HOWLAND, Ohio (WYTV) – Hundreds of people went to Howland High School Sunday to support a nurse’s assistant battling a rare form of cancer.

Jason Cetor’s mom Becky Moffett has been fighting a form of head and neck cancer – one that is only found in about 3,200 Americans every year.

“It’s often missed as an ear infection, and that is what she was treated for for a year until they finally decided to do a CAT scan and found she had a tumor,” said Cetor.

It’s called nasopharyngeal carcinoma. It affects patients in the back of their throat just behind the sinuses, Cetor explained.

The cancer attacked Moffett’s mouth and salivary glands. So she can’t eat. She’s going through radiation and can only leave her house for treatments.

“They’ve done a very, very intensive chemotherapy on her, which was a 96-hour I.V. of a very potent chemotherapy,” said Deedee Kramp, Moffett’s niece. “They’ve done that twice.”

People chipped in at Howland High School. Family members organized a pasta dinner, and the community donated more than 100 items to raffle off, including a custom guitar.

Money was also raised with a classic car show. It’s a hobby near and dear to Moffett, who had to sell her custom-painted Ford Mustang to pay for treatments.

“My mom has been the type of the person who always tries to help everyone else, so it is good to see that everyone else has taken the turn to try to help her,” Cetor said. “It is amazing and we appreciate the love and support. I know my mom appreciates it. She just can’t believe it.”

LISBON, Ohio (WYTV) – The arrival of cooler weather and changing leaves can mean only one thing: It is time again for the Johnny Appleseed Festival.

Held this weekend in historic downtown Lisbon, this year’s festival again featured numerous food and craft vendors, live music, displays and much more.

More than 30 food vendors – including, of course, apples, apple dumplings, apple fritters, apple cider and apple butter – and more than 40 craft vendors were on hand for the festival.

The popular festival is in its 48th year and draws about 15,000 people over the two days.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – Parishioners of Saint Dominic’s Catholic Church are saying farewell to a beloved leader of their congregation.

Father Gregory Maturi is leaving after six years. Sunday marked Maturi’s last mass at the south side church.

Maturi helped start “Operation Redemption,” a project to reduce crime on Youngstown’s south side. The organization was born out of the 2010 shooting death of Angeline Figmonari in the parking lot of the church. Other deaths and violence followed Figmonari’s shooting, prompting Maturi to start a grass-roots effort to get state and federal help in fighting crime.

The church also worked with the city of Youngstown to get rid of abandoned homes in the community.

After Sunday’s mass, Father Maturi held a reception where he spoke with members of the church.

“Every day was something different. You never know what the next day would bring. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve fed, we’ve shared, we’ve driven around the city trying to help problems,” said parishioner Victoria Allen.

In the catholic community, priests are assigned to new locations every six years. Father Maturi says his new location will not be Youngstown, but he will know the specifics later this week.

Maturi said he is sad to leave but is following the Lord’s plan.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – A teenager was taken to Saint Elizabeth hospital Sunday after he was hit by a car.

The accident happened about 6 p.m. on West Ravenwood Avenue.

The teen was in a go-cart as the side of the road when he was struck by a car.

The teen suffered minor injuries.

The driver was arrested at the scene on unrelated charges after police discovered he had an outstanding warrant.

The teen’s name and condition have not been released.

The accident remains under investigation.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – A vehicle and motorcyclist collided Sunday on Midlothian Boulevard in Youngstown.

The accident happened in front of Gino’s. The driver of a car was turning into the restaurant parking lot when it drove into the path of the motorcycle.

The motorcyclist was taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown.

The driver of the car did not appear to be inured.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – A Youngstown police officer was involved in an accident Sunday evening.

The crash happened about 7:45 p.m. on Oak Hill Avenue at West Warren Avenue.

The intersection has a traffic signal, but police couldn’t confirm if the officer or the other driver ran the red light.

Accident investigators were called to the scene.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – Youngstown police are searching for suspects who took car keys from an elderly woman at gunpoint and then took off in her car.

