News

On the record: Liberty Board of Education

Local News September 30, 2026

Liberty What: Board of Education meeting Monday Present: Adam Earnheardt, Janine Hamilton, Hans Kirr, David Malone and John Simon The board: * Approved a one-year agreement between AARIS Therapy Group of Niles and the district for psychological testing for students, for $90 an hour, with a max budget not to exceed $10,000 unless agreed upon by both parties. * Approved an agreement between the district and Students Motivated by the Arts (SMARTS) to provide K-12 arts classes and teachers in visual art, music, dance, theater, and/or creative writing. The $35,000 cost of this ...

Dustin Ruiter’s rape convictions affirmed following second trial

Local News September 29, 2026

YOUNGSTOWN — The Seventh District Court of Appeals has affirmed the convictions and sentence of Dustin Ruiter, 51, of Youngstown, in his rape trial in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court earlier this year. It is a much different ruling than the one the appeals court handed down in 2023 ...

Girard reviewing funds for Wellman Theater

Local News September 29, 2026

GIRARD - City officials said they will check to see if nearly $70,000 in American Rescue Plan funds that need to be used by the end of the year can be used for work at the Wellman Theater. Auditor Julie Coggins told officials Monday the Wellman Theater fund has $41,500, mostly from speed ...

Witnesses say shooting motive was unclear

Local News September 29, 2026

YOUNGSTOWN — After a day of testimony, it remains unclear exactly why Darius Smith apparently killed a teenager in May, but witnesses all seemed to agree that he did. Smith, 23, of Dewey Avenue, is accused of fatally shooting 16-year-old Ty’Ron Perry Jr. of Akron at Smith’s home on May ...

YSU, Niles get federal grants

Local News September 29, 2026

Youngstown State University is receiving $1.5 million and Niles is getting a $402,500 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission. The ARC funding comes through the federal Partnership for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative to help address coal-related job loss in the Appalachian region. Both Mahoning and Trumbull counties were added to the ARC jurisdiction in 2008 as part of a congressional bill that allows them to qualify for federal economic development funding, job training and money for manufacturing. The two grants were announced Tuesday ...

SOBE attorney: Judge can’t grant request by 2 customers to intervene in court case

Local News September 29, 2026

YOUNGSTOWN – The attorney for SOBE Thermal Energy Systems LLC’s receiver doesn’t object to requests by two customers – who were sent disconnection notices – to intervene in a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court case, but sees no reason why they’re seeking that status. Michael Moran, the court-appointed attorney for SOBE receiver John C. Collins, wrote in a Tuesday response that the request by West 34 Investors LLC, the owner of Wick Tower, and Erie Terminal Place LLC, which owns Erie Terminal Place, to intervene “is extremely unclear. Beyond desiring to be parties to the ...