METRO DIGEST || Volney Rogers gets ‘Just Dream’ award

Volney Rogers award

YOUNGSTOWN

The Minnie B. Thompson Foundation Inc. chose Volney Rogers Middle School to be the recipient of the foundation’s “Just Dream” Award for the 2017-2018 academic year. A presentation check in the amount of $1,100 will be given to the school, located at 2400 S. Schenley Ave., at 8 a.m. Friday. The money will finance an educational excursion for 105 students to the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh.

The “Just Dream” Award gives the foundation an opportunity to have a positive impact on the students’ at Volney Rogers Middle School. This was the dream of the late Minnie B. Thompson who never had the opportunity to receive education beyond third grade.

For information about the award or the presentation, contact Rosie Taylor, foundation board president at 330-219-3701 or LaWanna Sims, school social worker at 330-744-8845.

Cigarette break-in

POLAND

A township woman faces a felony charge after police said she entered her neighbor’s home to steal a cigarette.

Jennifer Snyder, 44, is charged with felony burglary and misdemeanor counts of falsification and obstructing official business for the Tuesday incident on Clingan Road.

Snyder pleaded not guilty to the charges in Struthers Municipal Court, where she is due back for a preliminary hearing next Wednesday. She was in the Mahoning County jail in lieu of a $10,000 bond Wednesday.

No medical marijuana

CANFIELD

City council, in a 3-1 vote Wednesday night, approved an ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana cultivation, processors and retail dispensaries.

Councilman Joe LoCicero and city attorney Mark Fortunato were quick to point out the ordinance could be changed if council determined lifting the prohibition on medical marijuana businesses would benefit Canfield.

Councilman John Morvay opposed the measure, arguing the prohibition, even if lifted in the future, would send a message to marijuana-related business owners the city would not be supportive of the businesses.

Mayor Bernie Kosar Sr. was strongly in support of the ordinance and said he had adjudicated too many marijuana-related cases in mayor’s court to support its presence in the city.

19th-century Canfield officer to be honored

COLUMBUS

A Canfield police officer killed in the line of duty in the 1800s will be honored during the 30th annual Ohio Peace Officer’s Memorial Ceremony in Columbus today.

Chief Marshal John M. Cone, who died in July 1880, is one of seven historical inductees who will be honored by Attorney General Mike DeWine. The seven, along with five peace officers who died in 2016, will have their names added to the Ohio Fallen Officers’ Memorial Wall.

Man shot in arm

YOUNGSTOWN

Police are investigating the circumstances that led to a man being shot in the arm at about 4:40 p.m. Wednesday in the 1300 block of Lansdowne Boulevard on the East Side. The man was taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.

Injection wells

BROOKFIELD

Environmentalist Teresa Mills will talk about two proposed injection wells during a 7 p.m. Friday free public meeting at the clubhouse at the Wyngate Manor manufactured home community off state Route 7.

Highland Field Services of Pittsburgh has applied to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to operate the wells just west of Wyngate Manor near Merwin Chase Road.

Clemens still jailed

WARREN

A not-guilty plea was entered Wednesday for Sean M. Clemens, 33, of Church Hill-Hubbard Road in Liberty to charges of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, arson and tampering with evidence.

Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court continued the order making Clemens ineligible to make bond. If convicted of the aggravated murder, Clemens could get the death penalty.

Clemens is accused of killing his neighbor, Jane Larue Brown, 84, early April 24 by attacking her in her bed. Police say he also stole her car and electronics from her home, which is across the street from his home.

Electronic poll books

WARREN

A test of electronic poll books in Champion and Warren went well Tuesday, which means it’s likely they will be used in all voting precincts in November, a Trumbull County Board of Elections member said.

They “seemed to be well-received by the voters and the poll workers,” board member Ron Knight said Tuesday.

Electronic poll books are small computers that allow poll workers to check the identity of a voter and call up the voter’s registration information to ensure he or she votes in the right precinct and doesn’t vote twice.

Without electronic poll books, workers manually enter voting information into a physical book.

Elevator overheats

WARREN

Warren Fire Department responded to an overheated elevator in the Hippodrome, 154 High St., on Wednesday morning, helping a couple of people out of the elevator when it became trapped between floors.

The Hippodrome was hosting an event at the time, but the event continued with minimal disruption, fire Chief Ken Nussle said. The elevator emitted a little bit of smoke, but no one was injured in the 11:49 a.m. incident, Nussle said.

Abortion bill

COLUMBUS

Opposing sides of the abortion debate were at the Statehouse on Wednesday, with testimony by supporters of legislation to increase penalties for the sale of aborted baby parts and a midday rally by women’s health advocates urging opposition to that and other bills.

House Bill 149 had its second hearing in as many weeks before the Ohio House’s Health Committee, with proponents offering testimony on what has been called the Abortion Trafficking Prevention Act.

Selling human body parts already is illegal, but those prosecuted for the sale of aborted tissue face misdemeanor penalties. The legislation being considered in the Ohio House would make selling aborted parts felonies.