METRO DIGEST

Man arraigned on drug charges

YOUNGSTOWN

An East Ravenwood Avenue man is in the Mahoning County jail on $20,000 bond after he was arraigned Monday in municipal court on three felony drug charges.

Reports said Mercy Health police at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital arrested Charles Butler, 43, after he was stopped at a metal detector at the entrance of the hospital with a plastic bag that contained suspected heroin, suspected cocaine, Vicodin and Viagra.

When police detected the drugs as Butler tried to go through the detector, he then tried to put the bag in his mouth before he spit it out. He was subdued by a stun weapon, reports said. Butler was taken to the Mahoning County jail, where he was arraigned via video hookup.

YSU gets state funds to improve campus

YOUNGSTOWN

The State Controlling Board, a panel overseeing state spending, released $280,880 to Youngstown State University for campuswide renovations and upgrades.

The university will use the funds to contract with Youngstown-based design firm BSHM Architects, Inc., who will provide architectural design services for the project.

The state dollars will help pay for renovations and upgrades to classrooms, labs and various instructional spaces and academic areas in several buildings across the YSU campus.

Planned upgrades include replacement of stationary equipment, such as sinks, benches, plumbing, etc., as well as floor and deck replacement, and electrical, HVAC and technology upgrades.

On Vindy Talk Radio

YOUNGSTOWN

These guests are set to participate on the Louie B. Free show from 8 a.m. to noon today on Vindy Talk Radio: Greg Copley, president of International Strategic Studies Association, for an update on allegations of Russian hacking the U.S. and the crisis in Aleppo; Mayor John A. McNally, speaking on 2016 in review and a look toward 2017; Jessica Popio from Liberty Tax Service, discussing year-end tax tips; and Richard Botkin, a Vietnam War veteran, speaking about his new film “Ride the Thunder: A Vietnam War Story of Victory and Betrayal.”

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