Lorain/Elyria, OH
Archive for July 19th, 2008
Desvari charged with bribery
ELYRIA — Lorain’s chief building official, Bill Desvari, has been indicted on charges of bribery and dereliction of duty.
Desvari, who has been suspended with pay since February, could get more than five years behind bars if convicted of the felony and misdemeanor charges.
There could be more charges against Desvari and others, [...]
Lorain councilman says he was barred from crime watch meeting
LORAIN — When City Councilman Dennis Flores showed up to a neighborhood watch meeting Thursday night, he was firmly asked to leave.
Several watch captains met at City Hall to plan a crime-prevention picnic in August. Flores said he is a watch captain, too, but when he tried to get into the meeting, he [...]
Charity event planned one year after tragic drowning
Tom Smith still sees the face of his dead son in crowds several times a day, and Barb Glass can’t ever seem to wake up from the nightmare she knows is a reality.
The Elyria parents each lost their sons a year ago today when Daniel “Danny” Smith, 19, and Brandon Glass, 20, drowned [...]
Prices make cities wish they could hold the salt
It’s gonna be an expensive winter, at least when it comes to road salt.
Government officials responsible for keeping the roads clear of snow and ice expect the cost of road salt to shoot up as much as 25 percent this year.
“Across the board, prices have gone up, whether it’s in your [...]
Woman cranky after rescue from beach
LORAIN — A woman who almost drowned Thursday afternoon off the shore of the Century Park beach gave her rescuers a hard time, Lorain police said.
Virginia L. Mullins, 36, of Lorain, was pulled out of the water and onto the sand when other park-goers couldn’t tell if she was sleeping or dead. [...]
Man cleared of rape, convicted of battery
ELYRIA — An Elyria man was convicted Friday of sexual battery for forcing himself on a woman during a date in 2005.
But Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Burge cleared Eric Ortiz, 27, of a more serious charge of rape.
Ortiz had already been convicted of rape, but that was overturned by [...]
Blotter: July 19, 2008
Lorain police
Thursday, July 17
7:15 a.m. – 200 block E. 33rd St., car window shattered.
7:30 a.m. – 8000 block Oaktree Drive, BB holes in vinyl siding.
7:30 a.m. – 5500 block Williamsburg Drive, speakers and amplifier stolen.
8:59 a.m. – 2800 block Pearl [...]
Party lines blur for council clerk job
NORTH RIDGEVILLE — Despite a recent flap over the way in which the council clerk’s job was filled, there’s general agreement that the position needs to become a full-time job not subject to political influence.
So on Monday, legislation to create the city’s first-ever, full-time clerk will be discussed during [...]
Decaying ditch has Columbia depressed
COLUMBIA TWP. — A crumbling drainage system called the Roth Ditch dating back to the 1920s is causing headaches for Columbia Township trustees, and not just because residents are complaining.
Trustee Ed Neiger lives near the crumbling system himself and has his own flooded-basement stories to prove it.
Neiger said he is abstaining [...]
Amherst Schools to ask for money
AMHERST — As the price of everything goes up, the Amherst Schools budget has grown tighter and school officials say they have no choice but to go to the voters for a fourth time this November in search of relief.
The school board will meet 4:30 p.m. Monday at Amherst [...]