Local News Headlines

Two Men Shot, Claim Neither Saw Shooters

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:59:00 GMT

Two men were shot on Youngstown's south side late Thursday, but won't tell police much about what happened.

Officers responded to reports of gunshots in the West Delason Avenue area about 9:20 p.m. Thursday. They found Glen Martin, 52, of 168 W. Warren Ave., in the doorway of a home bleeding from wounds to his leg and thigh.

Martin told officers he did not know where he was when he got shot, according to reports. Police followed a blood trail to another room on the first floor and said it looked as though Martin was sitting on a couch when he was shot.

Across the street, Mareese Sanders, 21, told police he was walking when heard shots and felt pain in his foot.

Both men told police they did not see anyone with a gun.

Both men were treated and released from St. Elizabeth's Medical Center.

Marine Chopper Makes Stop at North Elementary

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:30:00 GMT

Poland's North Elementary School students had a special visitor Friday.

A marine helicopter from near Pittsburgh landed there after students previously wrote letters of appreciation to area marines. The chopper made the trip to Poland to personally pick up the letters.

In exchange for the letters, the marines collected money for the school's Make-A-Wish campaign, and presented the kids with the money this afternoon.

YSU Students Protest Fee Via Facebook

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:21:37 GMT

A group of Youngstown State University students say they want a proposed $1 fee revoked. And they're using Facebook to voice opposition to the Student Government Association's plan to increase its appropriations budget.

It's asking for a $1 per credit hour charge to help support student organizations.

"I'm not in any student organization, so I don't think I should have to pay for other people who are, because I just simply don't have the time," said Addie Balzic, a YSU junior and education major.

SGA President Zach Brown disagreed.

"I think that if they're not in a student organization or something that they should try to take advantage of this fee now that they know where the money is at," he said. "The money is going to be coming to student government. It's going to be there for them to use and for their benefits."

SGA will present the proposal on Monday. The final decision is up to YSU's board of trustees.

Warren Names its Trooper of the Year

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:15:00 GMT

The Warren Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol has selected Trooper Don Walker as trooper of the year.

Walker is a graduate of the 130th Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy and has been with the patrol for eleven years.

Besides this honor, Walker has also earned several other awards including the Superintendent Citation Award Ribbon and Ace Award Ribbon.

Walker said he is extremely honored to be chosen by his peers and supervisors for this award.

Switch to Charter for Warren?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's a subject that Warren officials have talked about for years, but now Warren's council president thinks it is time to create a citizens ad hoc committee to examine if the city should switch to a charter form of government.

Council President Bob Marchese said Friday he plans to ask council to create the ad hoc committee. Marchese said there has been a lot of interest from the community in switching from statutory to a charter form of government.

He said he would like the members of the group to study the possibility and then report back to council by May on whether or not they believe it is a good idea.

"Let's bring in a citizen group, let them work on it, and then let's decide," Marchese said. "We need to downsize our government. Statutory designation is a dinosaur, with high-paying positions, some appointed and some elected."

Marchese plans to discuss the creation of the committee with council during it's Nov. 30 meeting.

Warren Man Convicted in Howland Murder

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:55:00 GMT

A Trumbull County jury Friday convicted a Warren man for his role in the December murder of Cameron Murray of Howland.

The jury deliberated about 15 hours over the span of three days before reaching the verdict on Oryan Miller's case. Miller was convicted of complicity to aggravated murder and complicity to aggravated burglary.

He was acquitted on charges of complicity to aggravated robbery.

Miller will be sentenced Dec. 1 and could receive life in prison with the possibility of parole after 18 years.

Prosecutors said Miller tried to rob Murray at Murray's Howland home Dec. 23. Gunfire broke out and Murray died shortly after. Another defendant in the case, Delshawn Scrivens, died a few months later.

YSU Football Players Accused in Alleged Assault

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:48:00 GMT

As Youngstown State University gets ready for its last game of the season Saturday against North Dakota State University, a pair of players did not make the trip.

The YSU sports department confirmed Nick Gooden and A.J. Walker were left behind this weekend, after they and two other team members were accused in an alleged assault earlier this week.

The two other players are listed as "hurt" and were not on the Penguin's traveling squad.

A report filed with Youngstown police claimed three men were at a party early Monday at a house on the city's north side when they were allegedly punched several times.

While a detective has been assigned to the case, prosecutors can't say whether or not any charges will be filed.

Mahoning County Wrapping Up H1N1 Clinics

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:43:00 GMT

The Mahoning County Health Department is wrapping up its school based H1N1 clinics.

Friday, officials held their thirteenth clinic at Campbell Elementary School. Over the last month, they've distributed almost 14,000 vaccinations, including both the shots and nasal sprays.

Children under 9 still need to get a second round, but they must wait at least 28 days between the two.

Health officials expect to receive more vaccine in the next few weeks, and at that time they hope to schedule regional clinics.

Most Sample Flu Testing Shows H1N1 Strains

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:38:00 GMT

Although state health officials in Ohio are calling the outbreak of swine flu a "pandemic," they also admit there's been little in the way of testing for it.

A spokesman for the Ohio Department of Health claimed the state normally does not keep up to date records on flu-related illnesses. They are also not required to report adult deaths related to the flu.

Instead officials perform what they called "surveillance," collecting information from all around the state.

"We look at hospital admissions, we look at emergency room visits, and with all of these data parts, we get an idea of what kind of activity we have in the state," said spokesman Kris Weiss.

Weiss said the department does sample testing around the state to determine which flu strains are circulating at any given time, claiming the "vast majority" of recent samples are showing the presence of H1N1.

But despite the lack of more hard data, officials claimed they're seeing enough evidence to support the actions they've been taking.

Weekend H1N1 Clinics Planned for Mercer County

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:29:00 GMT

Using an assembly-line like system, high-risk residents quickly filed through the Mercer County State Health Center in Jackson Center Friday afternoon to get their H1N1 vaccine.

Some said the process was so efficient, it took them longer to drive there than it did to get inoculated.

It was one of a number of clinics set up this weekend all around Pennsylvania. This one included people from Mercer, Lawrence, Venango and Crawford counties and specifically targeted those with a higher risk of contracting swine flu, but up until now were not able to get vaccinated at their local schools or doctors' offices.

Some bringing their children here tell me even though their kids may have already been sick with flu-like symptoms, they wanted to get vaccinated anyway.

Others said they and their children have been lucky so far, but they don't want to take any chances.

Organizers say nearly 1,200 people pre-registered for today's clinic with another 800 signed-up tomorrow. They anticipate even more will simply show up to see if they can get vaccinated.