Warren man indicted

Warren man indicted

WARREN

Derwin R. Norman Jr., 21, of Autumn Drive Northwest, was indicted on two charges connected to crimes police say he committed against a girl, 15, who went missing from a Youngstown group home Feb. 28 and was found March 8 at a house on Wade Street in Niles.

Norman was indicted Thursday on charges of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance, compelling prostitution and felony escape. Information on the escape charge was not available Thursday except that it happened March 8 in Warren. Authorities say the two other charges were filed after police found the girl and Norman at the Wade Street home after being called there for a burglary in progress.

The girl, from Ashtabula County, was later taken to a juvenile facility. The Youngstown Police Department issued a notice early March 8 about the girl being a missing and endangered teen.

Norman has been in the county jail since March 8.

Students travel to DC

YOUNGSTOWN

Fifteen Harding Elementary School students leave today for a weekend trip to Washington, D.C.

The Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial, the World War II Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial are on the first-day itinerary.

On Saturday, they will tour the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Air and Space Museum.

The students return Sunday.

Oath of office

WARREN

Two attorneys from the Ohio Attorney General’s office took the oath of office Thursday as special prosecutors appointed to handle a matter involving people whose acts include Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court administered the oath of office to Bradford Tammaro and Micah Ault, both assistant attorneys general.

Dan Tierney, attorney general spokesman, said he could not comment on the type of case they are prosecuting.

An October 2016 document filed in connection with their appointment says the subject matter for the case began with a 2015 Columbiana County investigation for which the attorney general’s office was appointed as special prosecutors.

Red street signs at YSU

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State University now has new red street signs.

The signs are adorned with the block “Y” and are installed on campus streets.

The university paid about $9,000 for 60 signs, and the city installed them. The signs are part of a larger signage project underway across campus.

Syringe at city hall

NILES

Police say a bag containing a syringe was recovered Thursday morning from a public bathroom in City Hall.

Police Chief Jay Holland said his department will probe whether a municipal worker left it there.

“We are going to investigate the possible involvement of a city employee,” said Holland, who did not provide additional details.

The police report did not indicate that drugs were found with the syringe.

Makerspace movement

Columbiana

The Makerspace movement in education has caught on at Columbiana’s Joshua Dixon Elementary School.

The new Makerspace provides hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment and build as they engage in science, engineering and technology. It promotes learning through play and experimentation.

Students use items, including K’Nex Building Solutions, to learn about simple machines and gears, and Electronic Snap Circuits to create projects that produce light, fans, sounds and movements.

The Principal Advisory Committee, made up of fourth-grade classroom representatives, has also been able to add Wii sports and P3 learning games to Makerspace.

‘Shop local’ fundraiser

COLUMBIANA

A “shop local” fundraiser will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Crestview Elementary School gym and cafeteria, 3407 Middleton Road. Admission is free.

There will be more than 17 vendors on hand, and participants can bid on silent-auction items.

All proceeds will support the Crestview PTO.