Archive for February 6th, 2008
Education, economics tops for Gov. Strickland
COLUMBUS — Gov. Ted Strickland on Wednesday proposed a $1.7 billion economic stimulus package and a series of initiatives to increase the number of college graduates in the state. The Democratic governor also hinted in his second State of the State speech that his long-awaited school funding plan will be coupled with significant [...]
WEATHER UPDATE– Flood warning remains, roads closed
A flood warning remains in effect until at least 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Police departments around the county reported that high waters have caused the following road closures: – Elyria — Cascade Park and Ford Road — Lorain — Edgewood Drive and Tower Boulevard — Lagrange — Commerce Drive (U.S. Grant [...]
UPDATE — McCain leads GOP pack; Clinton, Obama remain close in race for Dem’s nod
WASHINGTON (AP) — A split decision written across a vast electoral map has locked Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton in a protracted struggle for the Democratic presidential nomination while John McCain goes forward as the clear favorite of the Republican race. Obama dared claim a “big victory” Wednesday because he came from so far [...]
UPDATE — Heath Ledger’s death accidental overdose
NEW YORK (AP) — Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose of painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medication and other prescription drugs, the New York City medical examiner said Wednesday. The cause of death was “acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine,” spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said in a statement. [...]
BREAKING NEWS: Flea market collapses
The building housing the Elyria Flea Market, Booksellers and a mattress and furniture outlet on South Abbe partially collapsed this morning. The collapse, which appears to have happened over the portion of the building that houses the furniture outlet, caused a gas leak and a waterline break. The Firestone tire store was also affected by [...]
State-by-state results of Super Tuesday
ALABAMA (Dems: 52; GOP: 45) HEADLINE: Mike Huckabee wins on strong support from evangelical voters and Barack Obama captures black and young voters, according to exit poll data. PRECINCTS REPORTING: 99 percent DEMOCRATS Clinton: 223,090 — 41.5 percent Obama: 300,832 — 56 percent REPUBLICANS Huckabee: 225,659 — 40.7 percent McCain: 206,595 — 37.3 percent Paul: [...]
Police blotter: Feb. 6, 2008
Elyria police Sunday, Feb. 3 2:46 p.m. – 1800 block Middle Ave., an apartment was broken into. 11:53 p.m. – 200 block Park Meadow Drive, a vehicle was broken into and a radio and CD player were stolen. Monday, Feb. 4 10:01 a.m. – 100 block Kentucky Drive, a 15-year-old girl was cited with obstructing [...]
Christmas tree is free in Vermilion
VERMILION — Bill McCarthy woke up at 2 a.m. Tuesday and trekked to the banks of the Vermilion River to see if the Christmas tree lodged in the ice there had started moving toward the lake. Nope, no movement. So he repeated the process at 4 a.m. Still nothing. Finally, when the 65-year-old operations manager [...]
A weather whiplash: Melting ice, heavy rains add up to flood threat
ELYRIA — Heavy rains that are expected to continue all day today could send water overflowing the banks of the Black River this afternoon with predictions that the water level could rise as high as 2½ feet over the flood stage, weather experts are warning. Unseasonably warm temperatures caused small floods and pools of standing [...]
Newborn dropped off at EMH is in foster care
ELYRIA — A newborn baby girl born at home and then dropped off at EMH Regional Medical Center hours later is out of the hospital and living with a county approved, foster-to-adopt family. “The baby’s safe, doing well,” said Patti-Jo Burtnett, Lorain County Children Services spokeswoman, declining to say more about the baby’s status. The [...]
Bed, breakfast & brouhaha: Neighbor upset professor rents rooms in Oberlin
OBERLIN — It’s a time-honored tradition for nonprofit organizations in Oberlin to rent out rooms and serve breakfast in exchange for donations, but an Oberlin College music professor’s proposal to let guests stay at his historic home has some neighbors fuming. At the center of the dispute is a home at 346 Reamer Place that [...]
McCain seizes GOP command on Super Tuesday; Clinton, Obama battle for Democrats
WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain seized command of the race for the Republican presidential nomination early Wednesday, winning delegate-rich primaries from the East Coast to California. Democratic rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama traded victories in an epic struggle with no end in sight. Clinton won the biggest state, California, in the Democratic campaign, [...]
