Big crowd expected Sunday for Big Boy in Struthers

July 7, 2026

STRUTHERS — The Union Pacific Big Boy is scheduled to arrive Sunday in the city’s downtown for what Mayor Catherine Cercone Miller has described as a major event. “This is the first time our city has ever seen anything this big, and possibly will ever see anything this big come through our downtown,” Miller said. “We’re expecting between (4,000) and 5,000 (people).” At 133 feet and 1.2 million pounds, Big Boy No. 4014 is the world’s largest operating locomotive. It is traveling coast to coast to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary. Returning from Philadelphia, ...

Santos steps down

July 7, 2026

AUSTINTOWN — The township is down to two trustees after the board chair resigned on Monday. Trustee Robert Santos stepped down at the beginning of the regular trustees meeting, informing the audience that he has accepted a position with Mahoning County. Santos, originally elected in 2021, was reelected to his seat in November with 29.5% of the vote, coming in 1,624 votes over former trustee Jim Davis and just behind Trustee Monica Deavers, who also won reelection. Deavers, as the board’s vice-chair, will take over the gavel from Santos. “Tonight is bittersweet for me. For the ...

High winds, heavy rain wallop Mahoning County

July 6, 2026

A severe thunderstorm with strong winds and heavy rain that hit the Mahoning Valley Sunday afternoon brought major flooding and power outages in both Mahoning and Trumbull counties. Mahoning County was hit hardest by the storm, with reports of many fallen trees, toppled and downed power ...

Valley, nation celebrate 250th birthday of USA

July 6, 2026

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump mixed patriotic appeals with a dash of partisan politics Saturday night as he commemorated the 250th anniversary of American independence, a moment he declared “one of the most joyous and glorious milestones of all time.” Speaking in Washington ...

Ohio police officer fatally shot responding to 911 gunshots call, suspect and 2 others also dead

July 6, 2026

RITTMAN (AP) — A police officer responding to a 911 call about gunshots at an Ohio home was fatally shot, and the suspect and two other people also died, a county sheriff said. Two other officers and a police dog were hurt, Wayne County Sheriff Tom Ballinger told reporters. Their conditions were not immediately known. The shootings happened Sunday night in Rittman, about 40 miles south of Cleveland. Ballinger said the 911 call came in at about 9:30 p.m. about "some type of disturbance and shots fired." "Officers responded to the area and immediately started taking fire," ...

Bald eagle cited as key to America’s identity at Austintown flag-raising ceremony

July 6, 2026

AUSTINTOWN — As the U.S. blows out the 250 candles atop its birthday cake, the country continues to be led and guided by three forces that have allowed what it carved into stone to endure: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the bald eagle, a longtime history professor and ...