METRO DIGEST || Sentencing for dog beating June 16

Dog beating

GIRARD

The case of a man accused of beating his dog is set for sentencing at 11:30 a.m. June 16.

John Giordano, 51, of Girard appeared Thursday in Girard Municipal Court on a misdemeanor animal-cruelty charge and entered a no-contest plea. A group of animal rights advocates protested outside the court house.

Police arrested Giordano in February after a video surfaced on social media showing a man repeatedly striking a dog.

Per the order of Judge Jeffrey Adler, the dog, a rottweiler named Hazard, is in the custody of Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County, pending disposition of the case. The league released a statement Wednesday saying it is working with a behavior consultant from the Learning Dog in Hubbard to “establish the best possible outcome for this dog.”

Two men argue at K graduation

AUSTINTOWN

Officers arrested two men who couldn’t behave at Austintown Elementary’s kindergarten graduation.

According to the report, Matthew Spohn, 40, of Patton Avenue in Farrell, Pa., and Tracy Taylor, 28, of Nantucket Drive here, attended the kindergarten graduation at 9:30 a.m. at Fitch High School. Spohn and Taylor continued to argue despite several warnings to stop. Officers charged the two with disorderly conduct. They were advised of their respective court dates at 6 p.m. June 6 and 9 a.m. June 8 in Mahoning County Area Court.

Holiday patrols planned in Boardman

BOARDMAN

Township police will supplement regular patrols with high-visibility patrols during Memorial Day weekend, the department announced in a news release.

Officers will target drivers for aggressive-driving offenses such as speed, distracted driving and operating a vehicle while impaired. Seatbelt use also will be a target of the patrols.

The initiative is part of the department’s participation in the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign that runs through June 5.

Funding for additional patrols is provided by a federal traffic safety grant.

EpiPen bill approved

COLUMBUS

Schools could have easier access to prescription drugs used to counter life-threatening allergic reactions.

The provision was included in legislation that passed the Ohio House and Senate before lawmakers left the Statehouse for their summer recess.

The bill now heads to Gov. John Kasich for his signature and final enactment.

House Bill 200 would enable child-care centers, colleges, museums, amusement parks and other locations frequented by children to purchase supplies of epinephrine auto-injectors – EpiPen for short – for use in emergency situations, treating anaphylaxis from bee stings, foods and other causes. Additionally, schools would have easier access to the prescription medication.

No food giveaway

YOUNGSTOWN

Due to construction in the area, there will be no food giveaway this month at Temple Emmanuel Church, 108 W. Indianola Ave. There will be assistance available in case of emergencies; call 330-788-9796 for information.

Meeting canceled

YOUNGSTOWN

A special meeting of the Mahoning County commissioners that was scheduled for 9 a.m. today has been canceled.

Woman indicted on voter-fraud counts

LISBON

A Columbiana County grand jury indicted an East Liverpool woman on 35 felony voter-fraud counts.

Rebecca Hammonds, 33, was indicted on 32 counts of false voter registration and three counts of false signatures.

Hammonds is accused of creating false voter-registration documents regarding 35 separate county individuals. The matter was investigated by the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The case will be prosecuted by the county prosecutor’s office, assisted by the Ohio Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Section.