Alleged shooter indicted in slaying at Lorain grocery
ELYRIA — A Lorain man whom police say shot and killed grocer Jose Gonzalez with a gun the shopkeeper kept for protection has been indicted on charges that could lead to a death sentence if he’s convicted. Decio Rodrigues, 24, is charged with aggravated murder, murder, aggravated robbery, having weapons under disability, felonious assault and [...]
Drummers support GED program
OBERLIN — What do a Japanese taiko drumming group and a group of GED students and tutors have in common? Passion, drive, commitment — and carpenter Michael Reynolds. Reynolds, who helped organize the taiko drumming group called Icho Daiko, also heads the Oberlin GED Group. The soft-spoken carpenter, who has a couple of college degrees [...]
Cuyahoga allowed paper ballots
CLEVELAND — A federal judge denied a motion Tuesday that sought to stop Cuyahoga County from switching to a paper ballot voting system for the March 4 presidential primary. The decision by U.S. District Judge Kathleen O’Malley means Cuyahoga County can continue moving ahead with its plan to scan and tabulate the paper ballots [...]
Boy, 4, gets stuck in washing machine
DOVER — Talk about an oversized load: A 4-year-old boy got stuck when he climbed into his family’s top-loading washing machine, and firefighters had to use a metal cutter to slice into the appliance to get him out. Donovan Hasseman, who wasn’t hurt, was wedged up against the agitator with a knee folded against his [...]
761 Elyria residents: Give us back our firefighters
ELYRIA — A group of citizens wants the city to listen to its concerns about the staffing levels of the Elyria Fire Department. On Monday, the group delivered the signatures of 761 residents to the City Council — signatures that were added to petitions asking for Fire Station No. 2 to be re-opened and for [...]
Police: Missing Avon man whose car was in parking lot may be in lake
AVON LAKE — On a gray and dreary Monday night, Coast Guard crews trolled Lake Erie’s dark waters for any signs of a man reported missing earlier that day. James Valenta’s empty car was found at the Miller Road Park early Monday by police. That didn’t raise too many red flags — or at least [...]
High School Rockoff: 2 local bands jam into top spots
CLEVELAND — Five minutes before an announcer told a packed crowd at the House of Blues in Cleveland that Avon rockers Thee TV Oh Dees were this year’s best high school band, a quiet debate was taking place between vocalist Adam Zegarac and drummer Zach Ogden. Oblivious to what was coming, both were giving their [...]
Lorain police officer facing foreclosure
ELYRIA — Lenders are seeking to foreclose on the Amherst home owned by Lorain police officer Corey Earl and his former wife. Paperwork filed Tuesday in county Common Pleas Court shows the Earls owe $232,716.48 on the home, plus $8,082.44 in interest payments. Earl and his wife signed a 30-year mortgage for the house at [...]
30-foot plunge injures REP worker
LORAIN — A Republic Engineered Products worker injured after falling 30 feet from a piece of equipment Friday at the Lorain plant was listed in fair condition Tuesday at Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland. Dennis DeAngelis, a supervisor at the plant, was showing another employee how to do a job when, about 6 p.m., [...]
Theodore Russell Styer
Theodore Russell Styer, passed away Monday, February 4, 2008 at his residence. Mr. Styler was born February 16, 1947 to Joseph and Doris Jordan Styer. Ted was employed as a sales consultant for Toyota on Nicholsville for the past five years, and prior to that worked for Greens Toyota for 16 years. In addition to [...]
Richard Greszler
Richard Greszler, 59, of Lorain, died at his residence Friday, February 1, 2008, following an extended illness. He was born in Lorain, raised in Amherst Township, and returned to Lorain where he had resided for the past 35 years. Richard was a 1965 graduate of St. Mary High School, Lorain. He served his country in [...]
Mary Elizabeth Sooy
Mary Elizabeth Sooy (nee Bell), 76, of Elyria and Melbourne, Florida, died Sunday, February 3, 2008 at the Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne after being stricken by a heart attack at her Florida home on Saturday, February 2, 2008. Mary Elizabeth was born August 12, 1931 in LaGrange, and lived most of her life [...]
Margaret Holley
Margaret Holley, 82, of Lorain, passed away Sunday, February 3, 2008 at Autumn Aegis Nursing Home in Lorain, following a lengthy illness. Margaret was born June 24, 1925 in Lorain and had been a lifelong resident. She was a past member of the Avon Police Auxiliary. She found great joy in raising her granddaughters and [...]