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On the record Austintown

Austintown WHAT: Board of Education September meeting PRESENT: Kim Smrek, Don Sherwood, Katie Berdis, Fred Marcum and Harold Porter The board: •Heard from part-time bus driver and substitute teacher Stephanie Rimidio, who expressed concern about multiple instances of motorists failing to stop when the school bus red lights are flashing and the “stop” sign is extended. She said the bus is equipped with a camera that does capture the license plate number of motorists passing a stopped bus, but the process of being able to report the incident falls apart because the ...

On the record Lowellville

Lowellville WHAT: Board of Education meeting Sept. 16 PRESENT: Gerald Dubos, Jeff Sturm, Brian Wharry and Stephanie Yon ABSENT: Jennifer Johnson The board: •Heard from Superintendent Christine Sawicki that the Lowellville Local School District will continue its partnership with the Cleveland Browns “Stay in the Game” attendance campaign, as well as its partnership with the Mahoning County Juvenile Court’s traveling magistrate program. She said chronic absenteeism remains a significant challenge for the district. “We are committed to emphasizing the importance of good ...

On thr record Trumbull County

Trumbull County WHAT: Educational Service Center board meeting Monday PRESENT: Tom Krispinsky, Carol Young, Deborah Patchin, Denise Domhoff and Laura Rubesich The board: • Approved the purchase of a van for $45,566 from Klaben Ford Lincoln of Warren for courier service for transporting items to different buildings served by the center. •Named Young as delegate and Rubesich as alternate to the Ohio School Boards Association conference in November. •Approved an agreement with Southeast Local Schools for preschool services through July 2027. •Approved an agreement ...

PUCO staff’s attorney wants requested changes to SOBE rate hike dropped

An attorney for the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s staff argued that requests for an end date for the major emergency rate hikes approved by the commission for SOBE Thermal Energy Systems LLC and the inclusion of language that the increases are “subject to refund” aren’t valid. The two requests made by the city of Youngstown and the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel in a Sept. 14 joint filing should be rejected by the PUCO “because they are outside the scope of the commission’s rehearing entry,” wrote Julian Johnson, an Ohio assistant attorney general with ...

SOBE sends disconnection notices to four customers

YOUNGSTOWN — SOBE Thermal Energy Systems LLC sent disconnection notices to four of its downtown Youngstown customers that haven’t paid their bills in at least the past 60 days. The disconnection notices state service may be disconnected as soon as Friday. The steam heat to the four buildings won’t be cut off Friday, but the disconnections would likely occur the week of Oct. 5, unless payments are made, said Michael Moran, attorney for John C. Collins, SOBE’s receiver. Those receiving disconnection letters were West 34 Investors LLC, the owner of Wick Tower; Erie Terminal Place ...

Superintendent: Job’s not done for city schools

YOUNGSTOWN — Earning a three-star rating of a possible five stars on the recently released state report card is a reason for the Youngstown City School District to celebrate, but not to rest on its academic laurels, a top official says. “The work is not done. We’re showing that we can do this work,” Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor said after the regular Youngstown Board of Education meeting Tuesday afternoon at Youngstown Rayen Early College High School. The district’s ranking was revealed after the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce released the report cards Sept. ...