Man pleads not guilty

Man pleads not guilty

WARREN

George R. Swegan, 68, of East Avenue pleaded not guilty to child endangering Tuesday and was released after posting $2,500 bond after police revived him with the opiate-reversal drug naloxone at his home Saturday night.

Brad A. Bertuzzi, 33, of Nebraska Avenue in Niles will be arraigned today in Warren Municipal Court on the same charge in the same incident. Both were issued a summons to appear in court but not arrested.

Police said they were called to the East Avenue address for two unconscious males and administered naloxone to both. Bertuzzi said he was having an epileptic seizure, but police said he kept falling in and out of consciousness.

Police also found a bag in his hand containing suspected narcotics that were going to be sent to a crime lab for testing and possible charges.

Relatives said Swegan was supposed to be watching his grandson, 6, who was upstairs sleeping.

Swegan and Bertuzzi were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Safe driving month

YOUNGSTOWN

September is Safe Driving Awareness Month, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol is asking motorists to commit to driving buckled, focused and sober.

In addition, motorists can help keep roadways safe by planning ahead, allowing for extra time and being knowledgeable of traffic safety laws.

Last year, 1,133 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes. Although fatal crashes rose slightly in 2016, Ohio is still on pace with record-low fatal numbers.

September was designated as Safe Driving Awareness Month in June 2014 by Senate bill 294 to honor Maria Tiberi and other victims of motor vehicle crashes. Tiberi was a 21-year-old college student who died in a distracted-driving crash in September 2013.

The patrol asks drivers to call #677 to report impaired drivers or drug activity.

Man faces charges

LEAVITTSBURG

Felony charges of felonious assault and failure to comply with the orders of a police officer have been filed in Warren Municipal Court against Angelo T. Vecchio, 37, of Akron, after a Trumbull County sheriff’s deputy was injured trying to arrest him Friday night on West Market Street in Warren Township.

Christopher R. Blumer, 37, of Rosemary Avenue in Southington, is also charged with felony complicity in the case. Both men are at large.

The deputy said he made a traffic stop on a car Vecchio was driving. Vecchio got out of the vehicle but tossed something to his passenger. The deputy tried to gain custody of Vecchio, but Vecchio fought with the deputy, got back inside the car and drove off, dragging the deputy.

The deputy later was treated for injuries.

Food banks to mobilize

YOUNGSTOWN

Beginning this month, the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley, together with the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks, will mobilize across all 50 states in an effort to bring an end to hunger.

Hunger Action Month is designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of the fact that 42 million Americans, including 13 million children, are food insecure, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In the Mahoning Valley, more than 87,000 people struggle with hunger and may not know where they’ll find their next meal. That number includes 1 in 4 kids who may not have enough to eat. On Sept. 14, Second Harvest asks supporters to wear orange, the symbolic color of hunger to help raise awareness.

YSU lecture series

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown State University lecture series on energy and the environment kicks off its fourth year with an array of presentations on topics ranging from Beach Buddies to air pollution.

The lectures, sponsored in part by the James Dale Ethics Center, take place at 7 p.m. Wednesdays in Room B100 of Cushwa Hall on campus, except for two presentations on Thursdays, Oct. 5 and 12. The talks are free and open to the public.

The lecture series is organized by Ray Beiersdorfer, YSU distinguished professor of geology.

To view the schedule, visit ysu.edu/news/lecture-series-energy-and-environment-kicks-fourth-year.

For information, contact Beiersdorfer at 330-941-1753 or ray@cc.ysu.edu.

Community forum set

WARREN

Restoration Christian Fellowship, 760 Main Ave. SW, will host a community forum titled Suicide “Teenage Struggles,” from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The event will include learning about signs and symptoms of suicide and hearing about suicide from a teenage perspective. The forum is free and open to the public. To RSVP, call Cassandra at 330-539-6040 or visit Facebook.