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Husted bill looks to free up unused college funds for first-time homebuyers

U.S. Sen. Jon Husted introduced bipartisan legislation to help first-time homebuyers tap into unused money from a college savings fund they may have toward a down payment. The First-Time Homebuyer Empowerment Act is co-sponsored by Husted, an Ohio Republican and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat. The bill would allow people to transfer up to $35,000 in leftover college savings from their 529 Plans tax free for the purchase of a first home. Funds in 529 Plans traditionally can only be used for education-related expenses or transferred to a retirement account. By ...

Ciccones resolve protection-order dispute before hearing starts

YOUNGSTOWN — Emily and Michael Ciccone made it easy on visiting Judge Pam Rintala on Tuesday when Emily Ciccone dropped her domestic violence protection order request against her Mahoning County clerk of courts husband. But the parties set an Aug. 28 hearing to dig further into the legal separation Michael Ciccone requested. Emily Ciccone, her attorney Kathleen Bartlett and Michael Ciccone had more than 30 minutes to wait in the hallways outside of the Mahoning County Domestic Court courtroom Tuesday afternoon waiting for their hearing to begin. That’s when Bartlett shuttled back ...

Authorities worry for teen girl’s safety

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Endangered Missing Child Alert for Zeniah Diaz, 13, who is missing. Zeniah was last seen July 27 in Youngstown. She was last seen wearing pajama pants and a gray shirt. She is believed to be with her noncustodial father, ...

New Castle man gets 10-13.5 years for Liberty assault

WARREN — A New Castle man received a consecutive, indefinite prison sentence of 10 to 13.5 years Tuesday from Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Cynthia L. Westcott for a Sept. 21 felonious assault in Liberty. A Trumbull County jury found Justin Fry-Starrett, 33, guilty June 30 of felonious assault, domestic violence and failure to comply with order/signal of a police officer. Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Gabriel Wildman said he was pleased with both the jury’s verdict and prison sentence. The verdict came after jurors deliberated for a little more than an hour. During ...

Commissioner: Insight leaders still working to reopen Trumbull hospital

WARREN — When Trumbull County Commissioner Rick Hernandez questioned an official of the former Insight Hospital at Trumbull about whether its employees would be able to move their retirement accounts to new accounts, he was told they likely would be able to do so. However, Hernandez added that Dayne Walling, the Insight Health representative he spoke with, told him that hospital officials are still working to one day reopen the facility. To move forward, Insight officials will have to obtain new agreements with the building’s owner, Medical Properties Trust. “Dr. (Jawad) Shah ...

Austintown trustees tap Ciccone to replace Santos

AUSTINTOWN — The township’s governing panel is fully staffed once again. At Monday’s regular meeting of the Austintown Township Trustees, trustees Bruce Shepas and Monica Deavers announced their appointment to fill the seat left vacant last month by the resignation of Robert ...