METRO DIGEST || Ramp closure

Ramp closure

YOUNGSTOWN

Beginning at 8 p.m. Thursday, the ramp from Interstate 680 southbound to South Avenue in Youngstown and Boardman will be closed for pavement repairs through 6 a.m. Friday. A detour will be posted.

The Ohio Department of Transportation on Tuesday said this work is part of a $2.4 million project to make partial-depth pavement repairs on I-680 and minor bridge repairs on state Route 11 and I-680. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by September.

Roads to be closed

YOUNGSTOWN

The Greater Youngstown Italian Fest downtown will close roads in preparation for the event.

These streets will be closed from 3 a.m. today to 8 a.m. Monday: Phelps to Walnut streets, and Commerce to Boardman streets. Also, there is a parking ban from Thursday to Monday on both sides of Commerce Street from Phelps to Champion streets.

The festival is Friday to Sunday. It's open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Sunday, and from 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday.

Mother charged with endangering

BOARDMAN

A woman faces an endangering children charge after township police said she drove under the influence with her young children in the vehicle.

Police were dispatched to Western Reserve Road at Glenwood Avenue on Saturday night for a two-vehicle crash, according to a police report.

Police determined that Lucy McCarty, 28, of Ridgewood Drive, was at fault due to running a red light.

McCarty was arrested for operating a vehicle while impaired. Her two children, age 6 and 4, were released to a relative.

Police said a test found her blood-alcohol concentration to be 0.201. The legal limit in Ohio is 0.08.

McCarty also was cited for failing to obey a traffic-control device.

She pleaded not guilty in Mahoning County Area Court here Tuesday, according to court records.

Fire damage

BOARDMAN

Township fire department officials estimated an early morning fire at 8165 Tippecanoe Road caused damage between $75,000 and $100,000.

Fire Chief Mark Pitzer said the homeowner was awakened by a smoke alarm about 2:10 a.m. Tuesday and saw fire on the porch. She managed to wake her four children and her mother in the home, and all got out safely when firefighters arrived.

No one was injured. Pitzer said the roof collapsed on the porch.

The Vindicator's broadcast partner, 21 WFMJ-TV, reported the residence dates back to 1877 and was once a cattle farm.

A campaign to raise money for the family is on GoFundMe at www.gofundme.com/shannon-bray-brown-tragic-fire/.

MCCTC selects new superintendent

CANFIELD

The Mahoning County Career and Technical Center's governing board announced the selection of John Zehentbauer as the new superintendent, effective today.

Zehentbauer has been at MCCTC since 1991, most recently serving as assistant superintendent. His annual salary will be $125,000. The board approved a three-year pact.

"He is unwavering in his passion and commitment to MCCTC's mission and goals of educating high school and adult students," Kathi McNabb Welsh, board president, said of Zehentbauer.

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