Archive for January, 2011
New sentencing ordered in Ohio death penalty case
CINCINNATI — A federal appeals court has thrown out the 1994 sentence of an Ohio death row inmate, saying the jury should have heard mitigating evidence about his mental issues, childhood abuse and chaotic upbringing. Three 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges ruled Friday that the state must hold a new sentencing hearing within [...]
Gunman’s victims say he’s threatening them from jail
LORAIN — Several people who were victims of a gunman who demanded they strip naked last weekend while he looked for his cell phone are receiving threatening calls from the jailed suspect, according to a police report. Two Lorain men filed a report Thursday evening at the Lorain police department. They told officers they were [...]
Police find stolen puppy; accused thief says he was high
ELYRIA — A Yorkshire terrior puppy stolen from an Elyria pet store nearly a week ago has been found safe and in good health. The puppy, a female who weighs just 3½ pounds and is valued at $700, was stolen the afternoon of Jan. 14. Store owner Greg Kiesner said he observed two white males [...]
Coroner: Elyria baby died after ingesting heroin addiction drug
LORAIN — An overdose has been declared the cause of death of a 14-month-old Elyria girl who ingested a drug typically used to fight heroin addiction while at the home of a relative, according to investigators. The baby girl, Anthonya Myers, was at a home on East 30th Street in Lorain on Dec. 17 with [...]
12 firefighters to be added with $1.7 million grant in Lorain
LORAIN — A grant of more than $1.7 million will let the Lorain Fire Department bring staffing up to “adequate” levels and keep the department’s four fire stations open more often than not, according to Fire Chief Tom Brown. Brown said he learned about the grant — from the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency [...]
Lorain to receive $1.4M per year in mental health aid
LORAIN — Lorain is one of three communities across the nation chosen for a federal grant to provide mental health treatment, officials announced at a City Hall news conference Thursday. Lorain will receive $5.6 million — $1.4 million a year for each of the next four years —according to Elaine Georgas, executive director of the [...]
Treatment facility won’t take Daniel Kovarbasich
ELYRIA — Convicted killer Daniel Kovarbasich’s transfer to a residential treatment facility in Akron was canceled Thursday. Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Burge said the Terrence Mann Residential Center withdrew its offer to house Daniel, 17, who the judge found guilty last year of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in the Jan. 22, 2010, [...]
New Commissioner has more suggestions for county cuts
ELYRIA — Lorain County Commissioner Tom Williams is keeping his budget ax sharp. After Williams’ efforts to eliminate coffee and newspapers from the county budget were rejected last week by his fellow commissioners, he proposed another round of potential cuts Thursday at his second meeting since taking office. Among Williams’ suggested cuts this time around [...]
Tentative deal would save Lorain Schools $2 million a year
LORAIN — The teacher’s union and the school board have reached a tentative agreement that will save the district $2 million with the caveat that voters must approve the 23.85-mill renewal operating levy that will be on the May ballot. David Wood, president of the Lorain Education Association, the teacher’s union, said teachers “voted overwhelmingly [...]
Wrestling: Ayers, Gusky lead Midview to win over Avon
AVON — The Midview captains have the ship sailing in the right direction. Seniors Joshua Ayers and Tyler Gusky — coming off tournament titles this weekend — picked up bonus points during a nip-and-tuck West Shore Conference dual meet Thursday night, sparking an avalanche of Middies wins that buried Avon. After breaking loose, Midview (7-0, [...]
School updates 01-21-11
Closed:
Wellington
Two hour delays;
Black River
Cloverleaf
Elyria teen forced to chop down genitalia-inspired snow sculpture
ELYRIA — A phallic phenomenon was short-lived after police told a 16-year-old boy to remove a snow sculpture emulating male genitalia from his front yard on East River Street and Yale Avenue. Roman King said it took about 20 minutes to shape the 7-foot sculpture about two days ago. He said he created it “just [...]
Soccer start Brad Friedel files bankruptcy in the UK
Brad Friedel, a Bay High School standout who went on to play in the top levels of international soccer, has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United Kingdom, according to court documents. Friedel, whose former soccer academy in Lorain was foreclosed on earlier this month, filed for bankruptcy protection Wednesday, according to the UK’s Individual [...]
