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EAST LIVERPOOL An East Liverpool man who was charged more than a year ago with more than a dozen animal-related offenses will pay thousands of dollars for his crime.
East Liverpool Municipal Court Judge Dominic Frank fined Douglas Austin $1,300 and gave him 270 days in jail, all suspended, on 13 counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals.
Austin, of 410 Blakely St, and his attorney, C. Joseph King, appeared before Frank Wednesday morning, which would have been the second day of his originally planned jury trial. Late last week, King withdrew his request for the jury trial in anticipation of Austin accepting a plea deal on Tuesday; however, that was postponed a day due to the inclement weather that shut down city hall and most of East Liverpool.
Staff Writer
Morning Journal/Stephanie Ujhelyi
East Liverpool Municipal Court Judge Dominic Frank (left) and Columbiana County Assistant Prosecutor Chris Weeda sign paperwork for the courtâs new veterans initiative.
EAST LIVERPOOL The East Liverpool Municipal Court is introducing a new veterans treatment program to its offerings in 2021, as officials recognize that vets have particular needs due to their service in the United States armed forces.
According to Judge Dominic Frank, it will be the first program of its kind in Columbiana County.
With the help of Justice for Vets, Sara Norris, who oversees the court’s probation department, explained that Judge Frank made institution of a veterans court a top priority when he came to the bench in 2020.
EL to offer first veterans court | News, Sports, Jobs reviewonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from reviewonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
STEPHANIE UJHELYI
Morning Journal/Stephanie Ujhelyi
Probation officer Shawn Dunn holds the test kit, which is the final step in the East Liverpool Municipal Courtâs newly introduced hair follicle testing for clients.
EAST LIVERPOOL The East Liverpool Municipal Court recently achieved another first for its drug court.
According to Sara Norris, who oversees the court’s probation department, they recently surprised their clients with new technology, after introducing hair follicle testing amid the pandemic.
Many government buildings like East Liverpool City Hall, where the court is located, were closed to public access for months last spring, limiting daily engagement and testing opportunities for drug court clients who found themselves at an increased vulnerability for relapse.
COLUMBIANA COUNTY COURT NEWS
LISBON An Operation Big Oak defendant, Micheala Sue Reardon, 27, Cleveland, pleaded guilty in Common Pleas Court to attempted engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a second-degree felony; corrupting another with drugs, a second-degree felony; aggravated trafficking in heroin, a second-degree felony; aggravated trafficking in cocaine, a fourth-degree felony; and two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, both a fourth-degree felony. Reardon was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $7,500 after requesting immediate sentencing. In a separate case, Reardon pleaded guilty to illegal conveyance of a drug of abuse onto the grounds of a specified government facility and was sentenced to a year in prison with credit for 29 days already served and consecutive to the time she is serving in the Operation Big Oak case. Reardon had brought marijuana and tobacco to the county jail on July 7, 2019.