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Fat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown. Can Chunk, the 1,200-pound champ, win once again?

National News

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — After a summer spent packing away sockeye salmon, Alaska’s heftiest brown bears are ready to throw their weight around. Online voting began Tuesday for Fat Bear Week, the annual contest that pits the rotund residents of Katmai National Park and Preserve against each other for the title of most oversized ursine. Last year’s winner, Chunk — known officially as Bear 32 — is hungry for a repeat. Chunk’s weight in 2025 was estimated at 1,200 pounds, which gave him a narrow victory. This year he’s back and facing corpulent competition like Gully — ...

More than 20 late utility bills raise more questions about Ciccone

Local News

YOUNGSTOWN – The office of controversial Mahoning County Clerk of Courts Michael Ciccone failed to pay more than 20 monthly electric and gas bills at area county courts – again raising questions about his ability to do even the most basic functions of his job. In total, there were 18 ...

More details emerge in contractor arrest

Local News

BEAVER TOWNSHIP — More details have emerged in the arrest of a local businessman, and the song remains very much the same. A fourth-degree felony warrant that contributed to the arrest Friday of John P. Bartos III arose from a Beaver Township woman's claim that she paid him $6,000 for ...

Bed tax on short-term rentals considered in Trumbull

Local News

WARREN — Commissioners are expected to vote to require short-term rental facilities with five or less rooms to pay the same lodging tax that larger hotels and motels currently have to pay. Trumbull now charges 5% lodging or bed taxes on short-term lease organizations that have five or more beds. Of that amount, 3% is used by the Western Reserve Port Authority, and 2% is used by the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau. There are 20 other counties across Ohio with this same type of policy, and two Trumbull communities, Howland and Liberty, have these same rules, according to Nicholas ...

Operator of 314 Wendy's locations in the US files for bankruptcy protection

Business News

One of the largest U.S. franchisees for Wendy's has filed for bankruptcy protection after the restaurant chain tried to terminate its franchise agreement. Meritage Hospitality Group, which operates 314 Wendy’s restaurants in 15 states, said in a statement last week it intends to keep operating its restaurants and paying its 9,000 employees during the bankruptcy process. Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Meritage filed its bankruptcy petition in federal court in western Michigan on Sept. 17. According to court documents, Wendy’s filed a notice of termination of the company’s ...

YSU President delivers State of University address

Local News

YOUNGSTOWN -- When it came to assessing Youngstown State University's state of affairs, YSU President Bill Johnson left the starting gate not with a trot, but with a gallop. "I'm glad to share with you that the state of Youngstown State University is very, very good," he said. That was among ...