Elyria News Archives

State Rep. Matt Lundy may think twice about knocking on a stranger's door after being bitten by a dog last Thursday while canvassing in Sheffield Village.

Archive for July 31st, 2008 Indians blow two big leads as Tigers win in 13th inning CLEVELAND - Even for the woeful Wahoos, this was a bit extreme.

The president of a Cleveland construction company has pleaded guilty in a bribery scheme that prosecutors say helped his firm win a contract to supervise building the Lorain County Justice Center.

Working under tight time constraints, Elyria City Council took the first step Monday in joining the joint economic development zone Avon begrudgingly created last year to win approval for a new interchange off ...

The owner of Spring Valley Golf and Athletic Club learned that his attempt to get a conditional use permit to allow for a $50 million residential development will was put on hold until he can provide more ...

A City Council committee voted Monday to pay nearly 60 motorists for damage to their cars caused by potholes on state Route 57.

Construction co. president pleads guilty to Justice Center charges Brad Dicken The Chronicle-Telegram The president of a Cleveland construction company who supervised the building of the Lorain County Justice ...

Paul Ray is not the rebellious type. He's a rules and procedures kind of person.

Archive for July 27th, 2008 Donte Stallworth makes his training camp debut with the Browns BEREA - Donte Stallworth walks to the edge of the huddle and leans in to hear the play call.

The situation is not ideal. Yet it's the reality the Rev. Ed Gombak faces weekly as he serves as pastor at both Sacred Heart and Holy Cross churches in Elyria.

Archive for July 27th, 2008 Donte Stallworth makes his training camp debut with the Browns BEREA - Donte Stallworth walks to the edge of the huddle and leans in to hear the play call.

Two men were stabbed Thursday night when a neighborhood dispute turned into a knife fight.

“It’s all about the kids!"

If you happened to see a line of Police cars going through your town this week and wondered why they were all loaded with kids, well its “Operation Open Heart” week again.

Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper David Harper formed “Operation Open Heart” in 1962. Harper, being an orphan himself, wanted to show these children, who were placed in the court system, that Policemen were their friends, and not someone to fear. So with a few of his friends, Harper took about 15 kids on an all-day picnic.

As the years went by, there were more kids then adults. So, Harper began receiving support from the community. Now, almost 50 years later, the campout is a weeklong event with up to 40 kids. The kids have been treated to Air Plane rides, Boat rides, Putt-Putt, bowling and more. They are also treated to a fireworks show on the final night.

We caught up with the “Operation Open Heart” Motorcade on Wednesday afternoon as they were heading through Elyria. They had just finished a morning of Bowling in Sheffield Lake and were on their way to lunch at the AmVets on Middle Ave in Carlisle Township. Volunteers from the AmVets supplied, prepared and served a pasta dish and meatball subs along with sodas and chips. The highlight at the AmVets came after lunch with the water fights. Most of the children were armed with water balloons and water guns.

Two men were stabbed Thursday night when a neighborhood dispute turned into a knife fight.

Police can't find the evidence that an Elyria man serving time for his wife's 1991 murder believes will clear him.

Archive for July 17th, 2008 Cavaliers: Gibson agrees to 5-year deal, says being in Cleveland 'is a blessing' CLEVELAND - Shooting guard Daniel "Boobie" Gibson wanted to stay with the Cavaliers, and the team was ...

Clarence Weaver has maintained his innocence since the 1991 murder of his wife. Now the convicted killer is hopeful that DNA evidence will clear him.

Archive for July 23rd, 2008 Mathis hits go-ahead homer as Angels down Indians ANAHEIM, Calif.

Led by former Elyria Catholic star Alexa Porter's 1-over-par 74, three area women qualified for the Championship Flight of the 85th Women's Ohio Amateur Championship, which got under way Monday at Elyria ...

"Unfortunately, I'm not here to paint a pretty picture for you," county Budget Director Lisa Hobart told county commissioners Thursday.

