Archive for March, 2011
Joseph D. Szczepanski
Joseph D. Szczepanski, 63, of Grafton, passed away Wednesday, March 23, 2011, in New Life Hospice Center of St. Joseph in Lorain, after a long illness. He was born April 9, 1947 in Elyria, living in the Grafton area most of his life. Joe retired from General Motors and graduated from Midview High School in [...]
John D. Virant
John D. Virant, 68, of Lorain, died Tuesday evening, March 22, 2011, at his home, following a long illness. Mr. Virant was born in Lorain October 19, 1942, the son of the late John L. Virant and Irene (nee Erdy) Virant, of Lorain, who survives. A lifelong resident of Lorain, he was a graduate of [...]
Indians counting on big things from Carrasco
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Carlos Carrasco already has a new baby daughter. By the end of spring training, he’ll have a new job as well. For the first time in his professional career, Carrasco, one of the gems from the Cliff Lee trade with the Phillies, will open the season as a fulltime member of a [...]
Coroner IDs victim of fatal North Ridgeville fire
NORTH RIDGEVILLE — The victim of a house fire early this morning has been identified as Dorothy Anderson, 72. The woman’s name was released by Lorain County Coroner Paul Matus this afternoon. Matus said his preliminary ruling on the cause of death was asphyxia due to smoke inhalation. The woman, who lived alone, also received [...]
Judge letting Daniel Kovarbasich out of jail for grandmother’s funeral
ELYRIA — Convicted killer Daniel Kovarbasich will be released from the Lorain County Jail on Saturday so he can attend his grandmother’s funeral. Daniel, 17, will be released into the custody of his parents at 9 a.m. and must report back to the jail by 5 p.m., according to the court order signed Thursday by [...]
Police need help IDing counterfeit suspect
AMHERST — Police are looking for a man who is suspected of passing counterfeit money at a number of Amherst and Lorain fast-food restaurants within the past week. Police said the suspect who was photographed by store surveillance cameras, is a black male wearing a blue-and-white vertically-striped open neck shirt with a black T-shirt. The [...]
Browns CB Sheldon Brown rehabbing after shoulder surgery, expects to be ready for training camp
Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown had surgery after the season to repair a torn rotator cuff, he said Thursday, and rehabs two hours every morning in Charlotte, N.C. He expects to be 100 percent by June. “I won’t miss time,” he said by phone on his way to rehab. Brown had the surgery a couple of [...]
Grand jury indicts Sandusky man in police officer’s death
SANDUSKY — A northern Ohio man charged in the fatal shooting of a police officer could face the death penalty if convicted. An Erie County grand jury included that specification Wednesday when it indicted 50-year-old Kevin Randleman of Sandusky on charges of aggravated murder, carrying a concealed weapon and illegally having a gun as a [...]
Funeral home that wants to liquefy bodies files suit
COLUMBUS — The first U.S. funeral home to publicly offer a cremation alternative that dissolves bodies with lye and heat has filed a lawsuit alleging Ohio regulators don’t have authority to block it from using the procedure. The National Funeral Directors Association says Edwards Funeral Service in Columbus is the only U.S. funeral business offering [...]
Elyria woman jailed after bar fight
ELYRIA — An Elyria woman was arrested for assault yesterday afternoon after a fight at Pudge’s Place. Sherry Greenholtz, 46, of Elyria, was taken to the Lorain County Jail. Officers were called to the Broad Street bar at 4 p.m. They were met outside by Sherry Williams, 50, of LaGrange, who told them Greenholtz had [...]
Soldier from southern Ohio killed in Afghanistan
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The military says a soldier from southern Ohio and one from central Florida have been killed in an attack in Afghanistan. The Department of Defense says 28-year-old Staff Sgt. Joshua S. Gire of Chillicothe and 26-year-old Pfc. Michael C. Mahr or Homosassa, Fla., died Tuesday after an attack involving explosives and small [...]
County commissioners discuss cuts of 3 to 19 percent to budget
ELYRIA — In a day filled with talk of brutal budget cuts to Lorain County government — ranging from 3 percent to 19 percent — county Commissioner Lori Kokoski said she hopes that the county will be able to bring back three of the 12 full-time sheriff’s deputies laid off at the beginning of 2009. [...]
Warrant: Drug link examined in Amherst teen’s death
AMHERST — Police in Amherst are investigating whether drug trafficking is linked to the March 4 death of 19-year-old Jacob Turner, according to a search warrant unsealed in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday. The warrant said that in addition to drug trafficking, police are investigating possible evidence-tampering charges stemming from Turner’s death. Lorain [...]
