Man identified

Man identified

YOUNGSTOWN

The man who was found slain in a fruit cellar Friday has been identified as Howard Ramey, 53, of Palmer Avenue.

Chief of Detectives Brad Blackburn said that the coroner’s office identified Ramey after an autopsy Monday.

Ramey was found in his home just after 11 p.m. Friday after his daughter was concerned because she had not seen or heard from him in several days. Police found him in the basement after checking his house.

His death is the 12th homicide in 2016 in Youngstown.

Facing assault charge

YOUNGSTOWN

Frank Montalvo, 48, of Erie Street, is in the Mahoning County jail on $15,000 bond after he was arraigned on a charge of felonious assault.

Reports said police were called about 5:35 p.m. Saturday to Montalvo’s home in the 3000 block of Erie Street for a report of a man being stabbed.

Montalvo told police he was napping when two men came to his South Side house who were upset about a Facebook post and wanted to fight him, reports said. Montalvo went outside, then back inside his home, saw the two men in his backyard, armed himself with a knife, went back outside and stabbed one of them when they charged him.

The victim told police at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital they were outside when Montalvo came out and attacked them. Police said Montalvo was charged because he went inside his house, then came back out to confront the men.

Water problem

NILES

Niles City Hall closed Monday due to water problems inside the building on West State Street.

According to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, Niles officials said employees were sent home after a water problem occurred inside the building, leaving damp areas in the basement.

Officials said there is concern about the leaky roof causing mold.

The building will be closed today for an evaluation to determine if it can reopen Wednesday.

Woman threatened

WARREN

A city woman, 29, reported a man she had lived with on and off abducted her and drove her around the area for an hour threatening to kill her and dump her body.

He then dropped her off at her home Saturday morning.

The woman said the suspect later returned to her home with a rifle and walked into a bedroom with it, pointing it at her and threatening to kill her.

The woman had someone else call 911 for her, then she ran outside when police arrived.

Police recovered the rifle and advised the woman to see a city prosecutor about filing charges.

Free workshop set

CANFIELD

“Great Lawns: Soil and Fertility” is the topic of a free workshop from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today to educate landowners on how to grow a healthy, green lawn.

The workshop will take place at the Mahoning County Ohio State University Extension office at 490 S. Broad St.

Those wishing to attend should call the Mahoning County Farm Bureau Office at 440-437-8700.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency lists nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, as among the top five aquatic life impairments in surface waters.

Nutrients, when applied in excess or at the wrong time, can enter surface and drinking waters during heavy rains and accelerate the formation of harmful algal blooms.

Formal withdrawal

COLUMBUS

Ohio Libertarians submitted paperwork to the Secretary of State’s office Monday to place former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson’s on the November presidential ballot.

The withdrawal of candidacy form came a week after backers submitted petitions that included Charlie Earl’s name and not Johnson – a move Libertarians said was made to secure a spot on the ballot among independent candidates, with full intentions of ensuring voters could cast their ballots for Johnson.

With Earl’s formal withdrawal Monday, Ohio Libertarians asked instead for Johnson’s name to be included. Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted indicated he would allow the change, pending validation of petition signatures.

$5K donation to Scouts

YOUNGSTOWN

The Cafaro Family Foundation has provided a $5,000 donation to the local Boy Scouts of America’s Scoutreach program for this coming school year.

This recent donation reflects the perennial support by the Cafaro Family Foundation for Scoutreach, which brings scouting to disadvantaged youths in the Warren and Youngstown City Schools at no cost to either the schools or to youth that become cub scouts, according to a foundation news release.

This past school year, more than 1,000 boys in grades one through five participated in this scouting program, which reinforces good study habits, attendance and individual recognition.

The foundation’s donation will support Scoutreach’s current initiative to expand the program to include sixth-graders, which is a request by school administrators.

2 people shot, 1 killed

SHARON, Pa.

Two people were shot and one was killed Sunday night in Sharon.

According to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, Percy Godfrey, 46, of Malleable Street, died as a result of the gunfire.

Kimberly Odom, of the same address, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown.

Police Chief Gerald Smith said the department is getting a warrant for murder and attempted murder for a suspect.

Warren man shot

WARREN

A 23-year-old Washington Street Northeast man suffered a gunshot wound at just after midnight Sunday at his home.

He was later taken to ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital, according to police.

A report says only police investigated a felonious assault incident at 3:50 a.m. at the man’s house, in the 200 block of Washington.

Detectives said they will provide more information after interviewing the victim.