The mayor had resigned but then changed his mind.

WARREN — Pat Layshock was due to return to his seat as mayor of Newton Falls Monday night, but the city council meeting was canceled for lack of quorum.

The 11th District Court of Appeals ruled that Layshock should have been allowed to rescind his resignation in July. The city has notified the appeals court that it is likely to appeal the decision to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Councilwomen Catie Karl-Moran and Nancy Hoffman were the only two members of the five-person council present, Layshock said.

The council will meet again Dec. 7, the first Monday of December.

The city has also asked the court for a stay of execution, meaning it is asking that Layshock not be allowed back as mayor pending the outcome of the appeal.

Atty. Michael Rossi, who represents Layshock, said he “very seriously doubts” the court will take that action.

NEWTON FALLS — A young doughnut-shop delivery driver from Canton, unfamiliar with his vehicle and Newton Falls, drove the box truck through the historic Newton Falls Covered Bridge on July 10, damaging trusses and beams all through the structure.

The repairs, which will cost his employer’s insurance company around $57,000, will keep the bridge closed until sometime in January, said David Rouan, spokesman for the Trumbull County Engineer’s Office, which is responsible for the bridge.

Meanwhile, Trumbull County commissioners have approved a reduction in the legal weight limit of the bridge from 12 tons to three tons to try to prevent trucks from using the bridge, Rouan said.

Work trucks of any kind were already prohibited from the bridge, and there is a sign that warns trucks to stay out, but Ryan M. Vallen, 22, of Canton, apparently didn’t realize that when he drove a box truck through the bridge at 2:30 a.m. July 10, Rouan said.

The mayor’s position should remain vacant until 2011, the Newton Falls law director said.

WARREN — Pat Layshock has filed a second legal action in an effort to be restored to the office of Newton Falls mayor.

This one also accuses Newton Falls City Council of improperly going into executive session — out of the hearing of the public — to talk about possibly removing Layshock from office.

Layshock, who resigned July 6 under pressure from city council and rescinded the resignation July 8, filed one legal action in the 11th District Court of Appeals in July asking to be mayor again.

No ruling has been made in that action.

On Wednesday, Atty. Michael Rossi of Warren filed another action on Layshock’s behalf, this time in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. It also asks for Layshock to be reinstated as mayor. The case is assigned to Judge Peter Kontos.

NEWTON FALLS — A 35-year-old Ophelia Avenue woman will be in Newton Falls Municipal Court today to answer to felony drug charges after the Trumbull Ashtabula Group Law Enforcement Task Force raided her home Monday.

Angela G. Petrella was taken to the Trumbull County Jail after the task force discovered suspected cocaine, suspected crack cocaine, plus marijuana, Oxycontin, other drugs, digital scales and other items in the home.

The raid followed a two-week investigation, TAG said. Trumbull County Children Services was contacted to come to the residence to assist with children in the home.

TAG is a major-crimes unit that focuses on drug traffickers, firearm traffickers, gangs and homeland security.

Refusals and Threats of Lawsuit Jeopardize Transparency

NEWTON FALLS, OH- The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio sent a letter today to Richard Schwartz, law director for the city of Newton Falls, urging him to ensure officials comply with Ohio’s public records law. The ACLU sent the letter after it received complaints regarding officials denying public records requests without sufficient cause and Police Chief John Kuivila threatening a freelance reporter with a lawsuit if the reporter continued pursuing records.

ACLU of Ohio Executive Director Christine Link said, “Access to public records is the cornerstone of honest and fair government. Threatening legal action against a resident simply for requesting information is unreasonable and only serves to frighten other people from being active participants in the community.”