Archive for April 24th, 2008
Ouch! Wizards wallop Cavs
WASHINGTON — DeShawn Stevenson scored 19 points, Caron Butler added 17, highlighted by an incredible layup move in the first half, and the Washington Wizards shot 52 percent and took themselves off the ropes by beating Cleveland 108-72 on Thursday night. The Wizards cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in the first-round series.
BREAKING NEWS — Barrett resigns over nude photo
State Rep. Matt Barrett has resigned his post because he was not truthful about a photo of a topless woman that Barrett accidentally showed to a Norwalk High School class last fall, Ohio House Democratic Leader Joyce Beatty announced today. Beatty, D-Columbus, asked for the resignation Wednesday night after learning about the deception by Barrett, [...]
NFL Draft 2008 … Focus on defense: Ohio State’s Gholston has the size, speed and strength teams crave
One of the plethora of publications critiquing prospects for the NFL Draft refers to Vernon Gholston as being built “like a Greek god.” Meant as a compliment, the description doesn’t do Gholston justice. After all, when was the last time Zeus or Apollo bench pressed 225 pounds 37 times at the scouting combine? Gholston, who [...]
Cavaliers coach, superstar in sync: LeBron James happy to be playing for Mike Brown
INDEPENDENCE — Cavaliers coach Mike Brown hasn’t won over everybody in Northeast Ohio, but he’s got the full support of the man who matters most. Not owner Dan Gilbert. And not general manager Danny Ferry, though both men are completely behind their head coach. No, we’re talking about LeBron James. “I’m happy he’s my coach,” [...]
Cavs notes: Joe Smith says Wizards’ physical style might actually be helping Cleveland
INDEPENDENCE — It was a lot more subtle than most of the pre-series trash-talking done by the Washington Wizards, but at least one Cavaliers player suggested Wednesday that the opponent’s rough-house tactics are backfiring. The Wizards, a fairly soft, run-and-gun team in the regular season, attempted to get tough with Cleveland superstar LeBron James in [...]
Indians to play two today after rainout; Sowers gets nod to start Saturday against Yankees
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Royals got a reprieve. Just not much of one. Rain spared Kansas City from having to face Fausto Carmona, one of the Indians’ hottest pitchers, on Wednesday, but only for a day. Now, the Royals will have to face Carmona and Cliff Lee, the Tribe’s hottest pitcher, on the same [...]
High school baseball: North Ridgeville pounds out 16 hits, blasts Vermilion
NORTH RIDGEVILLE — In a reverse of Murphy’s Law, where everything that can go wrong does go wrong, on Wednesday everything that could go right for Matt Murphy and his North Ridgeville teammates did go right. Murphy’s Rangers outhit, outpitched and played better defense than Vermilion in rolling to a 10-1 win in a battle [...]
High school baseball: Westlake win, Amherst loss creates tie atop SWC standings
AVON LAKE — Matt Kelley scored twice and drove in two runs as Westlake moved into a tie for first place in the Southwestern Conference with a 6-2 victory over Avon Lake on Wednesday. Jamal Abed had three hits for Westlake (8-3, 5-2 SWC). Avon Lake fell to 4-7 and 2-5 SWC. Westlake 002 103 [...]
High school softball: Amherst’s Krueger just misses perfect game against Westlake
AMHERST — It took a perfect bunt to ruin Megan Krueger’s perfect game. Westlake’s Erin Thomas put it down on the first pitch of the seventh inning, but aside from depriving Krueger of a perfecto, it did no harm. Amherst, behind Krueger’s 13 strikeouts and a 16-hit offensive barrage, routed the Demons 6-0 on Wednesday. [...]
High school softball roundup: Avon Lake’s Nicholson strikes out 18; Brookside’s Ondercin throws no-hitter
AVON LAKE — Andrea Nicholson set a personal record for strikeouts in a seven-inning game with 18 as Avon Lake beat Berea 5-1 in a Southwestern Conference game Wednesday. Katie Mullen drove in two runs for Avon Lake (6-4, 5-1 SWC). Berea 100 000 0 — 1 1 0 Avon Lake 000 401 x — [...]
No seat belts in fatal teen crash
CARLISLE TWP. —A 15-year-old Elyria boy who was killed in a crash Tuesday night suffocated after being knocked unconscious, according to the county coroner’s office. Joseph Paletta was a passenger around 9 p.m. in a 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora heading east on East River Road when the driver of the car lost control, drove off the [...]
Lorain says thanks to Jim Allen
LORAIN — The city of Lorain’s “No. 1 sports fan” was surprised Wednesday with an honor that’s a little bit bigger than the thanks he may have expected. Jim Popiel, 66, a longtime supporter and fan of youth sports in Lorain, who taught in the Lorain Schools for 28 years, expected to receive a plaque [...]
