METRO DIGEST || Pre-holiday dinner today at Salvation Army

Pre-holiday dinner

YOUNGSTOWN

The Salvation Army of Mahoning County is offering a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. As the economy struggles to recover and unemployment remains high in the area, the Salvation Army is gearing up to feed more than 650 people at the organization’s headquarters at 1501 Glenwood Ave. The meal is served free and is open to anyone who comes, said Major Elijah O. Kahn, Salvation Army Mahoning County area coordinator.

The Salvation Army has been serving the needy in Mahoning County for more than 132 years.

Giannios’ Candy in Struthers mobilized a team of volunteers to prepare this year’s dinner. Giannios’ state-of-the-art wood-burning mobile smoker will smoke more than 40 turkeys for the dinner.

Burglary charges

CORTLAND

Joshua J. Pastore, 38, of Cranberry Lane in Warren was arraigned Monday on burglary and criminal damaging charges after his former girlfriend reported that he entered her home without permission and was passed out.

Bond was set at $30,000, and a not-guilty plea was entered to both charges in Central District Court. He returns to court today for a preliminary hearing.

Bazetta police arrived at a home in the 2500 block of Bazetta Road in Bazetta Township at 9:32 p.m. Friday. They found the front door damaged and lots of damage inside.

Pastore was in the kitchen breathing but not moving. He woke up when the officer called his name and was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Warren Hospital and later to the county jail.

LEGO tournament

YOUNGSTOWN

Horizon Science Academy competed in the First LEGO League North Canton Regional Qualifier Tournament in Canton on Nov. 19. The Young Hawks team earned first place in robot performance.

First LEGO League introduces younger students to real-world engineering challenges by building LEGO-based robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface.

First LEGO League is a collaboration between the LEGO Co. and For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, a nonprofit organization founded by Dean Kamen that is committed to creating robotic competition programs intended to inspire children from kindergarten through high school to excel in math and science.

Each new challenge is announced in September. Ohio Regional qualifying events will take place in January.

Tree lighting set

YOUNGSTOWN

The Crandall Park South Neighborhood’s holiday tree lighting event will take place at Ford and Crandall avenues at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1, with the lighting at 7. Participants are asked to bring an ornament for the tree.

Dad saves girl

BOARDMAN

A township man saved his daughter from a fire at his home at 5515 West Boulevard on Monday night.

Fire Chief Mark Pitzer said firefighters received a call at 9:57 p.m. that a 13-year-old girl was in the house, and her father was attempting to save her. When they arrived, the father already had moved the daughter out of the house.

The department also received assistance from departments in Canfield, Youngstown and Austintown. The fire caused an estimated $130,000 to $140,000 in damages. No injuries were reported and firefighters are investigating the cause.

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