According to police, the suspects went into the woman’s Detroit Avenue home Sunday, pulled out a handgun and demanded her car keys.

The suspects took off in the 2012 Impala. Officers spotted the car a short time later and a chase ensued. The chase ended on Palmer Avenue when the car crashed into some bushes.

Two teens were inside the vehicle. Police are still searching for the others involved.

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WYTV) – The Morning Journal reports that a Lisbon woman who attempted to get rent assistance with fictitious information is facing charges by East Palestine police.

Police confirmed that Kimberly Mutersbaugh, 55, attempted to convince Social Concerns that she lived in the village in order to get rent assistance.

Social Concerns provides $50 a month in rent assistance to those who live within the East Palestine School District.

Investigators say Mutersbaugh claimed to live on East Main Street, and even provided the name of her “landlord,” which police later learned was a man she knows who was not personally involved.

Mutersbaugh was given $50 in rent assistance and sent on her way, but a representative from Social Concerns became suspicious when the organization received a call from a woman a few days later also requesting rent assistance for a different address in town, but provided the name of the same landlord.

An investigation confirmed that the East Main Street addresses did not exist and there was no landlord in town by the name given.

Johnson said it appears Mutersbaugh attempted to get an additional $50 in rent assistance by disguising her voice to appear to be a different woman, or by having someone else call on her behalf.

Mutersbaugh will be charged with one count of theft and one count of attempted theft.

VERNON TOWNSHIP, Pa (WYTV) – A Mercer County man died in a one-vehicle accident early Monday morning.

According to Pennsylvania State Police, Paul Yoos, 82, of Clark Mills, was traveling on Georgetown Road in New Vernon Township about 1:30 a.m. when he hit a tree.

Yoos was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

BAZETTA TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WYTV) – A Bazetta Township firefighter drove one of the fire trucks through the storage facility on his way to a fire on Friday, severely damaging the building.

Bazetta Township Fire Chief Dennis Lewis said the accident occurred at 4:14 p.m. as three firefighters were responding to a minor grass fire on State Route 5. One of the firefighters forgot to close a rear back door of the truck used to store gear, and when they pulled out of the building on McCleary-Jacoby Road, the fire truck struck a middle support column, he said.

Lewis said the men were in a hurry and called the accident “a mistake.”

The truck door was damaged and had to be removed, but it is still in service. National Fire and Water Repair secured the front of the fire department building, but fire trucks cannot be stored there until the building is repaired.

Trucks are now being stored at the Everett-Hull Road location.

At the time of the accident, a firefighter responded to the grass fire in a shift supervisor car, but the fire was extinguished by the time that he arrived.

Lewis said the cost of damages has not yet been determined, and he will talk to trustees Monday night at their monthly meeting to determine what actions to take to repair the truck and building.
The firefighter involved in the incident will not be formally disciplined, he said.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – Firefighters responded to a fire at an occupied house on Youngstown’s south side Monday morning, putting it out before anyone sustained injuries.

The fire broke out just after 11 a.m. at 3116 Southern Blvd. in Youngstown. Heavy smoke was pouring from the two-story building, and the occupants had already gotten out by the time firefighters arrived.

Firefighters said they had to cut through the roof of the building to let smoke out.

Fire officials are still working to determine how much damage the fire did, but said that it may be significant.

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – Austintown pub Barry Dyngles will be delaying its “Queen of Hearts” drawing for Wednesday, Sept. 23, until a later date, according to a statement from the restaurant’s owners sent Monday.

The statement reads:

“With all of the enthusiasm surrounding Queen of Hearts, our staff will be utilizing the next several days to meet with consultants in an effort to develop the best possible experience for our loyal customers for the coming weeks. With that said, the Wednesday, September 23rd drawing will be rescheduled to a future date with an exciting announcement to follow at week’s end!

Restaurant officials also noted that they ran out of food Monday, according to owners, and will not be serving anything until 4 p.m.

