Archive for May 16th, 2008
ALERT: Motorcyclist injured in crash
NORTH RIDGEVILLE – A 20-year-old man was injured when his eastbound motorcycle struck the rear of an eastbound car Thursday afternoon on Chestnut Ridge Road, according to police. Joseph Partyka, of North Ridgeville, was listed in fair condition today at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland following the 4:30 p.m. accident. The accident occurred in the [...]
Determined or desperate? Cavaliers need to learn from previous mistakes if they’re going to take Celtics to Game 7
INDEPENDENCE — It was the last thing LeBron James said at his postgame press conference following Game 5 at TD Banknorth Garden. The Cavaliers had just lost 96-89 to the Boston Celtics, placing them in a must-win situation in Game 6 tonight at 8 at Quicken Loans Arena. Win and the Cavaliers force a seventh [...]
Grace shakes up Fire Department
ELYRIA — A day after acting Fire Chief Bob Dempsey proposed relieving the Fire Department of its first responder duties, he’s no longer the acting chief. “We have leadership problems there in Chief (John) Zielinski’s absence,” Mayor Bill Grace said. “We needed a change.” Elyria fire Capt. Joseph Pronesti was promoted over Dempsey to lead [...]
Sprinkler laws rare, but boost fire safety
ELYRIA — Drafting legislation calling for all new homes to be constructed with fire sprinkler systems is easy. The hard part will come if the Elyria Fire Department tries to get it passed. While fire officials say sprinklers save lives, no cities or municipalities in Ohio have added it to their fire and building codes. [...]
Plas facing 17 charges for park attack
He’s charged with attempted murder, attempted rape in Metro Park incident ELYRIA — A county grand jury slammed the man accused of kidnapping, shooting and trying to rape a hiker earlier this month with a 17-count indictment Thursday. The charges could send Matthew Plas, 25, to prison for more than 50 years. Plas is charged [...]
Cavaliers Gibson has separated shoulder, is done for rest of Celtics series
INDEPENDENCE — The Cavaliers lost a point guard in Game 5. The Celtics relocated one. Cleveland, down 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, will be without Daniel “Boobie” Gibson in Game 6 tonight at 8 at Quicken Loans Arena. The second-year guard ran into teammate Anderson Varejao while trying to track down a loose ball with [...]
McCain: We`ll win in Iraq and kill bin Laden
COLUMBUS — Republican John McCain declared for the first time Thursday he believes the Iraq war can be won by 2013, although he rejected suggestions that his talk of a timetable put him on the same side as Democrats clamoring for full-scale troop withdrawals. The Republican presidential contender, in a speech that also envisioned Osama [...]
Don’t be too picky: Laffey shockingly allows a run, but still leads Indians to sweep of A’s
CLEVELAND — Aaron Laffey was the streak buster Thursday at Progressive Field but hold the criticism for the young left-hander. Yes, Laffey allowed the run that snapped the rotation’s major-league-high string of consecutive scoreless innings at 441/3, but it was also his effort — the latest in a sparkling stretch for Cleveland’s slew of starters [...]
Woman charged in Web hoax that led to suicide
LOS ANGELES — A Missouri woman was indicted Thursday for her alleged role in perpetrating a hoax on the online social network MySpace against a 13-year-old neighbor who committed suicide. Lori Drew of suburban St. Louis, who allegedly helped create a MySpace account in the name of someone who did not exist to convince Megan [...]
Tribe notes: Sowers start means Tyner’s stay is at an end
CLEVELAND — When Jeremy Sowers is promoted from Triple-A Buffalo today, he will replace outfielder Jason Tyner on the 25-man roster, not pitcher Aaron Laffey. Laffey avoided a trip back to the minors with the Indians electing to keep the left-hander, who has pitched brilliantly while filling in for an injured Jake Westbrook, and deciding [...]
Roundup: May 16, 2008
Oberlin student disciplined for threat OBERLIN — An Oberlin High School student has been disciplined after he admitted to writing a threatening note last month that police and school officials called a hoax. Superintendent Geoffrey Andrews would not elaborate on the discipline, but he said the student also was counseled after discovery of the note [...]
Blotter: May 16, 2008
Elyria police Tuesday, May 13 10:10 a.m. – Family Dollar, Lake Avenue, a 3-year-old girl wearing a pajama top and panties wandered into the store alone. She told police “Mommy was sleeping.” Children Services was contacted to investigate. 10:15 a.m. – Family Dollar, Lake Avenue, counterfeit $10 bill. 11:32 p.m. – 1800 block Turner Blvd., [...]
