Archive for February, 2009
Elizabeth N. Pallotta
Elizabeth N. "Betty" Pallotta (nee Nagy), 95, of Wellington (formerly of Bedford), died Friday, February 6, 2009 at The Center Ridge Nursing Home in North Ridgeville, following a long illness. She was born September 16, 1913 in Buffalo, New York. She is survived by a daughter, Anita Coates (husband Tim) of Elyria; four grandchildren; and [...]
Donald Holloway
Donald Holloway, 85, of Lorain, died Saturday, February 7, 2009, at Denise’s Adult Home Care in Lorain. Complete arrangements will be announced by the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway Ave., Lorain.
Cavaliers: Odom lifts Lakers, snaps Cleveland’s home win streak
CLEVELAND — It was billed as a showdown between the two best teams in the NBA and the two best basketball players in the world. Instead, it turned into a personal showcase for Lakers power forward Lamar Odom. Odom outclassed Los Angeles teammate Kobe Bryant and outplayed Cavaliers superstar LeBron James in front of a [...]
Beverly O. Brian
Beverly O. (Ornstein) Brian, 87, of Cincinnati and formerly of Sandusky, passed away Saturday morning, February 7, 2009, at Hospice of Cincinnati. She was born June 28, 1921 in Newark, New Jersey. Survivors include her children, Janet B. Woods of Sandusky, Richard (Sharon) Brian of Cincinnati, Gary (Victoria) Brian of Mainville, Ohio, Barry (Debra) Brian [...]
Cavaliers commentary: Rings the thing that will decide legacies of LeBron, Kobe
CLEVELAND — It’s an ongoing debate that will likely rage for the rest of their careers and beyond. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant: Who’s better? The two regular-season games between the Cavaliers and Lakers this year say it is Bryant. His team won both meetings with the Cavs, beating them decidedly in Los Angeles before [...]
Cavaliers notes: Brown takes first home loss in stride
CLEVELAND — All good things must come to an end, including the Cavaliers’ franchise-record home winning streak. Cleveland’s run of 23 consecutive victories at Quicken Loans Arena ended with a 101-91 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday afternoon. It was the Cavaliers’ first home defeat since their 2007-08 regular-season finale. “It was nice [...]
H.S. Bowling: Keystone sweeps North Shore Tournament
LORAIN — For the third straight year, a team champion for the North Shore Bowling Conference Tournament was decided by two pins or less. Unlike the last two years, this year’s battle to the wire was on the boys side. And what a classic it was Sunday at the Rebman Recreation Center. The Keystone boys [...]
Daytona 500: Truex takes pole; Martin will start second
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Martin Truex Jr. suffered through an uncertain winter, unsure if his revamped race team could take him to the top. Mark Martin also endured a long offseason, anxious to join NASCAR’s premier program. Their waits proved worth it Sunday when the former teammates took the top two starting spots for the [...]
Commentary: A-Rod should learn from others’ mistakes
The only benefit in getting caught late is the chance to learn something from the guys who got caught juicing first. So if nothing else, Alex Rodriguez has plenty of company. But with little more than a week to come up with a story before he reports to spring training, A-Rod better use every minute [...]
Golf roundup: Watney wins at Torrey Pines after Rollins stumbles
One of the lessons Nick Watney took from playing for his uncle at Fresno State was that winning is never easy. That’s why he didn’t lose hope Sunday during the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in San Diego when he was three shots behind with five holes to play. First came a mini-collapse by John [...]
NFL Pro Bowl: Fitzgerald named MVP after NFC win
HONOLULU — Larry Fitzgerald played as if the Super Bowl never ended. Fitzgerald caught five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns, 44-year-old John Carney kicked two fourth-quarter field goals and the NFC rallied to a 30-21 victory over the AFC. The Arizona Cardinals’ All-Pro receiver, coming off a record-breaking postseason and a spectacular Super [...]
Megastar matchup: LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant meeting even bigger than normal after last week’s huge performances
INDEPENDENCE — When these two get together, it’s far from an ordinary regular-season game. The Cavaliers and Lakers? Well, yeah, but more specifically and tantalizingly — LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. The two megastars will resume their personal cross-coast battle today at 3:30 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena when Los Angeles arrives for its second [...]