According to Austintown Trustee Jim Davis, there is no governing body telling Barry Dyngles when it has to hold the drawing. The delay is in the interest of public safety, according to Davis, and tickets can be sold up to the point of the drawing.

The drawing may be held the following Wednesday, Sept. 30, but Barry Dyngles managers are looking to find a safer location, or may split the drawing up among several locations, Davis said.

Tickets for the drawing can only be bought at Barry Dyngles in Austintown.

BOARDMAN, Ohio (WYTV) – Several big local issues will be discussed Monday night during the annual Boardman Civic Association candidates and issue night.

Things get underway at Boardman park at 7 p.m. at the Lariccia Family Community Center. The debate is open to Boardman Township residents and business owners.

The issues to be discussed include:

• Mah. Co. Health Board tax
• Mahoning Co. Board of Developmental Disabilities tax
• Boardman Park tax
• Mill Creek Metro Parks tax
• Boardman Township tax

Each candidate and issue get three minutes, and afterwards voters will have a chance to ask questions.

WASHINGTON (WYTV) – Ohio governor and presidential hopeful John Kasich hit the talk show circuit Sunday.

On CNN’s “State of the Union,” the issue of abortion came up, specifically, a bill being considered in Ohio that would ban abortion if the reason for the procedure is because the child would have Down Syndrome.

Kasich has refrained from talking about the bill because it’s still being debated, but broke his silence Sunday, saying, “I’m a governor. I’m a CEO. I have to have a hand steady on the wheel. But in this case, I’m more than glad to say that of course I would sign that.”

Kasich has said in the past that he opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest or to preserve the life of the mother.

The bill is set to be voted on in October.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) -Mahoning County residents will soon have access to a life-saving drug, used to reverse the effects of opioid and heroin overdoses.

The Mahoning County District Board of Health will begin distributing Naloxone (also known as Narcan) to individuals who are at-risk or who know someone who may be at-risk of an opioid overdose. The health department has access to the drug through its participation in Project DAWN, an opioid overdose education and Narcan distribution program designed in response to the growing heroin epidemic.

Project DAWN Narcan kits will be distributed by appointment only, according to the health department. Program participants must first receive education on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose, how to respond to an overdose by calling 9-1-1 and how to give rescue breaths and administer Narcan as a nasal spray. At the conclusion of the 45-minute education session, participants are given a free kit containing two doses of Narcan.

Police and rescue crews in Mahoning County have been using Narcan since the end of 2014, and the drug has been credited with saving the lives of several Valley residents, including a 25-year-old Poland man who was revived by police in April. Rebates and new laws have been enacted this year to increase access to the life-saving drug in an effort to decrease fatalities due to drug use.

According to the health department, Naloxone’s only purpose is to reverse the effects of opioids on the brain and breathing in order to prevent death and has no potential for abuse. An opioid includes both prescription painkillers (Percocet, OxyContin, Oxycodone, Vicodin, Morphine, Fentanyl, etc.) and heroin. Naloxone does not reverse overdoses that are caused by non-opioid drugs, such as cocaine, benzodiazepines (e.g. Xanex, Klonopin and Valium), methamphetamines or alcohol.

For more information or to schedule an appointment for Project DAWN, those interested should call 330-270-2855 ext. 125.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – New rules are in place for drivers who get caught speeding by the license plate cameras being used by Youngstown police to catch speeders on Interstate 680.

A one-month grace period ended Saturday for drivers who were caught multiple times and sent tickets.

“Opto Traffic did have a system in place for the first month where even if drivers are getting multiple tickets, they’re only getting one ticket which they would be required to pay”, Lt. Bill Ross of the Youngstown Police Department said.

A warning system was in place from July 14 through August 18 telling drivers what they could expect their fine to be.

The license plate cameras caught 2,311 drivers speeding in their first month of use by Youngstown police, which is over 70 speeders every day. YPD has mailed 1,500 citations.

Fines are $100 for drivers caught going 62 mph, $125 for drivers going between 63-69 mph and $150 for drivers racing 70 mph and higher. The speed limit on I-680 through Youngstown is 50 miles per hour.