Sectional baseball: Elyria takes its turn, pays back Southview for last season’s loss
ELYRIA — It didn’t have the craziness of past Elyria-Southview matchups, but it was still a typical nail-biting sectional game between the two Division I rivals. Elyria and Seth Harshberger prevailed 4-3 this time against the Saints and Cameron Castro. The same two pitchers faced each other in a sectional tournament game last year with [...]
Haven House pavilion to be dedicated on Saturday
LORAIN — It’s not enough to make sure the county’s homeless are fed and protected from the elements, Leadership Lorain County Executive Director Gail Stumphauzer said. Sometimes, beauty and peace of mind are just as important gifts, she said. That’s the idea 38 volunteers had in mind when they built a pavilion this spring for [...]
County would use grant for model at airport park
ELYRIA — The county wants to build a 50,000-square-foot building as a model to show businesses what is possible at the industrial park it wants to open at the Lorain County Regional Airport. But the facility will only be built if the county can win an Ohio Department of Development grant to fund most of [...]
Boy with BB gun had dad with knife, N.R. cops say
NORTH RIDGEVILLE — Police responding to a call about a 14-year-old boy with a gun tucked in the waistband of his pants at North Ridgeville High School ended up making an arrest for carrying a concealed weapon, but instead of arresting the boy, they arrested his father. A caller reported earlier this month the teen [...]
Sectional softball: Fast start carries Midview past Avon Lake in final
AVON LAKE — Midview’s young softball team won its 19th — and most important — game of the season Thursday. The Middies, behind the pitching and hitting of junior Brittany Stone, nipped Avon Lake, 3-2, in a Division I sectional final. It was a nail-biter that wasn’t decided until the final out on a cold, [...]
Cities consider pooling taxes
INDEPENDENCE — The Northeast Ohio Mayors and City Managers Association is moving ahead with a study to explore how regional tax revenue sharing could work. The group, which has already completed a study that members say shows that the concept is a good idea, voted Thursday to figure out how to implement it. “We’ve got [...]
World War II B-17 crew member meets man saved by food drops
SHEFFIELD — As World War II drew to a close, many people in the Netherlands were close to starvation after years of German occupation. IF YOU GO WHAT: Veterans including Robert T. Smith will be recognized on Armed Forces Day. WHERE: Cleveland Wing Confederate Air Force hangar, Lorain County Regional Airport, 44050 Russia Road. WHEN: [...]
Track and field: Columbia’s Brasdovich wins four events; Keystone girls win first league title since ’94
BROOKLYN — There’s something about being the fastest girl in the Patriot Athletic Conference during your freshman season that gives an athlete a boost of confidence. Columbia’s Lisa Brasdovich has been dominant during her sophomore year and successfully defended her PAC 100- and 200-meter titles, and added championships with the Raiders 400- and 800-meter relay [...]
Only one more goes for Barrett`s former job
A weeklong extension for people interested in replacing former state Rep. Matt Barrett, who resigned last month, drew only one additional applicant. Former Huron County Democratic Party Chairman Patrick Saunders has now thrown his name in for consideration. Saunders joins Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Frank Janik, former Huron County Juvenile and Probate Judge Thomas Heydinger [...]
Teen accused of burning stepsister with iron
NORTH RIDGEVILLE — An 11-year-old mentally challenged girl was burned on her back with a clothes iron, according to a police report. Her 15-year-old stepsister has been charged. The incident occurred in April, but the girl did not tell anyone, the report said. The marks were not discovered until she went to her grandmother’s house [...]
‘Kids with Character` honored
Writer Alex Hanko is a senior at St. Edward High School in Lakewood. He is shadowing Chronicle reporter Steve Szucs as part of his senior project. ELYRIA — It takes character to get noticed in this world, and fortunately there are 11 local kids who are chock-full of it. Students from around the county gathered [...]
Community leader, reporter LaVriha dies at age 93
The news business was a passion to Jack LaVriha, who died Tuesday at the age of 93 at a rehabilitation center in Charlotte, N.C. But LaVriha’s retirement from the news business gave him more time to be a community leader. As head of the Free Terry Anderson Committee, LaVriha led the efforts to free Anderson, [...]
High school baseball notes: Clearview, area had a good friend in Dave Zaborniak
If I ever met Dave Zaborniak, I don’t remember doing so. I know I talked to him on the telephone. I’m sure I did in 2001, when The Chronicle-Telegram was putting together its annual baseball season preview story. That was when we all learned Clearview High School would play varsity baseball again after an almost [...]