Rick Noland: Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry has to decide whether or not to mess with a good thing
A year ago, he orchestrated the blockbuster trade that brought Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and Joe Smith to Cleveland. Three years ago, he added Flip Murray. This year, he’s exploring anything and everything to make his team better, so we should all know Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry is not afraid to pull [...]
SI story says A-Rod failed drug test in ’03: Reportedly tested positive for two steroids in his American League MVP season
NEW YORK — As Barry Bonds prepares to defend his name, the slugger who may eventually surpass him as the all-time home run leader has become ensnared by the Steroids Era: Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids during his MVP season with Texas in 2003, Sports Illustrated reported on its Web site [...]
College basketball: Ohio State knocks off No. 19 Minnesota
COLUMBUS — The message, Ohio State coach Thad Matta said, is that his team has played a lot of good teams and isn’t too bad itself. Evan Turner made seven free throws in the final 64 seconds, leading Ohio State past No. 19 Minnesota 64-58 Saturday night for the Buckeyes’ fifth win this season over [...]
The economic crisis in Lorain County, Part 1
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a two-day series looking at local businesses and how they are faring in the struggling economy. With each passing day, the news about the economy seems to worsen. Last week, the economic downturn hit the city of Elyria, which is talking about laying off as many as 60 [...]
Nancy Smith afraid of losing freedom again
LORAIN — Nancy Smith said she lay in bed Friday night unable to sleep, fearing that her freedom would be snatched away from her at any moment. “Is somebody just going to pull up and tell me they’re taking me back?” the 51-year-old former Head Start bus driver said Saturday during a sometimes tearful interview [...]
CRISIS: Manufacturer hopes home, auto industries spring back
Tucked way inside a 34,000-square foot building on Abbe Road, Richard McBride spoke from the heart, choosing his words carefully to explain how the state of the local and national economy has affected his family’s business. The Reliable Spring and Wire Forms Co. has been around for decades, making small parts for the home-building and [...]
High school wrestling: Elyria captures Northeast Ohio Conference title, the first for one of its boys teams
GARFIELD HTS. — There’s something about sticking your opponent’s knee into his forehead by slapping him into a cradle that has to feel good. And flipping him onto his back as the referee slaps the mat for the pin has to feel great. And if that opponent is ranked No. 4 in the state and [...]
CRISIS: In a recession, crime pays – for the bail bondsman
There seems to be a direct correlation between tough economies and crime — something bail bondsman Michael Mielcarek has seen personally. Mielcarek, who has owned AAA Midtown Bail Bonds in Lorain for 10 years, said he and his one employee had their best year ever in 2008. “With the times being what they are, people [...]
High school swimming: Elyria Catholic doesn’t just win, it dominates North Coast League meet
OBERLIN — Victory was never the question for Elyria Catholic at Saturday’s second annual North Coast League Swimming and Diving Championships. The only question was just how much the Panthers would dominate. Easy answer. EC completely dominated in defending its title. The Elyria Catholic boys team won nine of 12 events and the girls captured [...]
CRISIS: For Bubba`s Q in Avon, surviving hard times means staying positive
On Tuesday, Al “Bubba” Baker finally received a package he’d been waiting on for weeks. He smiled wide when he saw the contents inside. They just might save his business, he thought. He took out each one and passed them out to his employees at Bubba’s Q restaurant in Avon. They were T-shirts, simple and [...]
CRISIS: Stories of local businesses
Busch Funeral and Crematory Services If the only certainty in life is death and taxes, the funeral business must be recession-proof, right? Well, yes and no, according to Mark Busch, owner of Busch Funeral and Crematory Services in Avon Lake. While he has not seen a loss in business, he has seen an increase in [...]
High school wrestling: Midview downs North Ridgeville in battle of West Shore Conference unbeatens
EATON TWP. — North Ridgeville and Midview came into Saturday night’s West Shore Conference showdown tied for first place at 6-0 with half of the championship on the line. The other half goes to the winner of the conference championships next Saturday at Midview. Give the Middies the upper hand because they handed North Ridgeville [...]
Lorain police sergeant demoted, suspended
LORAIN — A Lorain police sergeant with a string of complaints against him dating back years has been demoted and placed on a 25-day suspension. Lorain Safety Director Phil Dore said now-Officer James Wolford’s demotion went into effect Wednesday, and he will serve his suspension beginning Monday. Dore said Wolford has already filed a grievance [...]