Archive for August, 2011
Indians bring back Thome
CLEVELAND – Jim Thome will be back in an Indians uniform tonight. With reports circulating for much of Thursday, Indians officials finally confirmed that the club had reached a deal with the Twins to bring Thome, the team’s all-time home run hitter, back to Cleveland. He was acquired for a player to be named. Reports [...]
Kovarbasich to remain jailed until September hearing
ELYRIA — Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Burge on Thursday found probable cause that convicted killer Daniel Kovarbaisch violated terms of his probation and set a hearing next month to decide how to respond. Kovarbasich, 17, will remain in the Lorain County Jail until a Sept. 8 merits hearing to determine what action the [...]
VIDEO: Livestock auction: Turkeys, lambs, rabbits, chickens and goats
Click here to view photos from the livestock auction.
Thousands still without power as storm cleanup begins
As many as 13,500 Lorain County FirstEnergy customers remained without power at noon Thursday after a severe thunderstorm passed through late Wednesday, according to the utility’s online outage map. Possibly as many as 5,000 customers remained without power in Avon Lake and 2,000 in Elyria and Avon. Marlene Oliver, who lives at Chestnut Ridge and [...]
Motorcycle crash claims life of Elyria man
ELYRIA – An Elyria motorcyclist died overnight following an accident in which he struck a traffic sign on Hilliard Road. William C. Dalton Jr., 56, was conscious at the scene when police responded to reports of a crash at 6:22 p.m. Wednesday. The man, who police said sustained injuries to his left leg, was first [...]
Critter Chronicles: Skeeter
SKEETER Skeeter has a great disposition. He enjoys some attention but is not needy or “high maintenance.” This friendly guy gets along well with a wide variety of other dogs and would fit in well with just about any loving family, with or without other pets. BREED/DESCRIPTION: Beagle mix SEX: Male NEUTERED/SPAYED: Yes, neutered; shots [...]
High school football preview 2011: Open Door dream becomes a reality
On a warm August afternoon, Open Door Christian School principal Darrell Dunckel watched as several young men ran football drills and practiced plays. He beamed as if he were a father watching his baby enter the world. “It’s sort of one of those dreams you’ve had for years, and when it comes to fruition, it’s [...]
High school football preview 2011: Patriot Athletic Conference Stars Division breakdown
TEAM CAPSULES Black River Pirates COACH: Al Young, 23rd year 2010 RECORD: 6-4, 4-0 RETURNING LETTERMEN: 15 STRENGTHS: The lines, both offensive and defensive. Almost all starting linemen are back. The most visible of the group is senior defensive end John Guilford, a first-team Division IV All-Ohio selection in 2010. There’s plenty of speed in [...]
High school football preview 2011: Patriot Athletic Conference Stripes Division breakdown
TEAM STRIPES Brooklyn Hurricanes COACH: Sean Baker, first year 2010 Record: 3-7, 2-5 Returning LettermEn: 10 Strengths: With junior Peter Tanzi under center and a talented group of wide receivers led by Andrew Grose and Alex Sommers, Brooklyn will be able to throw the football. Weaknesses: The Hurricanes are a small team and could be [...]
High school football preview 2011: PAC finds fine fits in Firelands, Fairview
The addition of Firelands and Fairview to the Patriot Athletic Conference has already made an impact. The conference’s website is still pac10hs.org, but when you access the site you’re welcomed to PacTwelve.org. As far as the PAC’s longtime members are concerned, the expansion of the conference from 10 schools to 12 means only there’s another [...]
High school football preview 2011: Wellington’s Clay Wright doesn’t miss starts, or tackles
Matt Stoll racked his brain, yet couldn’t think of a single play or any one incident in the football career of Clay Wright that would be indicative of the kind of player Wright is. “Maybe if he ever completely misses a tackle,” said Stoll, the Wellington coach. “I guess if that ever happened I’d be [...]
High school football preview 2011: Clearview’s Chad Anderson and Matt Jordan step into the spotlight
As far back as Matt Jordan and Chad Anderson can remember, Clearview football has played an important role in their lives. When they were barely old enough to run they played in the grass near the concession stand at Tom Hoch Field as their parents watched the action on the field. As they grew older, [...]
High school football preview 2011: West Shore Conference coaches feel good about changes
For one season, the West Shore Conference will have an uneven number of teams. But if you ask the football coaches, the changes for 2011 – in which Firelands and Fairview depart for the Patriot Athletic Conference and Elyria Catholic comes in from the North Coast League – will only make the conference stronger. “Our [...]
