Archive for November, 2009
Assisted living at Spring Valley shot down by Elyria Council committee
ELYRIA — The developers of Spring Valley Golf and Athletic Club will not be building an assisted living facility in the front of the property anytime soon after City Council’s Community Development Committee shot down a proposal to rezone more than eight acres of land. With the failed rezoning request came a request for a [...]
Wesleyan Village ceremony honors veterans
ELYRIA — The passing of time is not lost on Julius Pondy. “I’ve had a lot of buddies die here,” the Elyria man said as he looked around the large room of 100-plus veterans honored Monday in a ceremony at Wesleyan Village. Pondy, whose looks, spry manner and razor-sharp wartime memories belie his 88 years, [...]
Lorain buys 14 blighted lots, aims for more
LORAIN — The city has purchased 14 properties with federal funds meant to remove blight from the city. Nearly half of the properties are in central Lorain on Beech Drive and the area around Central Drive. The remaining properties are scattered throughout the city. The Community Development Department is also bidding on between 30 and [...]
VIDEO TRIBUTE: Vigil celebrates life of shooting victim
LORAIN — Joseph Silva got a bitter reminder from his cell phone on Monday. It was a message to call his brother, Bryant Ortiz, on his 34th birthday. But Joseph couldn’t do that. Bryant was gunned down Sept. 21 on West 37th Street following an argument at Ray’s Memory Lane bar at West 37th Street [...]
Nord Center gets more than $260,000 in stimulus funds
LORAIN — The Nord Center is getting more than a quarter of a million dollars in federal stimulus funding. The mental health services organization was awarded $264,182.24 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds by the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission. The funds are to assist with severe mental illness in Lorain, Huron, Erie and Sandusky [...]
Park attacker apologizes, gets 33 years; victim disapointed by leniency
ELYRIA — Matthew Plas was sentenced to 33 years in prison Monday for a brutal attack that left Shawn Stevens paralyzed from just above her waist down. It wasn’t long enough, Stevens, 45, said after Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Edward Zaleski handed down the sentence, calling Plas one of the top 10 worst criminals [...]
Former County Commissioner Ross goes on trial for corruption
ELYRIA — Nearly four years after he was first indicted on corruption charges, former Lorain County Commissioner Michael Ross went on trial Monday. Ross, 45, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the case and his attorney, Michael Nelson, urged jurors to clear Ross of the 22 charges — two counts each of engaging in a pattern [...]
Lorain Foundry gets stimulus funds for 32 new jobs
LORAIN — Thirty-two new jobs will be created and 40 existing jobs saved at the Lorain Foundry thanks to a low-cost $4.9 million loan from the state, officials announced Monday. The foundry, located at 5311 West River Road, is the Midwest distribution center for National Bronze & Metals Inc., a Texas manufacturer and distributor of [...]
Lorain Council rejects deal with county auditor on tax breaks
LORAIN — City Council voted Monday night against an agreement between Mayor Tony Krasienko and County Auditor Mark Stewart over a tax-exemption program created under former Mayor Craig Foltin. At issue is the Community Reinvestment Area program, which gave properties in five areas of the city a 15-year, 100-percent property tax abatement in 2006 and [...]
Man charged with raping 13-year-old
LORAIN — An 18-year-old Lorain man was arrested Sunday for allegedly raping a teenage relative. Miguel Riojas was charged with rape after a bedroom window screen was found removed from the relative’s home, according to a police report. Questioning of the relative led to the rape allegation against Riojas. Riojas has been forcing the relative [...]
Amherst man gets 8 years for beating homeowner during burglary
ELYRIA — An Amherst man was sentenced Monday to eight years in prison for beating a homeowner during a March 2008 robbery. Kent Shroyer, 42, pleaded guilty in August to attempted murder, felonious assault, aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery in connection with the attack on the then-63-year-old homeowner. He also entered guilty pleas to arson [...]
Man in drug ring gets probation
ELYRIA — A Lorain man was sentenced Monday to three years probation for his role in what police have described as a large drug distribution ring that has also led to criminal charges against the former secretary of a county judge. Andrew Wilhelm, 25, pleaded guilty in August to drug trafficking, possession of criminal tools [...]