Archive for July 18th, 2008 Dennis J. Afrates Dennis J. "Happy" Afrates, 75, of Lorain, died Wednesday, July 16, 2008, following a brief illness.

Woman drops stalking protection order against bailiff Brad Dicken ELYRIA - An Avon woman has dropped her civil stalking protection order against an Avon Lake Municipal Court bailiff.

AND HELPING HIS FAMILY

Friends and family of Officer Jason West invite you to join them on August 10th for a Poker Run.

The proceeds from the Jason D. West Poker Run will benefit the parents of Officer West who were left with expenses after his death.

Officer West was shot and killed in the Line of Duty on Friday, May 25, 2007 while responding to a disturbance call. Officer West blocked a vehicle with his patrol car that was leaving the area.

The driver of that auto exited his vehicle and shot Officer West twice in the leg and once in the face.

Officer West was rushed to Huron Hospital where later that evening he succumbed to his wounds. Officer West is the first Police Officer killed in the line of duty in Cleveland Heights since 1948.

Officer West was laid to rest on May 31, 2007 in his hometown of Avon where hundreds of Police Officers from throughout the United States came to pay their respects.

The Poker Run will begin at Lake Erie Harley-Davidson, 38401 Chester Road, Avon, with the first bike out at 11am and ending at Mulligan’s Pub & Grille, 38244 Colorado Ave. (Route 611), Avon, with the last bike in at 4pm.

Pre-Sale tickets are available at Lake Erie Harley-Davidson and Mulligan’s Pub.

Longtime Chronicle advertising representative Rudy J. Cozart died Thursday evening after a battle with lung cancer.

Tom Smith still sees the face of his dead son in crowds several times a day, and Barb Glass can't ever seem to wake up from the nightmare she knows is a reality.

Elyria – With gas prices through the roof lately, this situation was going to happen sooner or later. Elyria Firefighters were called to the 100 block of Marseilles after a man got his finger stuck in a gas tank.

Neighbors said the man was siphoning gas from his sisters van when somehow he got his finger stuck in the hole. They tried for sometime to extricate the finger themselves before realizing they needed the Fire Department.

Firefighters cut portions of the van away in order to safely remove the finger from the hole.

LifeCare Paramedics stood by during the extrication but the man required no medical attention.

An Elyria man was convicted Friday of sexual battery for forcing himself on a woman during a date in 2005.

A one-year-old program now has 65 area families signed up to receive weekly produce from local farmers.

A young girl died in a three-car crash on a Long Island parkway, despite the efforts of passers-by who were beaten back by raging flames during their rescue attempts, state police said Wednesday.

Something crossed my mind the other day about the way the young Demarcates of today are running things in the City of Elyria, as well as the Demmies in Lorain County its self.

I am old enough to remember when the Old Guards (I’ll call them) of the Demarcate party back in the late 50’s, 60’s, 70’s up to lest say the first part of the 90’s were real politicians that knew how to run a City or County the right way.

Dems who ran the City of Elyria as well as Lorain County back in the day were dedicated men and women who were professional they cared about the Citizens. Sure the Dems and the Republicans scrabbled back and forth back in the day, but in a professional way.

I would say that the Mayor as well as the County Commissioners of the young Democrats of today has embraced their party, so much the Dems might not even get close to any other office in the City or County this fall.

The young Demarcates of today for an example are like a family member weather it is a Son, Daughter or Grandchild that took over a Family Business and that business was in the family for years, then low and be hold the younger family member runs the company in to the ground to the point that the company goes belly up.

Well it’s my option that the young Demmies who are running the City of Elyria as well as Lorain County have done just that run their party in to the ground. It’s also my option they lack the old guards way of running their elected office by the seat of their pants so to speak.

The old guard wouldn’t have paid for unnecessary surveys or research to just add extra bells and whistles so to speak to a pet project ending up in wasting the tax payer’s money.

