Kentucky's convicted “Average Joe” bank robber now stands accused of the same crime in Springdale.

        Daniel Schwarberg, 44, was indicted Friday by a Hamilton County grand jury on charges of robbing a Key Bank branch on Princeton Road in July 1999.

        He was sentenced March 5 in Lexington, Ky., to 63 months in prison for 11 bank robberies in Louisville, Lexington and Northern Kentucky.

        A Northern Kentucky FBI agent coined the nickname “Average Joe” early in the investigation because Mr. Schwarberg looked nondescript in many bank-surveillance photographs.

        Mr. Schwarberg formerly worked for Comair at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
       

Meet Olympic boxers
at reception Sunday

               A free reception for two local Olympic boxers will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Integrity Hall, 2081 Seymour Ave., Roselawn.

        It will be a chance to meet Ricardo Williams Jr., who won a silver medal in the bantamweight division, and teammate Dante Craig, a light heavyweight fighter.

        Host Steve Reece said the men and other local boxers will pose for pictures and sign autographs.

        In part, the reception honors the first professional fights that Mr. Williams, from Taft High School, and Mr. Craig, from Woodward High School, will have in Cincinnati.

        Their bouts will be April 20 at the Cintas Center at Xavier University, Mr. Reece said.
       

Ky. man held in
daughter's abduction

               A Kentucky man was arrested Friday afternoon, accused of taking his 5-year-old daughter from outside her Fairfield Township home.

        Stephen L. Francis, 30, was arrested in Glasgow, Ky., said Brad Kraemer, spokesman for the Butler County Sheriff's Office.

        He was charged with kidnapping and interference with custody. He faces an extradition hearing Monday.

        The child has been returned to her grandmother, Mr. Kraemer said. Her grandmother saw her get off her school bus Wednesday afternoon and get into a silver car that was traced to the father.
       

Police seek suspect
in Price Hill robbery

               Cincinnati police are looking for a man they think robbed a Family Dollar store Monday in Price Hill.

        The man, described as stocky with a medium complexion and having a gold earring in his left ear, was wearing a red New York Yankees cap during the robbery. He was armed with a black semi- automatic pistol, witnesses said, when he went into the Enright Avenue store.

        Police say the robber was about 5-feet-7 to 5-feet-9 and wearing a blue jean jacket, red jersey shirt, navy blue work pants and gray boots.

        Investigators ask that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 352-3040.
       

Man accused of
raping girl, 12

               An Avondale man faces up to life in prison if he is convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl.

        Derwin Clifton, 43, was indicted Friday on four counts of raping a child under age 13. Under Ohio law, anyone convicted of using force to rape a child must be sentenced to life in prison.

        Prosecutors say the girl was attacked in late January and early February.
       

Grandma charged
with killing tot

               A Cumminsville woman was indicted Friday on charges of punching to death her 23-month-old granddaughter.

        Margo Miller, 41, is charged with one count of murder. If convicted, she faces up to life in prison.

        Prosecutors say Ms. Miller was baby sitting the child, Nykael Presswood, in Over-the-Rhine on March 7 when she punched the girl several times on her front and back. The girl died of massive internal injuries.
       

Official quits in
coffee, creamer caper

               WATERVILLE, Ohio — The village solicitor resigned after a police surveillance video captured him stuffing packets of coffee and creamer into his briefcase.

        George Runner agreed to resign after he was videotaped taking village property, village officials said.

        Mr. Runner was paid $42,000 a year as solicitor. He also is prosecutor for the village of Whitehouse, a job he still holds.

        Waterville officials said they will not press charges against Mr. Runner, but they will seek to recover the items.

Milford man charged
in chase, crash

               A police chase that began in Northern Kentucky early Friday ended in downtown Cincinnati when the car being pursued ran four red lights, hit another car and crashed into a building at Sixth and Sycamore streets.

        Jason Bender, 21, of Milford is being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center on charges of driving with a suspended license and vehicular assault. Bellevue policecould add a charge of fleeing and eluding police.

        Bellevue Police Chief Rick Sears said Mr. Bender was driving north on Riviera Drive when Officer Jesse Brewer saw him swerve into oncoming traffic. Mr. Brewer, who was driving south, turned around and began following Mr. Bender. Mr. Brewer tried to stop Mr. Bender, but the car took off on Interstate 471.

        The chase continued through downtown Cincinnati streets, where police said they clocked Mr. Brewer going 60 mph on Sycamore Street, and running red lights from Sixth to Fourth streets, before hitting another car.

        After the wreck, Mr. Bender ran away. Chief Sears said Mr. Bender later turned himself in to Cincinnati police.
       

3-year-olds sought
for obesity study

               Children's Hospital Medical Center is seeking healthy 3-year-olds to participate in a five-year study of childhood obesity.

        The study would involve parents keeping a diet and activity diary while the researchers measure the children's height, weight, blood pressure and body fat three times a year.

        Some compensation is available. For information, call Karen Munson at 636-7645 or e-mail karen.munson@chmcc.org.
       

Hearing research
center is opened

               Children's Hospital Medical Center on Friday launched a Center for Hearing and Deafness Research to offer clinical care and research on hearing loss in children.

        An estimated 2,000 children a year, including more than 450 in Ohio, are born with significant deafness. The new center seeks to accelerate research and bring the latest treatments to patients.

        The center includes programs for cochlear implants, a molecular diagnostic testing center to look for genetic causes of hearing loss, and a program for those born without a normal external ear or ear canal.

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