METRO DIGEST || Helping veterans

Helping veterans

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, which aims to prevent veterans from becoming homeless and to quickly re-house veterans and their families who become homeless, has awarded $14.3 million to 15 organizations in Ohio.

The Community Action Agency of Columbiana County Inc., which serves Columbiana, Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson, Mahoning and Tuscarawas counties, received $137,049.

The funds provide outreach, assistance obtaining VA benefits and case management to low-income veteran families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Accused in robbery

BOARDMAN

A Youngstown man was arraigned in Mahoning County Court on Thursday, accused of robbing a Huntington Bank in April.

Township police arrested Rickie Gonzalez, 51, of Fifth Avenue. The robbery took place at Huntington Bank on Youngstown-Poland Road between 9:45 and 10 a.m. April 18. The suspect gave the teller a note demanding large bills and escaped on foot with an unspecified amount of cash. Police said a gun was never seen.

High-visibility patrols

BOARDMAN

Township police will supplement their regular patrols with high-visibility enforcement patrols this Labor Day weekend.

The partnership of state and local law enforcement with highway safety officials is part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign against impaired driving. Officials will have increased sobriety checkpoints, roving and saturation patrols and other enforcement efforts.

The funding for the additional patrols is provided by an Ohio Department of Public Safety federal traffic safety grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Man’s cause of death

WARREN

The Trumbull County Coroner’s Office ruled that Anthony A. Cipolla, 73, of Warren and Aliquippa, Pa., died of a heart attack before his car ran into a tree Tuesday morning on Elm Road.

Cipolla was ejected from his car when it crashed into a tree at a curve near Clermont Street Northeast, police said.

Witnesses described Cipolla’s car traveling at high speed leading up to the 9:30 a.m. crash.

His car appears to have traveled straight at the curve.

Charged with OVI

BOARDMAN

A Youngstown woman is facing a charge of operating a vehicle while impaired after wrecking her car in the township Thursday afternoon.

Police arrived at South Avenue at Windham Court responding to a crash. Frances Santarelli, 47, of Chattanooga Avenue got out of the vehicle, and police said she had difficulty standing and speaking.

Santarelli said she takes medication and was on her way to a doctor’s appointment. When asked what day it was, Santarelli said 6 a.m. Wednesday. It was 1 p.m. Thursday.

Police transported her to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to be treated for a head injury and discovered a list of medications she takes that would put a person to sleep.

She has a pending court date Tuesday morning.

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