Village to consider eliminating troubled police department KIPTON — Mayor Dennis Watson plans to fire suspended Police Chief Pablo Cruz now that a state investigation into the chief is wrapping up, village Solicitor Dan Mason said Tuesday. Investigation aside, Cruz might have lost his job anyway. Village Council’s Police Committee will meet tonight with sheriff’s [...]

Lorain County sheriff’s deputies say they’re waiting on a ruling from the Cuyahoga County coroner to decide whether to pursue criminal charges in connection with the April 1 death of a 2-year-old. Zyairre DaShaun Pasenow, 23 months old, died Aug. 1 at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, where he’d been staying for the [...]

AVON — The Avon Wal-Mart is looking to expand, and the city of Avon wants to cash in. Ron Mosby, a Wal-Mart spokesman, said the store intends to use the former Murphy Oil gas station property to expand by an additional 38,000 square feet by summer or fall of 2009. The expansion would allow the [...]

NEW YORK (AP) — A man smuggled a monkey onto an airplane Tuesday, stashing the furry fist-size primate under his hat until passengers spotted it perched on his ponytail, an airline official said. The monkey escapade began in Lima, Peru, late Monday, when the man boarded a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said Spirit Airlines [...]

  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Muslim man who had taken a second wife in Morocco earlier this year was shot to death in his bed on the day he was to travel there, and his first wife has not been ruled out as his killer, authorities said Tuesday. Jereleigh Morton’s first wife, Myra, told police [...]

LORAIN — The Lorain school district hopes to start recalling laid-off teachers beginning Friday, exactly three weeks after 243 of them were cut. Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson said that Friday will be the first date that the district will have an idea of how many teachers are still needed for the upcoming school year, and the [...]

LORAIN — After weeks of walking away angry and frustrated from several recent school board meetings, parents of students who attend Lorain Schools will have a forum to address their concerns. Back-to-school meetings, Aug. 15: • Elementary schools: 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. • Middle schools: 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. [...]