Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Jury seated in 2nd trial
YOUNGSTOWN
A jury has been seated in the second murder trial of Johnny Ray Wallace III in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Officials said the court concluded the jury-selection process Monday afternoon.
The 12 jurors were then directed to view the Last Call Lounge along South Avenue where it’s alleged Wallace, 24, of Youngstown, shot and killed Colin Brown, 45, in November 2017.
Wallace went on trial for Brown’s murder in June 2018, but the jury could not reach a verdict and the court declared a mistrial. Though jurors deliberated for several hours over the course of two days, they ultimately said they were “hopelessly deadlocked.”
Wallace’s trial begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday with attorneys’ opening statements.
Glue in door’s keyhole
BOARDMAN
Police are investigating an incident in which a Westview Drive resident’s back door was glued shut Sunday, according to police reports.
The victim told police he got home Sunday and Gorilla Glue was leaking from the keyhole in his back door. The victim also noticed glue in his dog’s water bowl.
The victim also told police the suspect left several other items on the victim’s back porch.
Woman shot in car
YOUNGSTOWN
A woman was shot Saturday night while sitting in her car on the South Side.
According to a police report, the woman, who was admitted to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, and another individual were sitting in her vehicle at an unidentified location on the South Side when a man shot her and fled.
The person accompanying the woman was unable to identify the shooter.
6 facing theft charges
BOARDMAN
Six people were arrested over the weekend on theft charges at Walmart, according to police reports.
Jordan Espada, 19, of Youngstown, and Roger Campbell, 19, of New Middletown, were arrested Friday after attempting to leave the store without paying for about $150 worth of merchandise.
Nelida Mendoza, 39, Keishla Oliveras, 27, and Madeline Baez-Ortega, 20, all of Struthers, were arrested Sunday after scanning items with the wrong price tags, reports said. The total value of the stolen merchandise was about $77. Two children, age 4 and 6, were present at the time of the incident.
Jennifer Taylor, 37, of Youngstown, was arrested Sunday after attempting to leave the store with more than $500 worth of merchandise, police said. She was accompanied by two women that loss-prevention employees were unable to detain, however.
No charges in hit-skip
AUSTINTOWN
Township police have yet to bring charges against a 20-year-old Niles man believed to have struck another man with his vehicle outside Chippers Sports Bar and Grill then sped away.
Several witnesses said they saw the man arguing with his girlfriend inside the bar after midnight Friday, and he was asked to leave, according to a township police report.
One witness told police the man was “driving crazy in the parking lot trying to ram people.” The suspect, who has not been charged, reportedly struck a man with the front end of his Jeep Cherokee in the parking lot and didn’t attempt to avoid him or stop after the collision, witnesses said.
Police visited the man’s Niles home and found the white Jeep in question, and towed the vehicle to keep it as evidence.
Suspension is upheld
WARREN
Warren Safety-Service Director Enzo Cantalamessa has upheld his earlier decision to order his uncle, Celestino DiVieste, to serve a six-week, unpaid suspension for spending close to two hours in a restaurant on city time.
DiVieste filed a grievance over the discipline through his union, the American Federation of Federal, State and County Employees.
But in a Thursday letter, Cantalamessa told DiVieste his violations of city rules are “serious offenses and warrant a significant penalty.”
DiVieste and his union have the option to file for arbitration. A call to the Youngstown AFSME union office Monday was not returned.
Open seat on board
WARREN
The Trumbull County commissioners announced Monday they have an open seat to fill on the Western Reserve Transit Authority, Transit Board and Mental Health and Recovery Board.
The vacancy on the port authority board is the result of the resignation of Michael F. Welsh of Vienna for personal reasons, Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa said.
Interested Trumbull County residents should submit a letter of interest along with a current resume to the Board of Trumbull County Commissioners, 160 High St. NW, Warren, Ohio, 44481 by 4:30 p.m. July 2.
KSU branch interim dean
CHAMPION
Kent State University has named Daniel E. Palmer as interim dean and chief administrative officer of Kent State University at Trumbull, effective July 1. Palmer joined Kent State University’s Trumbull Campus in 2001 and has served as assistant dean since 2010. He is an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy.
Palmer is active in civic groups in the Mahoning Valley and surrounding areas. Palmer earned his Ph. D. from Purdue University.
Palmer replaces Dr. Lance Grahn, who is retiring after serving as dean since 2015.
Teen died in ATV crash
WARREN
Jeremiah R. Barnes, 17, of Parkwood Drive Northwest, died in a 7:35 p.m. Friday ATV accident on Parkwood Drive Northwest near Stewart Circle.