A weeklong crackdown on crime, called Operation FALCON, led U.S. Marshals to arrest 395 fugitives and serve 423 warrants in the greater Cleveland area during the final week of June - and also resulted in the ...

Centro Properties Group, which owns Midway Mall, has sold off 29 shopping malls it purchased in 2006 as part of an effort by the Australian shopping center giant to deal with billions of dollars in debt.

A young girl died in a three-car crash on a Long Island parkway, despite the efforts of passers-by who were beaten back by raging flames during their rescue attempts, state police said Wednesday.

Habitat for Humanity is an organization known for giving a helping hand to those who are willing to work for it.

The sound of metal boring through hundreds of feet of rock will permeate the air for weeks as the heating and cooling system of the new high school begins to take shape.

Three upcoming police training drills for Virginia Tech massacre-type violence have been canceled until police can sort out what went wrong Friday night at Lorain County Community College.

State fire marshal investigators have finished their look into the fire at the former General Industries factory, concluding that the cause of the massive blaze will remain "undetermined." The building, which ...

A Cleveland man awaiting trial on capital murder charges in the Lorain County Jail has been accused of plotting to have a key witness killed.

The new owners of Spring Valley Golf and Athletic Club are ready to take a shot at turning the picturesque property into a recreation and residential complex.

Archive for July 9th, 2008 Oberlin/Wellington Notebook: July 9, 2008 Cheese Festival contests If you know your way around a kitchen, you might want to consider entering the macaroni and cheese bakeoff and the ...

LCCC names new deans Lorain County Community College has named new deans to head two academic divisions.

EMH hallway dedicated to nursing history Jason Hawk Halls normally filled with bustling nurses were clogged with about 500 of them Saturday as EMH Regional Medical Center honored the contributions of the former ...

The small parking lot of the south side's Save Our Children organization doesn't seem like the typical spot to pick up fresh produce, but one day each week, local teens are bringing something special to the ...

You know the story: Charlie finds a golden ticket, tours a magical chocolate factory, meets Oompa-Loompas and then the Elyria police walk in.

EMH nursing alumni open house is today ELYRIA - An open house 2 to 4 p.m. today will celebrate the 100th anniversary of EMH Regional Medical Center and the contribution the M.B. Johnson School of Nursing has ...

Hundreds, if not thousands, of truckloads of debris will have to be hauled from the site of the former General Industries plant.

Between 200 and 300 volunteers will be making laps around the Elyria Catholic High School track for 18 hours starting 9 a.m. today to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

An Elyria man apparently didn't look before he littered, authorities said. John Blackburn, 26, of Elyria, is accused of tossing a bag of fast food garbage from his car window as he drove by the county garage on ...

A man driving a stolen Jeep early Thursday led sheriff's deputies on a low-speed chase and - when finally found hiding under a stairwell - he cracked open a cold one instead of surrendering, deputies said.

While City Council members said they have many unanswered questions about the spectacular fire that gutted the former General Industries building, they are satisfied for now with waiting for the completed ...

The city has issued a stop-work order for the cleanup at General Industries after tests confirmed high levels of asbestos in the debris.

Since so many Firefighters and Police Officers read this site regularly I would like to first thank Mr. Costigan for allowing me the opportunity to utilize his site to say thank you.

In the early morning hours of July 3rd, the City of Elyria experienced probably its largest fire emergency ever. The initial concerns of exposures and just the sheer magnitude of the fire gave the initial Incident Commander, Assistant Chief Tim Mitchell and I upon arrival, a huge challenge.

The only way that this fire was mitigated successfully was due to the teamwork of all the departments that responded. I do not want to miss anyone or any department so upon my return to work Monday I will be sending out letters thanking each department. I would right now however like to publicly thank the following individuals:

Chief Jeff Young, Sheffield Village Fire: Chief Young’s quick arrival and his aerial’s rapid set up definitely saved two local companies located on the North Side of the tracks.

Lorain FD Pumper # 3, I don’t know your names yet Brothers but your work definitely saved the occupancy directly across the tracks, your crew worked singularly for many hours.

