METRO DIGEST || Store robbed

Store robbed

YOUNGSTOWN

A gunman got away with cash and cigarettes from a 2224 Market St. store Friday.

Police were called to the store about 7:20 p.m., where witnesses said a man came in with a gun, got the money and cigarettes and ran away.

Police searched several streets around the store for the gunman and also had help from a police dog, but could not find him. No one was injured.

Rescue benefit

AUSTINTOWN

A fundraiser to benefit Falcon Animal Rescue is set for noon to 2:30 p.m. today at California Palms Hotel and Suites, 1051 N. Canfield-Niles Road. The rescue will offer pet pictures with Santa. Cost is $10 for a digital print and $15 for a postcard. All proceeds will benefit the rescue.

Shoe and sock drive

YOUNGSTOWN

Ankle & Foot Care Centers have launched their 18th annual holiday shoe and sock drive, hoping to collect more than 700 pairs of new or nearly new shoes and hundreds of pairs of new socks through Jan. 8, to be provided to local residents through the Salvation Army early next year.

Shoes and socks can be dropped off at Ankle & Foot Care Centers’ 20 offices in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania in Alliance, Andover, Austintown, Boardman, Campbell, Champion, Columbiana, Cornersburg, East Liverpool, East Palestine, Liberty, Niles, Poland, Ravenna, Salem, Struthers, Warren and Youngstown in Ohio and Greenville in Pennsylvania.

The drive accepts shoes from children’s to adult sizes for men and women, and all types of shoes from athletic to dress to casual. Boots in children’s sizes are especially needed. Socks of all sizes also are accepted.

Gifts for children

BOARDMAN

The Dispatchers of the Mahoning Valley have collected Christmas gifts for the children at Beatitude House in Youngstown. The children will join dispatchers, firefighters and police officers in the front lobby of the Boardman Township Police Department, 8299 Market St., at 5 p.m. Monday to celebrate Christmas, tour the police department, see a firetruck and receive their gifts.

Road closings

YOUNGSTOWN

Beginning Wednesday, these roads in Mill Creek Park will be closed to vehicular traffic for the winter: Chestnut Hill Drive between Canfield Road and the Kirkmere Spur; High Drive between the Kirkmere Spur and West Cohasset Drive; and Calvary Run Drive between Belle Vista and Milton avenues.

Though closed to vehicles, the roads will be available for recreational use for hiking, cross-country skiing and sledding. Roads will reopen in the spring when weather permits.

Kids to visit

HOWLAND

Students at H.C. Mines Intermediate School will visit Washington Square Healthcare Center on Washington Street Northwest in Warren Sunday to deliver holiday cards they made and poinsettias to the nursing home’s residents.

As another part of the service project, the students will also send cards to the residents of the Wade Park Veterans Affairs Hospital in Cleveland.

Flowers were provided by the Mines PTO and Bernard’s Garden Center.