The Warren Police Department says Barnes was driving the ATV east when the vehicle ran off the roadway because of high speed and struck a utility pole. Barnes and a passenger, Thomas Markeis, 13, of Williamsburg Street Northweset, were ejected and came to rest on the ground near the ATV.
Both were transported to the Trumbull Regional Medical Center. Markeis suffered suspected minor injuries.
Trumbull Mobile Meals seeks drivers
WARREN
Trumbull Mobile Meals needs drivers to deliver meals, especially in Lordstown. Among the reasons the need is great is because of the large number of disabled veterans, wheelchair-bound people, those who use walkers and canes, those too ill to prepare a meal, or those who do not have the resources to drive to a congregate meal site or food distribution center, Mobile Meals said in a press release.
The Mobile Meals phone number is 330-394-2538.
Campbell school board
CAMPBELL
The Campbell school board meets at 7 p.m. today in Room 310 at Memorial High School, 280 Sixth St.
Watch parties planned
Local Democratic Party members, community members and activists will gather to watch U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, and other Democratic presidential candidates present solutions to the pressing issues facing our families.
Debate watch parties are planned for Wednesday in Trumbull County and Thursday in Mahoning County.
The Wednesday watch party is hosted by Trumbull County Democratic Party and will be at party headquarters in Pinetree Plaza in Niles, 36 Youngstown Warren Road. The event will begin at 8 p.m.
The Thursday watch party is hosted by Mahoning County Young Democrats and ProgressMV and will be at Rhine Haus Bier Hall, 40 N. Phelps St., in downtown Youngstown. The event will begin at 8:30 p.m. Admission is free at both parties.
Ryan campaign offers Chicago show tickets
YOUNGSTOWN
Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Rep Tim Ryan’s campaign is offering tickets to the Chicago concert and a reception in support of Ryan before the concert Friday at the Youngstown Foundation Ampitheatre, 201 S. Phelps St.
The reception will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and the concert will start at 8 p.m.
A host package that includes 10 concert tickets is $2,800, a sponsor package that includes six concert tickets is $1,000, a supporter package that includes four tickets is $500, and a friend package that includes two concert tickets is $250.
The tickets include the reception and the concert.
Contributions can be made payable to 315 Inspiration Lane, Gaithersburg, Md., 20878 or online at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/tr062819.
RSVP to Wendy Balodis at 440-476-2106 or online at wbalodis@timryanforamerica.com.
Road closing delayed
WARREN
The previously scheduled closing of Fisher-Corinth Road (Trumbull Highway 248) in Johnston Township by the Trumbull County engineer has been postponed until further notice.
DiSalvo meet and greet
BOARDMAN
Judge Renee DiSalvo, who is running to retain her seat on the Youngstown Municipal Court bench in the November general election, will be at a meet-and-greet event at 8 p.m. today at Mahoning County Republican Party headquarters, 8384 Market St.
Former Gov. John Kasich in October 2018 selected her to fill out the term of Judge Elizabeth Kobly, who had retired.
TMHA board to meet
WARREN
The Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority board will meet at noon today at the administrative office, 4076 Youngstown Road SE.
Addressing coal reclamation talks
COLUMBUS (AP)
An Ohio Senate decision to cut funding Republican Gov. Mike DeWine budgeted for reclaiming abandoned coal mining sites is expected to arise during budget compromise talks this week.
The Senate version of Ohio’s two-year state budget trimmed the $4 million DeWine proposed for coal mine reclamation to $2 million.
The Columbus Dispatch reports DeWine intended the funds to replace most of the $5 million former Gov. John Kasich’s administration withdrew in 2017 to help cover a revenue shortfall.
The health of the coal reclamation fund concerns environmentalists and coal lobbyists. It pools money from all Ohio-permitted mining companies to be used when a company abandons a mining site without reclaiming the land.
Case on hold for man charged with posing as missing Ill. child
CINCINNATI (AP)
The case of a 24-year-old Ohio man charged with impersonating a long-missing child is on hold in federal court.
U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett earlier granted a sealed motion filed by Brian Michael Rini’s attorney and canceled a scheduled final pretrial hearing. A court notice filed Monday stated the June 24 trial date was vacated, with no new date set.
Rini has pleaded not guilty to two counts of lying to federal agents and one of aggravated identity theft.
Federal prison records indicate he’s being held in Oklahoma City.
Authorities say Rini claimed to be Timmothy Pitzen, an Aurora, Ill., boy who disappeared in 2011 at age 6.