Film ends Kirwan’s ‘Jeopardy!’ streak
AVON LAKE — He had a great run, raking in a quick $35,600 as a two-day champion on “Jeopardy!” But even though he held a handsome lead going into the final round Wednesday, a question about the Academy Awards brought Avon Lake native Brett Kirwan’s winning streak to an end. The category: 21st Century Oscar [...]
Homeless shelter looking for support
LORAIN — By some counts, more than 660 homeless people walk the streets of Lorain County every day. And yet there is only one full-time shelter for them — the Haven Center on East 30th Street in Lorain. The Haven Center can house only 68 of these individuals at a time. Government budget cuts have [...]
Fair board considers drug testing
WELLINGTON — The Lorain County Fair Board is debating whether to institute a policy allowing random drug or alcohol testing of new employees. The fair board may take up the issue at a meeting 7:30 p.m. Friday at the fairgrounds. “The fair is a business, and we’re treating it that way,” Fair Board President Ron [...]
Lorain girl, 13, reports molestation
LORAIN — A 13-year-old girl told police Tuesday that her mother’s live-in boyfriend got her high and molested her. According to a Lorain police report, the girl’s mother was at work Monday night when the 39-year-old man offered her some marijuana at their West 18th Street home. She told investigators the drug made her sleepy [...]
Elyria police to take the stand
More than 38 current and former officers expected to be called in trial of ex-cop Vincent Ligas ELYRIA — Former Elyria police Officer Vincent Ligas may be going on trial Monday, but he won’t be the only one mounting a defense against allegations of wrongdoing if his attorneys have their way. Ligas’ attorneys, Mike Duff [...]
Gas prices reach record
It’s not something to celebrate, but all-time gas price records were set locally and nationally on Wednesday, according to AAA, the auto club. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in the Elyria-Lorain-Cleveland area was $3.45 and the national average was $3.53, AAA spokeswoman Bevi Powell said. Customers did double-takes when fueling up. [...]
Twin sisters escape mobile home blaze
CHUCK HUMEL / CHRONICLE Nikki Kimble, 19, a friend of the family, comforts Jen Buksa, 11, as Jen’s twin sister Sarah looks on. A fire Wednesday destroyed the Buksa family’s mobile home at West Ridge Green on West Ridge Road in Elyria. ELYRIA — Twin 11-year-old girls escaped a fire Wednesday evening that destroyed their [...]
Job seekers try to make impression
An interview with a potential employer was the coveted goal at LCCC Career Expo CHUCK HUMEL / CHRONICLE Industries from Northeast Ohio gathered to check out potential employees at the Career Expo at LCCC on Wednesday. ELYRIA — Armed with resumes and a positive attitude, Bill McManaway walked into Wednesday’s Career Expo at Lorain County [...]
(Second) best from the tap
Imported from Avon Lake, the Rural Lorain County Authority’s tap water is second-finest in the nation, say judges at the Great American Water Taste Test Judges at a national contest Tuesday declared the Rural Lorain County Water Authority’s water the second-tastiest tap water in the country. The Great American Water Taste Test is sponsored by [...]
Roundup: April 24, 2008
Man pleads guilty to role in Avon thefts ELYRIA — A Strongsville man has pleaded guilty to charges he was involved in a string of burglaries in Avon last year. Larry Haynik Jr., 32, entered guilty pleas to possession of criminal tools and four counts of breaking and entering on Monday. Haynik could get four [...]
For thumping van’s owner, it’s time to face the silence in Lorain
LORAIN — Loving music isn’t a crime, but one man learned early Wednesday that playing it too loudly can end with an empty spot in your van’s dashboard. John O. Delmonico, 30, of Lorain, was cited for excessive noise violations in 1999, 2001 and 2002. So when a police officer pulled him over at 12:11 [...]
Girl struck by car in LaGrange
LAGRANGE — A girl was struck in a crosswalk Wednesday afternoon as she tried to cross state Route 301 near downtown LaGrange. Alexis Jaworski, 8, was treated at EMH Regional Medical Center and released, according to her mother, Marie Jaworski. Tara Melton, a 15-year-old freshman at Keystone High School, said she was leaving track practice [...]
North Ridgeville blotter: April 24, 2008
Wednesday, April 16 5:47 p.m. — 4900 block Joseph Court, Wendy Mangan, 37, 5100 block Lear-Nagle Road, North Ridgeville, charged with trespassing. Thursday, April 17 2:34 p.m. — Sandy Ridge Drive and Meadow Lakes Boulevard, a city employee saw a man using water from a fire hydrant to water landscape. Jeffrey Williams, 28, Columbia, charged [...]