METRO DIGEST || Handel’s to reopen

Handel’s to reopen

YOUNGSTOWN

Handel’s Enterprises Inc. said it is planning to open its Handel’s Court location on the South Side, which was closed temporarily after an armed robbery there last Saturday. In a statement, the company said the robbery is a first in its almost 75 years of existence, and it decided to close for the time being to ensure the safety of its employees, but it does plan to reopen, although the statement did not give a specific date. The statement also asked for help from the public in identifying the three robbers.

Police said three men, two of them armed, forced their way last Saturday morning at gunpoint while an employee was there to get the store ready to open for the day, took the safe and fled. The statement also said CrimeStoppers Youngstown is offering a $2,500 reward for information on the suspects. Anyone with information can call 330-746-CLUE.

Road restrictions

Beginning Monday, lanes along U.S. Route 62 and State Route 630 in Green, Boardman and Canfield townships will be restricted until further notice as a $2.5 million resurfacing project gets underway, according to a release from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The project will affect U.S. Route 62 between the Columbiana County line and the state Route 446 intersection as well as state Route 630 between state Route 170 and the Pennsylvania state line.

Paving is scheduled to finish in late September.

Elsewhere, U.S. Route 224 between South Duck Creek Road and South Bailey Road in Ellsworth Township was expected to reopen Friday afternoon.

Various lanes along that route west of Bailey Road will also be restricted daily until further notice for a $250,000 culvert replacement project expected to be completed in October.

Facing weapons charge

YOUNGSTOWN

Police investigating drug activity and serving a search warrant about 5:55 p.m. Thursday at a Willis Avenue home on the South Side arrested a man after they found a .22-caliber revolver on a couch he was sitting on.

Reports said James Jordan, 38, of West Marion Avenue, was sitting on the couch that was on the porch when officers arrived. When he stood up, the gun was underneath where he was sitting.

Jordan was charged with carrying concealed weapons. Police also found three crack pipes and a scale at the home, reports said. Three other people were also issued misdemeanor citations.

Arraigned on felonies

YOUNGSTOWN

A South Hazelwood Avenue man who police said refused to let them in his house earlier this week while they served a search warrant investigating child pornography was arraigned Friday on four felonies in municipal court.

Judge Renee DiSalvo set bond at $16,500 for Nicholas Yukon, 29, on a felony charge of tampering with evidence, a felony charge of pandering obscenity, a felony charge of possession of criminal tools and a misdemeanor charge of obstructing justice.

Members of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force were serving a warrant at Yukon’s West Side home, but he refused to let police inside and was taken into custody. Additional charges could be filed as a result of the investigation, police said.

Arrested after fight

YOUNGSTOWN

A Florencedale Avenue woman is in the Mahoning County jail on felonious assault and assault charges after reports said she stabbed a man several times and punched another person during a large fight about 9:20 p.m. Thursday on her North Side street. Reports said police were called for a fight with weapons, and Tayle Graham, 26, was arrested after police saw a video someone took of the fight. It showed Graham stabbing a man and punching someone else. The man who was stabbed was treated at the scene. A witness told police the fight broke out over a series of thefts.

Cash, suspected drugs

YOUNGSTOWN

Reports said police early Thursday found $2,289 cash, a bag of suspected crack cocaine and 11 bags of suspected marijuana mixed with oregano after pulling a car over about 1:40 a.m. at Hilton Avenue and Erie Street on the South Side for failing to stop at a stop sign.

The driver, Rodney Smith, 29, of Shirley Road, was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of cocaine and booked into the Mahoning County jail.

Arrested in robbery case

BOARDMAN

A Youngstown man was arrested Thursday in connection with a July 10 robbery at Subway restaurant on Market Street, according to police reports.

Witnesses told police they saw the suspect walk toward the cash register with a butcher knife and stated, “Give me all the money.”

He removed $300 and took a cash box that contained another $300. Witnesses told police the suspect left on foot.

Jonathan Stevens, 26, was arrested on charges of aggravated robbery and has a hearing set in county area court.

Man pleads in shooting

WARREN

A not-guilty plea was entered Friday in Warren Municipal Court for Shawn T. Flowers, 52, of Dover Street Southwest to charges of felonious assault and being a felon in possession of a firearm in a July 7 shooting at the Sunoco gas station, 805 W. Market St. Bond was set at $125,000.

The victim was a city man, 22, who was flown by helicopter from the Trumbull Regional Medical Center to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital for treatment.

Officers were called to the gas station at 11:39 p.m. for shots fired and a black Lincoln leaving the scene quickly. Police arrested Flowers on Wednesday afternoon on a warrant and placed him in the Trumbull County jail.

Home Savings donation

YOUNGSTOWN

Home Savings Bank recently donated a check for $3,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mahoning Valley. The funds will benefit a site-based school mentoring program in Trumbull County.

Closed for tree removal

KINSMAN

The Trumbull County engineer said Delin Thomas Road between state Route 5 and Kinsman Nickerson Road will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through next Friday for tree removal. The detour is west on Kinsman Nickerson, north on state Route 7 and east on Route 5.

Sobriety checkpoint

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County Operating a Vehicle Impaired Task Force announced that a sobriety checkpoint will be conducted in the county today. The exact location will be announced later today. Saturation patrols also will be conducted throughout the weekend.

Dash and Splash event

LIBERTY

The Jewish Community Center will host its annual Dash and Splash 5K and Family Fun Run or Walk at 9 a.m. Sunday. The run/walk will start at the Jewish Community Center’s main campus at 505 Gypsy Lane, and end at the Logan campus at 3245 Logan Way. At the end, there will be a free party where families can swim at the campus’ outdoor pool and enjoy refreshments.

People can register the day of the race starting at 7 a.m. at the Logan campus or register ahead of time on the Jewish Community Center website. Runners will be bused from the Logan campus to the main campus for the start of the race. Tickets are $10 for a single participant or $15 per family.

Surplus food giveaway

YOUNGSTOWN

Zion Lutheran Church, 3300 Canfield Road, will have a surplus food distribution from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. today for recipients in ZIP codes 44509, 44511 and 44515. Recipients must bring reusable bags.

Boosters thank Cocca’s

BOARDMAN

Boardman Athletic Boosters thanked Cocca’s Pizza for donating to phase three of the Spartan Stadium Project. The boosters have committed $800,000 to the project’s final phase, according to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner. Steve Cocca, a Spartan graduate, has donated a total of $50,000 to Spartan Stadium. The final phase includes boys and girls locker rooms with a total of 134 lockers, a formal front facade with a donor wall, public restrooms, ticket booths and concessions with an eating area.