Chief Bob Walker Wellington Fire District: Upon my arrival I knew I needed help and experienced help in setting up sectors and ensuring the firefighters safety. There was one person who immediately came to mind, Chief Walker. Chief Walker acted as the South Side of the building’s safety officer and his sage advice both during and after the incident has been much appreciated. I can’t say thanks enough.

Chief Frank Root Avon Fire: Chief Root set up Shuttle operations and got us the water we needed in protecting the exposures and keeping the huge fire brands down to a minimum.

Chief Phil Slack Eaton Twp. and Assistant Chief Wayne Simms Carlisle Twp: For their assistance in the shuttle operations, one thing for sure we are not used to in Elyria is moving water and you guys certainly kept that water shuttle moving.

Chief Mike Conrad Sheffield Lake: Chief Conrad responded to our Cedar Street Station and was the City’s on-duty command officer running calls for the rest of the City. This fire damn near depleted our command staff and Chief Conrad’s response was much appreciated.

The only evidence that Austin Altomare was struck by lightning Tuesday afternoon is a bright, puckered red mark across his right palm.

Music may soothe the savage beast, but Mark Lundholm hopes that comedy will make the beast change its ways.

Two boys were taken to a Cleveland hospital burn unit after they took cover under a tree and it was struck by lightning during Ohio's latest batch of summer storms.

Update on the Elyria City Council Meeting 7/7/08. 4th Ward Council Member Mark Craig has posted excerpts as well as some videos of the meeting on his Blog.

For more than a century, no one knew exactly where the sidewheel steamer Anthony B. Wayne came to rest.

Results from the state's achievement tests were released Monday, and while many of the schools throughout the county fared well, a few did not.

Boys hit by lightning Jason Hawk Two boys survived a close lightning strike during Tuesday's rush-hour thunderstorm that drove 70-mph winds through the area.

Here are videos 1 and 2 of the City of Elyria Council meeting after the General Industry Fire. Video is one of the Asst. Fire Chief giving a small report to City Council Members on 7/7/08. Also you will see in the City Law Director flipping out and abruptly stopping a Council Member when he ask a question about how much water had to be brought into the City to help fight the General Industry Fire. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSO6S1M3zIY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GifAH7qTfJ8

Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Burge will remain on a three-judge panel in a capital murder case over the objections of prosecutors.

Finding the cause of the fire that turned the former General Industries building into a smoldering pile of rubble will be a difficult task, fire officials said.

Finding the cause of the fire that turned the former General Industries building into a smoldering pile of rubble will be a difficult task, fire officials said.

A cleric in the Cleveland Catholic Diocese who won reinstatement after being accused of sexually abusing a minor has resigned from the priesthood and may face criminal charges in the wake of a new allegation of ...

Next year, the city hopes to get double or triple its usual amount of money from the state's Issue 2 program, which will pave the way for more road projects.

For one Elyria woman, the real fireworks occurred after she and her family had left the July 3 show at West Park.

Elyria – Elyria Firefighters were called to an apartment complex on Turner Blvd early Saturday night to extinguish a car fire.

When Firefighters arrived they found a car towards the back of the lot fully involved in fire.

Smoke from the fire could be seen from downtown Elyria.

What is normally a quick knock down took slightly longer – the fire didn’t seem to want to go out.

It was like one of those annoying trick birthday candles, once it looked like it was out – it kicked up again. The problem was chemicals in the back seat of the car.

The owner of the car had cleaning supplies stored in her car at the time of the blaze. Friends comforting her at the scene said she had parked the car and was inside of her apartment when the fire started.

Firefighters emptied the water supply that they carry on the engine so they quickly called for another Engine and began looking to tap into a hydrant. With only three Firefighters on Engine 3 and two of them were battling the fire, the other Firefighter began pulling a 5 inch hose off the back of the truck.

Lending a hand was an Elyria Police Officer and a Sheriff’s Deputy.

