2 men face charges

2 men face charges

AUSTINTOWN

Two men have been charged after police said they entered a home demanding “weed and money” at gunpoint.

U.S. marshals arrested Brian Pressley, 19, of Austintown, and Tyler Hewlett, 19, of Canfield, on Tuesday in connection to a robbery that occurred Jan. 12.

A man told police he woke up to a man holding a gun against his left eye and heard other men in his Woodmere Drive home. They took $46, hit him in the face with the gun and fled.

Pressley and Hewlett are both in the Mahoning County jail, each on a $50,000 bond. They will appear in Mahoning County Area Court here Wednesday.

Block watch meeting

YOUNGSTOWN

The Powerstown Block Watch will be have its monthly meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the Faith Community Covenant Church located at Sheridan Avenue and Midlothian Boulevard.

Staff meeting planned

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County commissioners will have a staff meeting at 9 a.m. today on the second floor of the county administration building, 21 W. Boardman St.

‘Coffee & Conversation’

YOUNGSTOWN

Councilwoman Anita Davis, D-6th, invites residents to “Coffee & Conversation” about the ward and city at 10 a.m. Saturday at Flambeau’s Dinner Club, 2308 Market St.

Topics will include potholes and pothole patching and grass-cutting assessments.

Refreshments will be provided.

Valentine’s Day event

YOUNGSTOWN

Southern Park Mall will host its KidX Valentine’s Day event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

KidX Club members will enjoy seasonal-themed arts and crafts and activities including a special story time with Ms. Goosefeathers. KidX Club at Southern Park Mall introduces kids to firsthand experiences through an annual calendar of events meant to inspire them to explore, experience and excel. Registration is free for all ages, and new members will receive a welcome bag along with a membership card, program information and exclusive retail offers.

Ursuline open house

YOUNGSTOWN

Ursuline High School, 750 Wick Ave., will host the annual open house from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

All academic departments and school organizations will prepare booths and displays for the event.

The afternoon will feature performances by the band, choir and speech team.

Student ambassadors will give tours of the school, and student artwork and a photo montage will be on display.

Prospective students may register to win one of four tuition raffles for $1,500 off next year’s tuition.

Financial-aid forms for the 2017-2018 school year will be available for pickup at the financial-aid booth located in the cafeteria.

Refreshments will be provided by the Home and School Association throughout the afternoon.

Fentanyl legislation

COLUMBUS

The Ohio Senate has relaunched consideration of legislation that would increase penalties for the possession and sale of fentanyl, a powerful opioid that’s being added to heroin and leading to more overdose deaths in the state.

Sen. Frank LaRose, R-Hudson, is carrying this session’s SB 1, which is comparable to another bill he sponsored that moved through the chamber last session but stalled in the Ohio House before the end of the year.

“This legislation targets anyone trafficking fentanyl-related substances,” LaRose said Wednesday.

Fentanyl is typically used in anesthesia to treat patients with extreme pain or to manage pain after surgery. The drug is 30-50 times more potent than heroin.

Gathering signatures

COLUMBUS

A group that hopes to seek voters’ approval of a constitutional amendment to ensure victims are properly notified of legal proceedings involving the perpetrators of their crimes has been given the green light to begin collecting signatures as part of the effort.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine certified the petition language for Marsy’s Law for Ohio late last week, while the Ohio Ballot Board convened Wednesday to sign off on the proposal as a single issue.

Both reviews were required before backers of the amendment could formally launch their signature-gathering campaign. They will have to collect more than 305,000 valid signatures from registered Ohio voters by early July to qualify for this year’s general election ballot.

Marsy’s Law for Ohio calls for victims’ input into plea deals, notifications of defendants’ releases or escapes from prison, and the right to financial restitution for losses caused by criminal acts.