Lorain school board member files grievance against district’s attorney
LORAIN — A heated school board meeting ended with board member Jim Smith announcing that he had filed a grievance with the Lorain County Bar Association against the board’s attorney. Smith said he filed the grievance against Anthony Giardini because Giardini should have notified the board about a lawsuit filed in federal court in August [...]
David Lighty’s long run at Ohio State draws praise
COLUMBUS — There’s a film clip that Ohio State coach Thad Matta loves showing to his players. It’s not of a great victory, a stirring last-second shot or even a painful defeat. It features David Lighty, who had unknowingly broken a bone in his foot earlier in the Dec. 17, 2008, game against Jacksonville, continuing [...]
Police log for March 24, 2011
Elyria police Friday, March 18 9:59 a.m – 600 block Cleveland St., skateboards valued at $400 and $60 in cash is stolen in a break-in at Lauber Sports, the fourth burglary in five years, according to the operator. 12:27 p.m. – 400 block 13th St., copper pipes stolen from home. 12:45 p.m. — Middle Avenue [...]
Lorain man LifeFlighted from rollover accident overnight in good condition
ELYRIA — A Lorain man is in good condition at a Cleveland hospital after he was LifeFlighted following a rollover accident on state Route 57 overnight. Derrick Worthy, 26, was westbound on 57 when he rolled his Ford Explorer about 4:20 a.m., Benton said. Benton did not have an exact location on 57. Firefighters had [...]
Nets 98, Cavs 94: Cavs lose ugly overtime battle
CLEVELAND — It was a shame somebody had to win. On a night when the game of basketball was set back more than a half-century from an offensive standpoint, the 34 percent-shooting New Jersey Nets defeated the stumbling, bumbling, but ever-hustling Cavaliers 98-94 in overtime Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena. It wasn’t so much that [...]
Browns linebacker Scott Fujita defends players’ lawsuit
Browns linebacker Scott Fujita sat in the meeting rooms. He listened to the mediator. He read the NFL’s proposals. “The hardcore economics of a deal wasn’t even close,” he said Wednesday by phone from California. “The league’s proposals got worse as time went on. “The NFL did a great job of spin control, manipulating the [...]
Stellar spring should earn outfielder job for Tribe’s Travis Buck
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — This is the new start Travis Buck was looking for. “Baseball’s fun again,” said Buck, who is in camp with the Indians attempting to win a job as an extra outfielder. “I feel like a little kid out there. The last couple years baseball was not fun. I dreaded going to the [...]
New trash program rolls out in North Ridgeville
NORTH RIDGEVILLE — Thousands of containers are being delivered this week and next as a new trash collection system is rolled out. More than 11,000 households are to receive a 95-gallon plastic container for trash plus a green, 65-gallon container for recyclables from Allied Waste Services. Trash and recyclables will be picked up on Mondays [...]
Gulf Road to be closed at I-90 starting in May for bridge work
ELYRIA — Patience will be a real virtue come May when area motorists will face up to six months of detouring around the Gulf Road bridge over Interstate 90 while it is being rebuilt by the state. Work on the $2 million state-funded project is set to begin April 4, but traffic won’t be detoured [...]
Local law enforcement to help during Sandusky officer’s funeral
ELYRIA — At least two Lorain County law enforcement agencies will provide mutual aid to help Sandusky police with the funeral Friday of slain Sandusky police Officer Andy Dunn. Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitely and Lorain County Sheriff Phil Stammitti said Wednesday they will each send several officers to assist with traffic control or helping [...]
Missing Avon Lake teenager found safe
AVON LAKE — Patricia “Tricia” Kowalski, a missing teenager from Avon Lake, was found safe yesterday, according to a police dispatcher. Kowalski had left her home on March 4 and hadn’t back since, according to Sgt. Vince Molnar. The dispatcher said she was found about 3:40 yesterday afternoon but couldn’t confirm where. Check back at [...]
Crushers’ stadium to host homelessness-awareness event this weekend
AVON — The Lake Erie Crushers’ handsomely manicured ballpark is normally occupied by baseball fans relaxing in the sun while watching the game, eating a hot dog and sipping beer. This weekend, however, All-Pro Freight Stadium will host a very different crowd — one that will sleep overnight on the ballfield in cardboard boxes or [...]