner’s reduced work load since the village began using the Regional Income Tax Agency for tax collection.

Child-porn plea

NILES

A city man pleaded guilty Thursday to several child-pornography charges.

Richard Lisovitch, 32, pleaded guilty to 20 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor after state and local investigators found evidence of child pornography in his Niles home in March, according to a report from 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner. He will be sentenced at a later date. He is also ordered to register as a sex offender.

Program for moms

YOUNGSTOWN

The Women, Infants and Children Program of the Mahoning County Board of Health is sponsoring a free informational program for expectant and breast-feeding mothers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at the YWCA, 25 W. Rayen Ave. The event will include information on breast-feeding, nutrition and pre-natal yoga, and a nutritious lunch.

Bus-driver training

AUSTINTOWN

The Austintown School District will host a training opportunity for 32 schools, 458 school bus drivers, at the Austintown Middle School, 800 S. Raccoon Road, on Tuesday. The training begins at 8 a.m. and meets the four-hour training requirement.

Robert Harmon, Ohio Department of Education transportation director, and Lt. Marvin Hill, commander of District 4 licensing and commercial standards, will speak to drivers.

For information, contact Colleen Murphy-Penk, Austintown transportation services director, at cmurphy@austintownschools.org.

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