Latest news with #FirstNews
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Looking back: 40 years since 1985 tornado outbreak
NILES, Ohio (WKBN) — Saturday marks the 40th anniversary of the 1985 tornado outbreak. On May 31, 1985, the F-5 tornado created 27 miles of destruction in Trumbull County with wind speeds up to 318 miles per hour. It ripped through Newton Falls, Lordstown, Warren, and Niles before devastating Wheatland and parts of Mercer County. First News took a look through our archives to reflect on the destruction and the resilient community members who came together to help. Some residents recalled the tornado sounding like a 'freight train' and that tidal waves and typhoons in the South Pacific Ocean didn't compare. The National Guard was called in, and residents went from door to door to search for those who survived. Niles councilman Stephen Papalas remembers the day vividly — strong tornadoes passed through northeast Ohio, western Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada. 'It was a beautiful day, and then it got cloudy, and that's when I was notified,' Papalas said. 'We didn't know at first if it was a gas leak, something that caused an explosion.' 'There was insulation all over the road. It was hanging from trees, and as I got further down Bonnie Brae [Avenue], there were singles, parts of roofs. It got worse and worse. Trees were all gnarled,' Papalas said. 'Houses along [U.S. Route] 422, there were a couple of them that had severe damage, and there was loss of life.' Nearly 70 homes were leveled and another 65 to 70 were severely damaged. In Niles, nine people were killed and 250 were injured. 'They called in a refrigeration truck, and that night began putting victims of the tornado in there,' Papalas said. 'It was eerily quiet. So quiet. It was remarkable … None of us ever had any experience with this, and it was a dire emergency. People were injured. People lost their lives. People had no homes, they had nothing.' 'The next day, you could hear chainsaws everywhere. All kinds of personnel began to descend on the town,' Papalas said. 'A lot of people contribute to the Red Cross and other organizations like that … The community coming together like it did was very noticeable, and I was very impressed by it.' 40 years later, those traumatic events continue to stay with the former councilman. 'Whenever there's a news broadcast that we're having tornado warnings, I take that very seriously. If it hadn't been for that tornado back in '85, I don't know if I'd take it too seriously today,' Papalas said. On Saturday, flowers were placed at the Niles Plaza Memorial to honor the victims. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police investigating hit-and-run crash during chase
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Police are investigating a crash that reports state involved a car being pursued by officers. It happened at the intersection of Hillman Street and Indianola Avenue just before 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The crash report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol states a Nissan Rogue was heading west on Indianola and entered the intersection during a green light when another car ran a red light and crashed into it. The driver who ran the red light was being chased by Boardman police, the report states. After crashing into the SUV, the car involved in the pursuit left the scene. Reports state the SUV was badly damaged, but the driver was not seriously injured. First News is working to learn more about the circumstances that led to the chase and the ultimate crash. Check back here for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cornwall children's book festival to feature 'big names'
A Cornwall children's book festival has partnered with a children's newspaper. The St Austell Festival of Children's Literature, which is in its third year, has teamed up with First News for its 2025 event. The festival will take place on June 13 and 14. First News will send three young journalists from Mount Charles School, St Mewan Community Primary School, and Upton Cross Academy to report on the festival. These budding reporters will cover creative workshops, storytelling sessions, draw-alongs, and other activities. They will also conduct mini-interviews with children's literature stars attending the festival. The festival will have a 'Young Festival Reporters' Wall in the festival hub, where children can write their own news stories inspired by First News articles. Free copies of the newspaper will be available to 200 festival attendees. Heather Wright, festival director, said: "We're absolutely delighted to be partnering with First News for this year's St Austell Festival of Children's Literature. "It's a fantastic opportunity to encourage young writers and give local pupils the chance to experience journalism firsthand. "Now, having some of our local schoolchildren reporting on the festival as young journalists is truly magical. "It brings the world of books, writing, and real-life storytelling together in the most exciting way." The festival will host a Family Day on Saturday, June 14, open to everyone for just £1 per event, and a Schools Day on Friday, June 13, open to a network of host schools across St Austell, Newquay, and Bodmin. Authors Anika Hussain, Sue Hendra, and A.F. Steadman are some of the big names expected at the festival. St Austell Festival of Literature is now a designated Community Interest Company (CIC) working to benefit the local community it is based in. The team is led by four directors, Simon Pollard, headteacher of Carclaze Primary School; Reading Rocks founder, Heather Wright; primary school teacher, Amy Enever; and chair of Restormel Arts, Phil Webb. They are supported by dedicated volunteers from the community. More about the team can be found on the festival website. First News is the leading, independent news source tailored specifically for children.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tomorrow is Primary Election Day in PA
(WKBN) — First News is your local election headquarters. Tuesday is Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are a first-time voter, you will need to show ID. For state races, one judge of the Superior Court and one for the Commonwealth Court are up for grabs. These positions are 10-year terms. For Mercer County, controller and treasurer, both four-year terms, are on the ballot. Republican controller Stephen Sherman II is seeking reelection, as well as Republican treasurer Amber White. Both are currently running uncontested. A few municipalities have contested mayoral races, including Greenville, Grove City, Stoneboro and Sharpsville, whose long-time mayor Alex Kovach resigned in July and Democratic candidate Mark Gill has been in the position since. All races in Mercer County can be found here, and an unofficial list of candidates is on this page. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fire at Boardman storage facility draws firefighters from multiple departments
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – Multiple departments from across Mahoning County are responding to a fire at a storage facility in Boardman. There's an active scene Saturday afternoon at the ExtraSpace Storage on Route 224. A First News crew on the scene reported seeing the smoke coming from the back of one of the buildings around 1 p.m. We are working to learn more and will update you when we have more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
