Ex-officer pleads guilty to assaultWILKES-BARRE — A former Pennsylvania police officer and junior high school greeter has admitted he sexually assaulted a young girl.Gerald Cookus of Wilkes-Barre pleaded guilty on Monday to indecent assault of a person under 13.Prosecutors say the 78-year-old faces up to seven years behind bars at his February sentencing. He will have to register as a sex offender.Cookus and his attorney declined to comment.Cookus had been arrested in April after police said he inappropriately touched an 8-year-old girl at his home.

Mascot gun license picture removed,/b>PITTSBURGH — The county sheriff’s office has removed a picture of the Pittsburgh Pirates Parrot mascot’s gun license from the sheriff’s Facebook page.Underlings hired the Pirate Parrot to appear Monday at Sheriff William Mullen’s birthday party. The mascot posed for various photos, including one used to create a bogus gun license that described the Pirate Parrot as a 36-year-old white man with green hair whose stated reason to carry a gun is “self-defense.”Plant that made Grey Poupon closingUPPER MACUNGIE — A Lehigh Valley factory that has made products for the Kraft Heinz company for more than 40 years is set to close.Kraft Heinz Co. spokesman Michael Mullen said that the plant in Upper Macungie will close by Nov. 18.The plant most recently made Grey Poupon mustard, A.1. Steak Sauce, and Tassimo coffee products.