No verdict yet

No verdict yet

YOUNGSTOWN

A jury deliberated for five hours Thursday without reaching a verdict in the case of Rashan T. Bell, 20, of Broadway, who is charged with aggravated robbery with a firearm specification in a March 25, 2015, attack on a 73-year-old man who was walking in Roosevelt Park in Campbell.

The jury resumes deliberations at 9 a.m. today. The trial began Monday before Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Interim treasurer

NILES

Effective Monday, Janet M. Rizer Jones, city income tax director from 1990 to 2005, will assume the duties of interim part-time city treasurer until the Niles Democratic Precinct Committee names a permanent treasurer.

Jones replaces longtime treasurer Robert Swauger, who resigned Monday, citing the demands of his banking career and his inability to provide the time necessary to fulfill the part-time position during Niles’ fiscal emergency.

Swauger’s resignation is the second for the city this week. Paul Hogan, safety director, announced his resignation will become effective Thursday.

Poland makes list

POLAND

The township has again ranked among the top 100 safest communities in the United States, according to a list compiled by safety expert SafeWise. The township ranked 80th on the list this year, down from 20th last year.

Pub crawl planned

YOUNGSTOWN

A pub crawl at 10 bars and restaurants on Steel Street, Salt Springs Road and Mahoning Avenue on the West Side will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Funds raised will be used toward neighborhood improvement projects in the Steelton Neighborhood.

The registration fee is $5 with participants will receive a commemorative pint glass. Registration and parking is at the Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s center at 1025 N. Belle Vista Ave. A free shuttle will run on a continuous loop from the center with stops along the route of the bar crawl.

Transportation budget

COLUMBUS

State lawmakers have sent Gov. John Kasich $684 million in transportation budget changes, including faster funding for a road project in Mahoning County.

The Ohio House signed off this week on Senate Bill 315, giving final approval to several spending increases requested by the Ohio Department of Transportation over the current biennium.

The changes resulted from $220 million-plus in additional federal transportation funding and an additional $450 million in revenues from turnpike bonds, as part of the roads and bridges funding package approved by lawmakers in 2013.

The latter will be used to advance projects already approved by the state’s Transportation Review and Advisory Council, including the construction of interchange ramps at Interstate 680 and state Route 164 in the Youngstown area.

A boost for beer fans?

COLUMBUS

Beer drinkers soon may get a little more boost from their beverages, under legislation that passed the Ohio Senate this week.

House Bill 37 would allow higher alcohol content in beer, paving the way for craft brewers and others to offer more-potent products in the state.

The legislation passed on a 32-0 vote and heads back to the Ohio House for concurrence on Senate amendments.

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