EHS class of 1939 reunited in June One of Elyria High's oldest classes, the class of 1939, celebrated its 69th reunion on June 21 in the Cascade Room of Wesleyan Village.

Elyria – Onlookers and brick thieves (I mean souvenir searchers) called Elyria Firefighters back to General Industries Saturday evening when they spotted smoke billowing from the northeast corner of the scene.

After an inspection of the scene it was decided to have the aerial return.

Ladder 7 did return to the scene later that night to shoot water on the hot spots.

Note to brick enthusiasts: Carrying the bricks away in a plastic bag from Apples is not going to work.

To an outsider, it's just a big, smokey pile of bricks and twisted steel. But for people like Lillie Smith, the bricks hold memories of days with her husband who's now deceased.

Archive for July 4th, 2008 Indians: Roster overhaul expected soon CLEVELAND - There won't be any pennants or championship flags raised over Progressive Field this year.

Elyria, OH- A HUGE WAREHOUSE FIRE...AND DOZENS OF HOMES EVACUATED. THE FIRE AT THE OLD GENERAL INDUSTRIES WAREHOUSE AT CLEVELAND AND OLIVE STREETS STARTED AROUND 1:30 A-M. ABOUT 45 MINUTES AFTER THE BLAZE ...

A thick haze still hovered above much of the neighborhood surrounding the former General Industries building Friday as Elyria firefighters used aerial ladders to spray water on smoking hot spots.

BREAKING NEWS-Fire destroys former General Industries building. Bruce Bishop **Check out the latest videos section to see fire consume the former General Industries building **** ELYRIA - A fire ripped through ...

Photos from the scene! -- An old plastics plant in Elyria has been gutted by an overnight fire.

Elyria – What can only be described as an inferno – a massive fire ripped through the General Industries building on Taylor Street early Thursday morning.

Elyria Firefighters responded to the area at 1:40am after receiving multiple calls of a structure fire at the rear of General Industries.

When Firefighters arrived they found a rear building fully involved. Chief Joseph Pronesti of the Elyria Fire Department said the fire started in the loading dock area on the east side of the building.

“This structure, it’s old construction – it’s called Old Mill Construction. It has oil soaked floors – rapid fire spread. With this type of construction and the wind it was just not safe to have any Firefighters going inside the building.”

Chief Pronesti said that with the size of the building, basically being four blocks long and three stories high, they had concerns early about water supply.

"We basically tapped out the water lines so we called for the County Water Shuttle” Fire Departments for all over Lorain County were on scene assisting in the battle.

When asked what Departments were assisting Chief Pronesti said; “I have every Fire Department in the County, we even went outside of the county and we have North Olmsted covering our station along with Sheffield Lake and Avon Lake.”

A massive warehouse fire that broke out at about 2 a.m. Thursday is causing a five-block area to be evacuated in Elyria.

Today's weather is not supposed to be pretty, but, barring a full-fledged downpour, city officials plan to kick off this year's Independence Day celebration with a fireworks show at West Park.

Hundreds turn out to honor young man killed in Iraq Sunday, June 29, 2008 Stan Donaldson Elyria- Jason Cox may not have known many of the hundreds of people who attended his funeral on Saturday, but members of ...

One of the most endearing sights this weekend at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park has been the young children crowding around the drivers' trailers, eagerly hoping to get an autograph or picture with ...

Archive for June 27th, 2008 Indians easi-Lee down Giants CLEVELAND - If you can't beat 'em, Lee 'em. Unsuccessful in their first two attempts against the San Francisco Giants, the Indians turned to Cliff Lee to ...

The water had risen to the window of Kathleen Yeager's car, trapping her inside, before her rescuers - eight Wellington firefighters - got there.

The body of a 21-year-old soldier killed in Iraq is expected to arrive at Hopkins International Airport Wednesday at 3:58 p-m. Army Private Jason Cox died June 16th in Balad, Iraq after his vehicle encountered ...