High school football preview 2011: West Shore Conference breakdown
TEAM CAPSULES Avon Eagles COACH: Mike Elder, fifth year 2010 RECORD: 10-1, 7-0 RETURNING LETTERMEN: 24 STRENGTHS: An edge. Despite a 10-0 regular season last year, the Eagles no doubt will be hungry to avenge a bitter ending to the season – a first-round loss to Sandusky in the Division II playoffs, a game in [...]
High school football preview 2011: Justin O’Rourke finally gets the keys to Avon’s offense
Over the past two seasons, Avon quarterback Justin O’Rourke was given ample playing time by coach Mike Elder. However, it was part of a platoon under center, as O’Rourke split time with Cody Schroeder. In fact, as the 2010 season wound down and Avon made a run at a 10-0 season and Division II playoff [...]
High school football preview 2011: Joe Dempsey is a throwback player Elyria Catholic plans on keeping
One of the first things Mike Polevacik did when he was hired to replace Ben Malbasa as Elyria Catholic’s head coach was look into the program’s rich tradition. What he found was the importance of the No. 44 in Panthers history. It had never been retired, but was intended to be issued only in special [...]
CORRECTIONS: Aug. 25, 2011
A sales tax increase will be on the November ballot. A headline Wednesday incorrectly identified what kind of increase would go to voters
Tribute given to Lester ‘Les’ Rivera, an Elyria Catholic player who died 31 years ago
ELYRIA — Thirty-one years ago, a golden youth named Lester “Les” Rivera died of brain injuries suffered in a scrimmage at Elyria Catholic High School. The memories of that fateful day brought a flood of tears as a group of former Elyria Catholic football players prepared to hold a tribute to Les at Friday’s football [...]
H.S. football 2011: QB Brennan Hosier and Amherst have unfinished business
First-year Elyria coach Kevin Fell says the key to his new squad’s Week 1 game against Amherst is limiting the Comets quarterback. He should know: He had a front-row seat in Brennan Hosier’s first year as a starter, when all Hosier did was lead the Comets to an 8-0 start and, in Fell’s words, need [...]
Graduation ratings could fall when state adopts federal formula
Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson talks Lorain scores as her possible departure looms Elyria school district officials are beaming over the district’s high graduation rating on the most recent state report cards, but the district — like many others in the state — could see that rating drop as Ohio adopts a federal formula used to calculate [...]
High school football preview 2011: Southwestern Conference breakdown
TEAM CAPSULES Amherst Comets Coach: Chad DiFranco, first year 2010 record: 8-2, 5-2 Returning lettermen: 15 Strengths: The battery. Veterans at quarterback, running back and along the offensive line should keep the Comets humming when they have the ball. Brennan Hosier returns at quarterback after a stellar junior season, and DiFranco says left tackle Gino [...]
Police: Panty thief takes 66 pairs
An 18-year-old LaGrange Township man has been arrested and charged in connection with the theft of more than 60 pairs of underwear from three 17-year-old girls, according to Lorain County Sheriff’s Office reports. Larry Moore was charged with three counts of burglary and two counts of criminal damaging Monday after he told sheriff’s deputies he [...]
Superintendent Atkinson sees positive legacy in Lorain
LORAIN — Despite students failing to meet 81 percent of standards on the latest state report card, southbound Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson said she’s leaving Lorain City Schools better than she found them. Atkinson, expected to be named DeKalb County, Ga., superintendent next week, said she’s improved morale and instituted a bottom-up approach allowing teachers more [...]
High school football preview 2011: Northeast Ohio Conference breakdown
TEAM CAPSULES Cuyahoga Falls Black Tigers COACH: Mike Miller, fourth year 2010 RECORD: 1-9 overall, 0-5 STRENGTHS: Big, experienced offensive line. WEAKNESSES: Lack of team speed. SCOUTING REPORT: Cuyahoga Falls’ last winning season was 2002 and it’s had two 0-10 and two 1-9 seasons since. The only victory last year came against winless Akron North, [...]
Roundup for Aug. 25, 2011
Teen takes plea deal for multiple charges ELYRIA — A 17-year-old facing aggravated robbery, heroin and other charges cut a deal with prosecutors on Wednesday. In exchange for prosecutors dropping the robbery charge, Terrell Fennell pleaded guilty to charges of tampering with evidence, possession of crack, possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia charges [...]