Pittsburgh man pleads guilty in bank robberies

Pittsburgh man pleadsguilty in bank robberies
PITTSBURGH -- A Pittsburgh man has pleaded guilty to robbing the National City Bank office in Columbiana and two other financial institutions in western Pennsylvania.
Robert J. Gibson, 45, of Tecumseh Street entered his plea Friday before Chief U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.
A. Elliot McLean, assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case, said Gibson robbed the bank in Columbiana on May 12, 2002, the Freedom United Federal Credit Union in Rochester on June 14, 2002, and the Allegheny Valley Bank office in Pittsburgh on June 27, 2002.
Gibson didn't make a clean getaway in the last robbery. McLean said he was captured by a security guard.
Gibson faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each robbery. Judge Ambrose set sentencing for Oct. 17.
Nursing graduates
SALEM -- The graduation ceremony for the summer 2003 class of the Hannah E. Mullins School of Practical Nursing will be at 8 p.m. July 31 at Salem Senior High School, 1200 E. Sixth St.
Twenty-six seniors will graduate and 22 juniors will receive pins. The pin recognition for juniors marks their completion of 22 weeks of the 44-week program.
Dinner and brunch cruises
PORTERSVILLE, Pa. -- Dinner and brunch cruises aboard the Nautical Nature, a fully enclosed pontoon boat at Moraine State Park, will be Saturday and Sunday.
The dinner cruise begins at 6 p.m. Saturday and the cost is $19.25 per person. The brunch cruise is $12.75 per person and begins at 1 p.m. The boat is handicap-accessible.
Reservations are required and can be made by calling (724) 368-9185. All proceeds benefit the Moraine Preservation Fund.
Shots fired at home
YOUNGSTOWN -- At least three shots were fired at a home on the 2800 block of Dearborn Street about 2:40 a.m. Saturday, police said.
Seven people -- including five children -- were in the house at the time, but no one was injured, police said.
Breakup leads to gunfire
YOUNGSTOWN -- An argument outside a home on the 500 block of East Philadelphia Avenue escalated to gunfire, police said. No one was hurt when five to seven shots were fired about 6:40 p.m. Sunday after a 19-year-old Youngstown woman broke up with her boyfriend, police said.
The woman said the man fired a gun at her 1992 Pontiac Sunbird, when she and eight children were in the driveway.
School break-in attempt
YOUNGSTOWN -- Three boys are being held in the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center after they attempted to break into Jackson Elementary School on the city's South Side, police said.
Police said they found a window hanging from its frame on the second floor of the Windsor Avenue school shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday. During the investigation, police said officers questioned two boys at the school playground, and they admitted they tried to get inside the building with another boy. The third boy was found at a home on Pine Hollow Drive, police said. The window has been fixed.
Corn roast, poker run
SOUTHINGTON -- The 24th Zodiac Riders Corn Roast and Poker Run will be Aug. 16 at the American Legion Post No. 751 on Warren Burton Road.
Signup is at 5 p.m., with the first bike out at 6.
Call (330) 638-2597 or (330) 637-5191.
Raffle for Asente family
GIRARD -- Parishioners of St. Rose Church are having a raffle to benefit the Asente Family Legal Aid Fund.
Richard and Cheryl Asente of Girard have accumulated about $500,000 in expenses over five years to keep Justin, the little boy they adopted from a Kentucky couple, who are fighting to get the child back.
Tickets will be available Friday through Sunday at the St. Rose Church Festival. Call (330) 545-4351.
Financial workshop
HOWLAND -- The SCOPE center here will have a financial workshop for senior citizens from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 31.
Seating is limited. Call (330) 609-7806.