Star Beacon

Families from all corners of Ashtabula County are gearing up for, or have already started, school activities for the 2026-27 year. Most districts have hosted backpack and school supply giveaways and communicated details of plans for the start of the year to families throughout the county. Saint John kindergartners were the first to head back to school Monday, and the rest of the students are scheduled to begin today. “We welcomed 51 kindergartners,” Saint John School Principal Scott Plescia said.

The United States Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Department of Health are running a regular oral rabies baiting campaign from Aug. 7-25. The campaign runs throughout Northeast Ohio and rabies vaccine baits are spread via airplane, helicopter and car. Conneaut Health Commissioner Nichele Blood said the campaign is meant to help vaccinate raccoons, skunks, foxes and coyotes to stop the spread of rabies in the local area.

CONNEAUT — The Conneaut Human Resources Center hosted a backpack giveaway Monday. The giveaway had several tables to help area students prepare for the school year, which starts Aug. 26. Conneaut Area City Schools Superintendent Lori Riley said the CHRC has spearheaded the event for a few years, and the district has been partnered with them on it for two years. “We were very busy for the first two hours, from 10-12,” she said.

ASHTABULA — Competitors of varying experience levels gathered Saturday morning at Walnut Beach for the Tri-Bulathon. The 500-yard swim, more than 11 mile bike and 5k run sprint triathlon drew a crowd of people interested in challenging their limits and hanging out with like-minded people. There were more than 80 participants who completed all three legs of the event, and four relay teams that took portions of the event for each competitor.

CONNEAUT — D-Day Ohio CEO Betsy Bashore said this year’s D-Day Conneaut ran with very few issues. “We had a really good year,” Bashore said. “The day just went really smoothly. It was very each. Our spectators were phenomenal. Our reenactors are great. Our volunteers came out in force. It was just really a nice, smooth year.” The biggest challenge was rain Wednesday night, as many reenactors arrived at the park, she said. “It was fine. The ground was real stable. We didn’t have any damage,” Bashore said.

The baseball summer of 2026 will be one Alex Sperduto won’t soon forget. The Edgewood graduate learned about the game, learned about interacting with a different group of teammates and learned about the joys of winning and heartbreak of losing. He will take those experiences to the University of Mount Union for school and to play for the Purple Raiders next spring. “I learned almost everything I know,” Sperduto, a catcher, said.

STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A Georgia man burglarized former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle's home after learning Biffle and his family died in a plane crash, a North Carolina sheriff said Tuesday. Terrell Williams, 44, has been charged with second-degree burglary, safe cracking, money laundering and other felonies, Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell announced at a news conference. Williams was being held without bond in Cobb County, Georgia, on suspicion of another home burglary.

Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he's unhappy with country's deal with Iran, officials say CAIRO (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he is unhappy the country is close to a deal with Iran to manage ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. That's what two regional officials said Tuesday, a day after Trump leveled the threat.

A Venezuelan former baseball player working for the San Diego Padres was detained by U.S. immigration officers after arriving in Texas on a work trip for the club, his family said Tuesday. Oswaldo Pirela, a catching coach in the Padres' minor league system, was being held in a detention center in El Paso, federal records show. The Padres said in a statement that the team was aware of Pirela's arrest and was trying to gather more details.

NEW YORK (AP) — Frank Beard, the drummer for the Texas boogie-rock trio ZZ Top who kept the tempo for the band’s biggest hits like “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs” and “Gimme All Your Lovin,’” has died. He was 77. Beard was in hospice care when he died Tuesday at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, with family members at his side, according to publicist Bob Merlis. Band co-founder and guitarist Billy Gibbons, on tour with bassist Elwood Francis, hailed Beard in a statement.