Balmy weather and good music made it easy to get into a celebratory mood at the 20th annual Boardman Relay for Life at the Boardman High School football stadium.
James L. Patterson, 28, of Youngstown was convicted on seven charges — reckless homicide, tampering with evidence, two counts of corrupting another with drugs and three counts of heroin trafficking.
Jurors will resume deliberations today on the guilt or innocence of James L. Patterson of Youngstown, charged in the overdose death of Christina Sheesley, 17.

Alexis Hugel of Girard cries on the witness stand Tuesday while testifying about the events of April 6, 2012, the day her best friend, Christine Sheesley, overdosed on heroin.
Christine Sheesley, a junior at Girard High School, celebrated her 17th birthday with family members then died of heroin overdose, prosecutor says
The news out of the Trumbull County Courthouse in the past year has increasingly focused on the damage to people’s lives resulting from drug abuse.
Zandrea Bess, sister of 17-year-old Zeboney A. Bess, told Judge W. Wyatt McKay Friday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court how disappointed she is that Jamal R. Wright was not convicted of murder in her sister’s death.

Jim Graham, longtime labor leader but political newcomer, has defeated incumbent Bob Dean for Warren council president, a position that puts him in charge of running Warren council meetings but doesn’t carry much power.
The problems associated with drugs in the Warren area need more than just police officers and federal agents hauling away people in handcuffs, says commander of the Trumbull Ashtabula Group Law Enforcement Task Force.
Delayed several years by a lawsuit, today Trumbull County 911 will have the capability to locate wireless calls.