Corrections for Nov. 10, 2009
There will be an EHS Class of 1939 gathering at Bob Evans by Midway Mall at 1 p.m. Nov. 19. All classmates and friends are welcome to attend. For information, call (440) 322-2122. The date was incorrect in a previously published announcement. A photograph that appeared with a story about Elyria police officer who is [...]
Police log for Nov. 10, 2009
Lorain police Saturday, Nov. 7 4:35 a.m. – Broadway and West Erie Avenue, Whitney Dillman, 21, of Lorain, charged with DUI after crashing her car into a guard rail on the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge. A test at the Lorain City Jail showed a blood alcohol content of 0.16. 9:15 a.m. – 1800 block Colorado [...]
BREAKING NEWS: Metro Parks attacker sentenced to 33 years
ELYRIA — Matthew Plas was sentenced today to 33 years behind bars for the brutal attack last year that left Shawn Stevens paralyzed from just above her waist down. Plas apologized, but Stevens said she wasn’t happy with his apology or the sentence. Stevens said she thought Plas should have gotten the maximum, 72 years [...]
QB question drags out, Mangini says he’ll pick starter Wednesday
BEREA — Browns coach Eric Mangini is keeping the Baltimore Ravens guessing for two more days. Read more Browns at the bye: Embarrassing first half puts future in flux Randy Lerner can’t afford to get it wrong again 5 things that went wrong for Browns, 5 things that went right and 5 keys to turning [...]
Case against Cleveland serial killing suspect expands overseas
CLEVELAND — Authorities are investigating whether a man whose home and yard harbored the remains of at least 11 people is connected to any killings in places he lived while in the military, including Japan, California and the Carolinas. The FBI told Cleveland police that the agency will investigate any leads in the case against [...]
Obituaries for Nov. 9, 2009
Ann M. Krupar Alfred “Johnny” Wyatt Clarice E. Long Mary Ann Rutherford Read the full obituaries on The Chronicle E-edition at: http://www.chroniclet.com/ChroniclEdition/
NASCAR chase wide open after Jimmie Johnson crashes in Lap 3
FORT WORTH, Texas — Jimmie Johnson’s drive to history took a hard hit against a wall and Kyle Busch ran out of gas trying to complete an unprecedented NASCAR trifecta. Kurt Busch drove to Victory Lane at Texas after his younger brother ran out of fuel with 2½ laps left Sunday, finishing 129 laps ahead [...]
Buckeyes in control: Only Iowa stands between Another a Big Ten title, BCS berth
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The big-game blues are gone at Ohio State. Now the Buckeyes get a chance to prove they’re not just one-week wonders in high-stakes affairs. Iowa’s loss to Northwestern, coupled with Ohio State’s 24-7 win later Saturday at Penn State, left the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes tied for first in the Big Ten. [...]
Browns: What went wrong, what went right, and keys to turning it around
5 things that went wrong Quarterback quagmire The collapse of the first half can’t be blamed solely on the quarterbacks, but that’s where it starts. Coach Eric Mangini was set on holding a fair competition in training camp, and the balance in reps, playing time and situational work proved detrimental. Brady Quinn didn’t look ready [...]
Randy Lerner can’t afford to get it wrong again
Randy Lerner should save some time and name Shaun Rogers general manager and Joshua Cribbs coach. Before his time’s done, the Browns owner will have tried every other conceivable combination to fix a franchise that looks more screwed up by the week. Lerner embarked on his latest restructuring of the organization last week when first-year [...]
Browns at the bye: Embarrassing first half puts future in flux
The Browns at the bye are where they’ve been way too often — out of the playoff picture and in disarray. This year, they’ve taken the level of dysfunction to a new high — or is it low? They have no head of football operations, no general manager, no clear-cut starting quarterback. They do have [...]
15 minutes: Get to know WWII vet Marion Mosso
Marion Mosso Age: 93 Lives: Elyria What line of work are you retired from? I worked at Bendix, American Standard, General Industries. I ended up at Tappan on the assembly line. What were your first days in the service during World War II like? We started marching and then they handed out the rifles. The [...]
Recent grad brightens store’s online pull
AVON — After six years behind the counter at The Sun Store in Avon, former employee Heather Cachat headed off to The Ohio State University. But now she’s back, and she’s a partner in the store. Cachat said the turnabout came after she graduated and stopped by to visit with the store’s owner, Tracy Adkins. [...]