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Clerk of courts sued for racial discrimination, retaliation and hostile work environment

YOUNGSTOWN — A woman who contends Mahoning County Clerk of Courts Michael Ciccone fired her after she reported to the human resources department that he called her a racial slur, is suing him for racial discrimination, retaliation and having a hostile work environment. Thais Scott of Girard, a former clerk of courts’ administrator who is black, filed the lawsuit in common pleas court. Represented by attorney Corey J. Grimm, Scott is seeking back pay, lost future wages, restoration of lost benefits, emotional distress damages and damages to her professional reputation. The lawsuit ...

Woman arraigned on burglary count

YOUNGSTOWN — Ishia Milledge, 40, was arraigned Wednesday in Youngstown Municipal Court on burglary, a low-level felony, following an incident Tuesday afternoon at a home on Oxford Avenue on the North Side in which she was found inside someone’s home — a problem that the homeowner has had with Milledge in the past. Officers were called to the home regarding a burglary in progress at 2:32 p.m. Tuesday. The resident told dispatchers that her neighbor contacted her to say that the front door of her home was open. A police report called this an “ongoing issue with Milledge” ...

Police file charges against former booster president

Staff report LIBERTY — The Liberty Police Department has filed criminal charges against Christina Marie Merrick, 48, former president of the Liberty Local School District’s wrestling and soccer booster programs, following an investigation into embezzled funds. Liberty police Chief Ray Buhala said Merrick, of Liberty, has been charged with two counts of theft — fourth- and fifth-degree felonies — and misuse of credit cards in connection with the theft of approximately $40,000 from the booster organizations’ accounts. The investigation was launched in June after board ...

Trumbull commissioners reappropriate TNP funds

WARREN — The Trumbull County Commissioners on Wednesday approved moving $325,000 from Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership’s demolition funds to its Emergency Home Repair program. TNP received $1 million from Trumbull County’s allocation of American Rescue Plan funds for its emergency home repair program and another $2 million in ARP funds for demolition and brownfield remediation in conjunction with the Trumbull County Land Bank. TNP Executive Director Matt Martin during the commissioners workshop on Tuesday told them his organization in December requested $900,000 be moved from ...

Trustee defends work of water advisory board

WARREN — Vienna trustee Phil Pegg sought to defend the work of the Trumbull County Water Advisory Board at Tuesday’s Trumbull County Commissioners workshop. The water board’s chairman, Rex Fee, resigned from his position last week, noting the difficulty it had in getting enough members to meet to have a quorum vote. The board’s mission is to find ways to reduce spending in the county’s water department. Pegg noted the board had a number of meetings during which they did not have a quorum, which would have allowed the board to vote on recommendations to provide the ...

On the record: Milton Township

Milton Township WHEN: Monday WHAT: July trustees meeting PRESENT: Bryce Bond, Wendy DiBernardi, Dave Tomaino and fiscal officer Lisa Balsinger Trustees: • Approved placing an advertisement for a full-time police officer position in several area newspapers. • Approved putting Johnny’s Auto & Truck Towing on rotation for municipal services. • Approved tree removal on Harbor Drive and Milton Avenue. • Approved the purchase of various emergency medical services supplies for the fire department at $873.33. • Accepted a $150 donation to the fire department from ...