LORAIN — Power saws or welding equipment may be responsible for a minor blaze Tuesday on the roof of a building on the 900 block of Broadway, Lorain Fire Chief Thomas Brown said. Workers repairing the roof of a warehouse owned by Dye’s Appliance reported the fire at 2:25 p.m.   CHUCK HUMEL / CHRONICLE [...]

LORAIN — The city’s law director is investigating whether a Building Department employee was negligent when he allegedly told a resident not to acquire a building permit for a home improvement project. Law Director Mark Provenza said building inspector Saul Plaza could be charged with dereliction of duty or aiding and abetting in violating a [...]

COLUMBUS — Call it ignorance, denial or trust. But most Ohio parents believe home day cares are policed more rigorously than they are. Many are alarmed to learn that Ohio is among a handful of states remaining with virtually no oversight of the smallest in-home baby-sitting operations, those that parents often view as the most [...]

Elyria police Saturday, Sept. 22 8:55 a.m. – Maytag Laundry, business was broken into and a fire extinguisher was sprayed inside. 9:41 a.m. – 200 block George St., a vehicle was broken into and A1 sauce was poured all over it. 12:01 a.m. – 100 block Fox Hill Lane, Antonio Lynch, 17, 300 block Oberlin [...]

LORAIN — A police investigation found that nothing illegal occurred with two loans issued as a part of the city’s program to aid flood victims, but that doesn’t alleviate concerns from city officials that the program might be flawed. Lorain police Sgt. Mark Carpentiere said allegations surfaced last week that resident Don Buchs, who received [...]

CLEVELAND — A former accountant for the Cleveland Catholic Diocese sobbed Tuesday as he told a federal court jury that the $784,000 in secret payments made to his old boss were approved by church leaders. “I didn’t know … ,” Anton Zgoznik, 40, of Kirtland Hills, said before breaking into tears and gasps in U.S. [...]

ELYRIA — Parents and administrators from 12 school districts throughout the county are getting together at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to discuss the county’s programs for gifted students. There will be a keynote speaker at 7 p.m. and breakout sessions will take place from 7:40 to 9 p.m. All events will take place at the Stocker [...]