METRO DIGEST || Free self-defense seminars Saturday

Self-defense seminars

WARREN

Team Bundy Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy, 160 Clifton Ave. NE, will host free self-defense seminars Saturday. A bully-proof for kids class will start at 10 a.m.; combatives for adults class is set for 11; and self-defense for women will take place at noon. Jim Bundy, academy owner and coach, has fourth-degree black belts in Taekwondo and in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. He has been teaching martial arts and practical self-defense skills for 20 years.

Space is limited and registration is required. Call the academy at 330-360-0039.

Hair-, Nail-a-thon

CANFIELD

Juniors in the cosmetology program at Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, 7300 N. Palmyra Road, will host their annual Hair- and Nail-a-thon from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.

Salon services available for the fundraiser include haircuts, blow drying, styling, waxing and manicures for $10. All proceeds will go toward the senior-class trip to Columbus to take their state board exams.

For information or to make an appointment, call cosmetology instructor Lisa Argiro at 330-729-4000, ext. 1310.

Violence, drug charges

BOARDMAN

A Youngstown man faces multiple charges after police say he assaulted a female victim, then tried to hide drugs from them.

Township police arrested Devon Talley Jr., 23, of Fairgreen Avenue, Tuesday on felony charges of tampering with evidence and trafficking in marijuana, and misdemeanor counts of domestic violence and drug possession.

Multiple witnesses told police Talley assaulted a woman inside a Market Street auto-service business, leading to his arrest. An officer then found a pill in his cruiser after Talley got out, and “located 14 individually wrapped baggies of what appeared to be marijuana inside of Talley’s underwear,” according to a police report.

He also was cited with driving under suspension. He is scheduled to appear in Mahoning County Area Court here today.

Arsenic level up

CORTLAND

The arsenic level in the well water used by the Mathews School District’s Currie Elementary School in Fowler Township has risen slightly despite efforts by the district to lower it.

According to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, new tests show the arsenic level at 12 parts per billion, compared with 11 parts per billion in a water advisory sent to parents of students Jan. 26. Maximum allowable levels are 10 parts per billion.

Schools Superintendent Lew Lowery says the district will continue to work with the Ohio EPA to fix the problems. Meanwhile, classes are still taking place at Currie, where drinking fountains remain shut off and bottled water is being supplied to staff and students, WFMJ reported.

Fighting blight

WARREN

Students from the The New School in New York City will return to Warren today through Saturday for the third-consecutive year to help local organizations develop new methods to fight blight. For the second-consecutive year, the group will work with the nonprofit Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, this time focusing on developing models for the reuse of vacant houses in the city’s Garden District just north of downtown.

Alison Mears, one of the school’s faculty members, said the students’ work will be focused on the negative effects of unhealthy building products and practices on low-income populations. The students are in graduate and undergraduate programs ranging from urban policy and finance to design.

Drug charges

AUSTINTOWN

Police arrested Michael Hood, 18, of North Turner Road on a summons for drug abuse and having drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop by police.

His next court hearing will take place at 1 p.m. Feb. 22 in Mahoning County Area Court here. According to a police report, Patrolman David Kriebel initiated a traffic stop on Mahoning Avenue earlier this week after Hood didn’t use his turn signal. Officers found three suspected marijuana cigarettes and other drug paraphernalia.

Guard’s gun stolen

YOUNGSTOWN

A security guard at a South Side park told police someone stole his .45-caliber handgun about 7:40 p.m. Monday. The 47-year-old guard at Homestead Park, 829 E. Dewey Ave., told police he was pushed from behind while he was coming out of a bathroom, and someone took the gun from his holster. The guard told police the person then ran out of the park toward Indianola and Homestead avenues.