It took 13 years, but the rare titan arum plant at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo finally is in full bloom.  As expected, the massive flowering plant opened up early this morning to reveal its magnificent beauty — and its pungent odor. Horticulture enthusiasts and anyone who’s curious can see the titan arum today on the ground [...]

Tom Krisher The Associated Press DETROIT — No matter how much of the $96,000 hospital tab Don Hartman has to pay for quintuple bypass surgery, he’s still grateful for his health insurance from General Motors Corp. Hartman, 79, a retired auto worker from Salem, Ohio, still hasn’t received all the bills from his February operation [...]

PROSPECT — A grocery store owner is offering a new service to customers cut off from his store while a bridge is being replaced: Free delivery across the Scioto River. Customers who live on the other side of the river can call Dexter’s Village Market for milk, fresh produce, meats, bread and beer, said owner [...]

Council to push landlords for better response LORAIN — City officials are considering an overhaul of the city’s residential inspection requirements in an attempt to keep up with inspection demand and ensure landlords are complying with inspection laws. The proposed legislation could mean moving toward exterior-only inspections, which Councilman Tony Krasienko, D-at large, said would [...]

Terry Kinney The Associated Press CINCINNATI — The world’s first Indian rhino baby to be conceived by artificial insemination is due during Christmas week at the Cincinnati Zoo. “I think it’s a remarkable achievement, an incredibly important success,” said Dr. Evan Blumer, a board member of the International Rhino Foundation. “The next step is where [...]

AVON LAKE — The search for the second of two missing swimmers came to a tragic end Sunday morning. Search crews pulled the body of 20-year-old Brandon Glass, of Elyria, from the waters of Lake Erie at 11:30 a.m. He was found more than 300 yards from the shore and 200 yards west of the [...]