Female student claims abuse by Brother Baker
ALTOONA, Pa. - A former John F. Kennedy baseball coach accused of molesting team members in the 1980s and 1990s is now accused of molesting at least one girl.
Attorney Richard Serbin said on Wednesday that his client was abused by Brother Stephen Baker at Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown, Pa., starting when she was 15 years old. She is the first female out of about 80 people who have claimed abuse by Baker.
Baker, 62, fatally stabbed himself in the heart Jan. 26 at St. Bernadine's monastery in Hollidaysburg, Pa., after revelations of accusations against him became public. No charges ever were filed against him, but 11 former Kennedy students received five-figure settlements late last year on allegations of abuse.
Baker was at Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown from 1992 to 2000. He also taught in Michigan in the mid-1980s. He had been living at the monastery under strict supervision since 2000, when Franciscan officials say they first learned Baker was accused of sexually abusing students.
Campbell man killed in Ellsworth wreck
ELLSWORTH - The Mahoning County Coroner's Office identified a 42-year-old Campbell man as the victim in a fatal accident about 8:30 a.m. Monday on U.S. Route 224.
The coroner's office needed to use dental records to identify Raul Cisneros Aguirre, who was badly burned in the accident near Knauf Road after colliding with a vehicle driven by Jeffrey Huss of Sugar Creek.
Troopers with the Canfield Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said an SUV that Aguirre was driving slid left of center after hitting some slush and hit the pickup truck head-on before bursting into flames.
Huss was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center to be treated for his injuries.
Trimmer knocked out when tree limb shears
NEWTON FALLS - A man knocked unconscious while trimming a tree at 5632 Liberty Ave. was flown by helicopter to Akron City Hospital just before noon Wednesday, police said. The trimmer's identity and condition had not yet been released.
Resident Lori Noble said she was watching from inside her house as a crew from Barrackman Tree Service in Southington cut down trees. The worker was harnessed in a tree, cutting a limb.
"He cut it, and when they lifted it up (with a crane), it split," Noble said. "There must have been a dead spot in it." The limb sheared and struck the worker in the head and side, knocking him unconscious for a short time, she said.
The worker was lowered to the ground in the company's bucket truck and taken in a squad car to the Newton Falls Community Center, where a helicopter was waiting.
Students moved because of threat
CANFIELD - Students at Canfield Middle School were moved to the high school Wednesday morning because of a bomb threat.
A police spokesman said a threat was phoned into the school at 8:20 a.m. and the students were moved after that.
After the school was swept and nothing was found, students were returned to classes to finish out the school day.
Three teenagers hurt in crash on Route 11
AUSTINTOWN - Three teenage girls were injured after their vehicle rolled over Wednesday evening, Tribune Chronicle news partner WYTV 33 News reported.
The vehicle was traveling in the southbound lane of state Route 11 at the Mahoning Avenue bridge just after 8 p.m.
Two 18-year-olds and a 17-year-old were inside the Jeep Liberty, and a hydraulic cutting tool was used to cut the roof off to get them out of the vehicle. Police said their injuries were minor, and the crash was caused by slippery road conditions.
Governor to speak at chamber meeting
BOARDMAN - Ohio Gov. John Kasich will speak today at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber's annual meeting at Mr. Anthony's Banquet Center in Boardman. Kasich, a Republican, is expected to give his remarks at about 1 p.m.
Three people will be honored at the meeting: Sam Covelli, owner / operator of Covelli Enterprises, with the William G. Lyden Jr. Spirit of the Valley Award; David N. Hughes, owner of Specialty Fab in North Lima, with the Donald Cagigas Spirit of the Chamber Award; and Youngstown Mayor Charles Sammarone with the Chairman's Political Achievement Award.
Reservations stopped being accepted Wednesday. A limited number of walk-in tickets will be available. It costs $30 for chamber members and $40 for nonmembers.