Bank robber sentenced

Bank robber sentenced

PITTSBURGH — Rodney Stefek of Warren pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 151 months imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release on his conviction of bank robbery.

United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said senior U.S. District Judge Gustave Diamond imposed the sentence Friday on Stefek, 43, of Mauro Circle.

On Dec. 8, 2008, Stefek, by force, violence and intimidation, took more than $3,000 from the Citizens Bank at 3390 E. State St., Hermitage, Pa.

Buchanan commended the FBI, the Hermitage Police Department, the Howland Township Police Department, and the Niles Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Stefek.

Hearing on arson

YOUNGSTOWN — A city woman will be back in Youngstown Municipal Court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing on felony arson charges associated with setting three fires at Forum Health Northside Medical Center.

Shawnta Lee of Buckeye Court has pleaded innocent to the charges and is in Mahoning County Jail on $100,000 bond. Officials say she set fires in three separate rooms at the hospital Wednesday. No one was injured, and the fire department quickly extinguished the fires.

Visiting class

YOUNGSTOWN — Mayor Jay Williams and police Chief Jimmy Hughes are expected to visit the Youngstown Northside Weed & Seed Photography/Web Design class at 3:30 p.m. today at 976 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

The Northside Weed & Seed is working to make a difference with 13 youth from the target area by having photography, Web design, and mentoring classes three nights a week.

Weed & Seed is a federally funded program that aims to reduce violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity in a target area. The second part of the program provides community-based services.

Warren to receive grant

WARREN — The city will receive a $1,358,607 Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant to conduct environmental remediation activities at the former Mahoningside Power Plant at 650 Summit St. N.W. along the Mahoning River. The earliest known use of the site was for the production of electric lamps and bulbs by the Sterling Electrical Manufacturing Co. The most consistent use of the site was for generation of electricity.

Previously, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funded an extensive polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) cleanup at the property, but additional remedial activities are needed to make the property safe and ready for reuse. With Clean Ohio funding, the City will be able to complete demolition and remediation at the site and begin marketing the land for either commercial or industrial use. Warren’s grant is among 11, totaling about $20 million, approved for brownfield clean-up projects by the Ohio Department of Development.

Farrell street closing

FARRELL, Pa. — Roemer Boulevard will close for the Farrell Area High School prom grand march Friday.

The road will close between Mercer Avenue and Pargny Street from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Southwest Mercer County Regional Police said.