Police believe the enforcement program is working and getting drivers to slow down along I-680.

“We’re seeing a lot less of the higher tiered tickets and more into the middle tier now, which is what we were looking for in the first place to get the traffic slowed down”, said Lt. Ross.

Before the cameras were put in place, Youngstown police could only nab 6 to 8 speeders in a 4-hour shift.

If you got more than one ticket, check the date on them. Tickets from July 14 through August 17 should have only come with a warning and explained what your fine could be.

Multiple tickets from August 18 through September 18 should have only resulted in one fine.

If that’s not the case, you can follow the directions on your ticket to request a hearing to protest the second fine.

CAMPBELL, Ohio (WYTV) – Authorities have charged a Campbell mayoral candidate with felonious assault Monday in connection with an August incident, according to Kevin Sferra of Campbell Police.

Nick Phillips has been charged with felonious assault and will turn himself in to Campbell Municipal Court Tuesday morning, Sferra said.

A visiting prosecutor from Youngstown will handle the case, since Campbell’s legal officials have excused themselves.

WKBN talked with Phillips in August, when he said he tried to intervene in a dispute inside his Sycamore Drive home. In the altercation, Philips said his daughter’s boyfriend shoved his wife and knocked her to the ground. The boyfriend filed a police report claiming he was assaulted by Phillips, breaking his jaw.

Phillips is running in the November election.

CANFIELD, Ohio (WYTV) – Richard’s Stuffed Hungarian Peppers and Andrews Sausage came in first and second, respectively, in the 2015 Canfield Fair’s annual Best of Fair contest, the fair announced Monday.

Best of Fair gave fairgoers with Facebook accounts the opportunity to vote on their favorite food vendors or attractions at this year’s fair via a special page on the Canfield Fair website.

Richard’s and Andrews both received at least five times as many votes as their nearest competitors, with Richards getting the victory by just seven votes, according to fair organizers.

Rounding out the top five were Roxbury Pizza Company, Bam Bam’s Backyard BBQ and Molnar’s cinnamon rolls.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – Many students are a few weeks into the school year, but not every child may be adjusted. Students may worry about taking tests, getting along with others or even being away from home. For some, the return to class can come with anxiety.

Laura Abels, a clinical nurse specialist who specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health at Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley, said parents may notice their child’s pattern or attitude change at home as a result of several stresses at school.

“They don’t want to get up, and they don’t want to go to school, and they might be waking up with nightmares,” she said.

Abels said there are three common types of school-related anxiety to look out for, including social anxiety, in which children are afraid to interact with new friends or in a new environment; performance anxiety, when they’re worried about participating in class or taking a test; and separation anxiety, in which students may struggle to be apart from their homes and families.

Abels said parents making sure their child is prepared and organized for each school day can help ease his or her anxiety.

“Laying out your clothes, making sure you have your lunch packed, knowing where your book bag is and where your shoes are… because you don’t want that mad scramble in the morning,” she said.

It is also important to focus on time-management, she added.

“They know what time they need to be getting ready for bed. They know what time they need to be laying down, going to sleep,” she said. “They know how many hours they’re going to be sleeping, and we really recommend eight to 10 hours for kids. And then, they know what time to get out of bed.”

If the anxiety persists, or becomes more severe, Abels suggested that parents should seek professional help for their children.

“You want somebody to be able to help your child open up and talk about their feelings or their issues and then learn to cope with those things,” she said.

BOARDMAN, Ohio (WYTV) – The Mahoning County District Board of Health has stepped up water testing in Mill Creek Park to see if the recent rain storm will have an impact on bacteria levels in the park waterways.

Ryan Tekac, director of environmental health with the Mahoning County District Board of Health, said extra water samples were taken early Monday morning. The district will also test again on Wednesday.

The lakes have been closed since June due to E. coli levels that are several times higher than the safety limit.

Results could be back as soon as Tuesday.