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Friday February 3 2012

By NewsTalk 570 WKBN 

A man and woman admit robbing a New Wilmington bank last month. 36-year-old Anthony Walzer of Hubbard and 23-year-old Sandra Guthrie of Koppel Pennsylvania are charged in the holdup of the Huntington Bank there.

Three county leaders from Cuyahoga, Lorain and Summit Counties were in Youngstown today. They're forming a coalition opposed to the sale or lease of the turnpike.

More animal cruelty in Youngstown: A mixed breed pit bull was found shot to death in a plastic garbage can. A man and woman made the gruesome find in a ravine near the intersection of Ohio Avenue and Tod Lane.

The Ohio Senate is considering a bill that would ban smoking in vehicles with children under six in the car. The sponsor of the bill says there's concern about the concentration of smoke in a vehicle. Opponents say it will be difficult to enforce and infringes on personal freedoms.

The coalition begins here: The first of several media events and meetings of northern Ohio county leaders on the privatization of the Ohio Turnpike was in youngstown yesterday. Elected leaders from Cleveland, Akron and Lorain were here: All saying it's not a good idea.

If you own property in Columbiana County, you probably have received your first-half 2011 tax bill. Over 57,000 bills were mailed this week; payment is due March 9th. If you don't receive a bill by Monday, call the treasurers office.

The Ohio EPA oversees water pollution issues at gas well sites. But they also work to reduce air emissions. Well-developers can now apply for a "general" air permit. It covers issues like pollution from combustion engines, storage tanks and flares. The permits can be issued in just weeks.

Ohio ranks 7th in the nation for collisions involving trains. Operation Lifesaver wants you to write a 30-second radio message aimed at preventing rail tragedies. Here's a link to the contest; there are prizes. The Youngstown region ranks 6th in the state for train incidents.

Shocking stats from a new drug prevention survey. It shows over 21% of Ohio high school seniors admit using a prescription drug for the purpose of getting high. Every year since 2007, more Ohioans die from drug overdoses than from car crashes. Call 855-DRUGFREE, 800-788-7254 or go to www.drugfree.org

If you haven't applied for a 2012 Mahoning County dog license, it's time to do it now. As of February 1st, there's a $15 penalty tacked onto the $15 annual fee. Dog warden Matt Ditchey says if your dog gets lost, the tag helps get the animal back. You can also be cited and taken to court for not licensing your dog. Here's a link to the application for a dog license.

Natural gas represents an energy-independence opportunity for the US and an economic opportunity for this area. That from America's Natural Gas Alliance which represents 40% of onshore US producers. The Alliance says their companies disclose the chemicals used in the process; here's a link to that registry.

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