Police investigate shooting death of former Elyria man
CLEVELAND — Police in Cleveland are investigating the shooting death of a former Elyria resident whose body was found a week ago on the west side of the city. Marc Amato, 50, graduated from Elyria West High School in 1978 and had since moved to Strongsville. According to police, Amato was found next to a [...]
State rep wants to cut lawmakers’ pay
A state representative’s proposition to cut elected officials’ pay in the House and Senate is being met with mixed reviews from local representatives. State Rep. Terry Boose, R-Norwalk, recently introduced House Bill 41, which would cut the salaries for members of the Ohio General Assembly as well as elected executive officeholders by 5 percent. If [...]
Cavs’ new problem: Mistakes on offense
INDEPENDENCE — As soon as the Cavaliers make strides in one area, another problem crops up. That’s why coach Byron Scott, his team having held Phoenix to 16 points in the fourth quarter of a 106-98 loss Wednesday, spent Thursday’s practice going over his team’s Princeton offense. “If I had hair, I’d pull it out,” [...]
Police won’t face charges in shooting
ELYRIA — Two North Ridgeville police officers who shot a Lorain man who allegedly tried to run them over with a car last spring will not face criminal charges. Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will wrote in a letter to North Ridgeville Police Chief Rick Thomas that he won’t present the case involving the shots fired [...]
EC graduate quickly solves Ironman races
Focus, determination and resolve. Brian Scheall needed all three to conquer the three-sport demon known as the triathlon. Scheall never raced the Ironman triathlon distance before November 2009. It took only three tries for the 2001 Elyria Catholic graduate to qualify for the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championships, the granddaddy of all Ironman races. It [...]
Erie MetroParks to buy Vermilion beach
VERMILION — Public access to the Lake Erie waterfront and Vermilion River should be assured for future generations with the pending acquisition of a small parcel of beachfront property at the end of Main Street just east of the soon-to-be vacated Inland Seas Maritime Museum. Known to most locals as the Wakefield property, the sale [...]
Billy Davis, Dave Wannstedt interview for Browns defense job
Billy Davis has a history with the Browns. He’s looking for a future with them, too. Davis interviewed for Cleveland’s defensive coordinator job Thursday, according to reports. Two-time NFL head coach Dave Wannstedt also interviewed for the position Thursday. Davis, 45, was fired as the Arizona Cardinals coordinator earlier this month after two years. The [...]
Frank M. Kish
Frank M. Kish, 80, of Elyria, died Wednesday, January 19, 2011, at EMH Regional Medical Center, following a long illness. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Laubenthal Mercado Funeral Home of Elyria, 440-322-4626.
Lt. Kucirek to become new police chief in Amherst
AMHERST — Relief was the emotion that most came to mind when Amherst police Lt. Joseph Kucirek was asked Thursday for his reaction to receiving the top score on a civil service promotional exam that will see him named the city’s new police chief. “It’s been a long day, my head is pounding, and I’m [...]
Man charged in wife’s death waives preliminary hearing
ELYRIA — The man accused in the Jan. 9 death of his wife in a car accident waived his preliminary hearing Thursday. George Diederich, 75, will now have his case considered by a Lorain County grand jury, which will determine if there is enough evidence to issue an indictment against the Elyria tavern owner, who [...]
Boys basketball notebook: Focused Shoremen only perfect team in Lorain County
Avon Lake is the last undefeated team remaining in Lorain county. The Shoremen are off to a perfect 10-0 start on the season and look to be heading toward the team’s first conference championship since 1994. Of course, last season, the Shoremen came alive down the stretch and carried that momentum to a district championship. [...]
Wrestling notebook: Tough tests ahead for county’s 3 unbeatens
With less than a month remaining in the regular season, three Lorain County wrestlers remain unbeaten — Lorain senior Narcisco Inchaurregui at 130 pounds, Avon junior Zane Zeman at 145 and Brookside senior Austin Tackett at 171. Inchaurregui’s 21-0 record is probably the least surprising of the trio, as the Lorain High standout is a [...]