Parks employee hired

Parks employee hired

AUSTINTOWN

Township trustees during their meeting this week hired Carolina Spaulding as a part-time parks department employee, Trustee James Davis said. Her hourly wage was set at $11.78 per hour.

Trustee Douglas McGlynn reported call volume figures for the township police department – including an average 153 calls per day and a total of 474 calls for this month – as evidence the department is busy and deserving of the 3.2-mill levy measure that will appear on the November ballot, he said.

Trustee Kenneth Carano also highlighted the Austintown Democrats, a group now entering its 60th year, making it the oldest political club in six counties.

Student arrested

BOARDMAN

Township police responded to allegations Monday morning that a Boardman High School student brought a weapon to school, according to police reports.

Principal Cindy Fernback told police she learned of a video posted to social media in which a 14-year-old student was holding a pistol and several cellphones. According to the police report, the female student claims in the video she had stolen the items.

Fernback instructed two associate principals to remove her from class and search her belongings. During the search, police located a steak knife and five cellphones.

The student was arrested on a charge of illegal conveyance of a deadly weapon in a school safety zone. She is in the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center. The knife and cellphones were placed into evidence.

Motion dismissed

YOUNGSTOWN

A city employee dismissed a motion she had filed to compel Mayor Jamael Tito Brown to approve a compromise reached concerning her job.

Abigail Beniston, the city’s wastewater-construction coordinator, filed a lawsuit after Brown ordered her to take a lesser position at a more than $20,000 pay cut.

The city’s board of control approved a compromise Aug. 2 that changed her title from wastewater construction engineer and lowered her salary from $60,769.19 to $52,805,50, but the mayor had not signed it when she filed the motion to compel.

The matter was scheduled for a hearing at 11 a.m. Thursday that was canceled after the parties reached an agreement.

Power of Preservation

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, in partnership with the Tyler History Center, will host The Power of Preservation: Walking Tour of Downtown Youngstown at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

The tour, part of the Ohio History Connection’s Ohio Open Doors Celebration, is a free guided walking tour open to the public. The walk begins at Tyler History Center, 325 W. Federal St., and continues through downtown and ends back at the history center. Free parking will be available.

For information, call 330-742-2589 or email mvhs@mahoninghistory.org.

Pooch Pentathlon

BOARDMAN

The Davis Family YMCA, 45 McClurg Road, will host the 13th annual Pooch Pentathlon from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.

This multisport event groups dogs by size (small, medium and large) and has them compete in various events, including leap dog, fetch, doggie paddle, treasure dive and an obstacle course. Dogs can participate in a single event or all events. Register online at www.youngstownymca.org or in person.

Registration is $10 per dog. Dogs registered by today will receive a commemorative certificate. The first 75 dogs at the event will receive a special doggie bag. For the safety of guests, all participating dogs must have proof of rabies vaccinations in order to participate.

Bond rating increased

YOUNGSTOWN

Standard & Poors increased Mahoning County’s general obligation bond rating from A+ to AA-.

A report states that conservative budgeting and strong management have increased the county’s ability to adjust to changes in revenue.

The change allows the county to issue debt without the added cost of bond insurance.

Commissioner Anthony Traficanti said the rating recognizes the county’s efforts in the budget arena.

“We have worked through the swings in revenue ups and downs with the help of the Mahoning County citizens, cooperation within county government and the unions,” Traficanti said.

3 injured in crash

NORTH JACKSON

Three people who suffered minor injuries were taken to a hospital after a crash involving three vehicles, including a motorcycle, about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of North Bailey and Gladstone roads in Jackson Township.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol Canfield Post reported that a sports utility vehicle ran through a stop sign and hit another truck. A motorcycle rider slid off the road to avoid the crash.

The roads were closed for a period of time while the damaged vehicles were removed. As of Tuesday night, the crash was still under investigation, and no charges had been filed.

Block watch meeting

YOUNGSTOWN

Four Square Block Watch will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at Greater Friendship Baptist Church, 646 Lakewood Ave.

Board meeting

SHARON, PA.

Mercer County Housing Authority board meets at 12:30 p.m. today at the housing authority office, 80 Jefferson Ave.

Filmmaker at YSU

YOUNGSTOWN

Josh Fox, filmmaker and documentarian, presents his performance “The Truth has Changed” at 7 p.m. Thursday at Youngstown State University’s Cushwa Hall Room B112. The presentation is free.

Fox is an Emmy Award winner and Oscar nominee known for his films, including “Gasland” and “Gasland 2,” that jump-started the global awareness of the dangers of fracking to human health.

In his performance, he will chronicle the “not normal” politics of our time and how untruths are unraveling our democracy.

Immediately after the performance is a fundraiser for protecting Youngstown’s clean drinking water and a book-signing at Inner Circle Pizza across the street from Cushwa Hall on Lincoln Avenue.