An Elyria man was robbed of $2,600 cash while on a date to celebrate an insurance settlement.

The arrest last month of a man wanted for a violent home invasion in Elyria helped the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force reach a milestone.

The Elyria police union and five police officers sued the city Wednesday, demanding that city leaders enforce a 1972 ordinance that bars police officers from remaining on the job for more than 35 years.

Avon Middle School art teacher Anne Maiden has been indicted in four cases for a total of 30 charges including theft, forgery, criminal damaging, receiving stolen property, misuse of credit cars and possession of criminal tools.

A fugitive task force found Leonardo Rodriguez hiding in Puerto Rico two years after authorities say he broke into a home in Elyria, beat the residents and stole their money and cars.

The unemployment rates for Lorain County, as well as the cities of Lorain and Elyria, all increased in October, according to figures released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

George Frazier remembers the sinking feeling in his gut that he felt more than 13 years ago when officials from the Elyria Schools announced they were closing Elyria West High School.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Regina G. Schuster and Air Force Airman Corey A. Cutright have graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

The industrial city of Middletown in southwest Ohio is much like Elyria. Elyria has about 55,000 people, while Middletown is slightly smaller with 51,000 people.

The Elyria Education Association is asking its members to show up to tonight's Elyria school board meeting as a sign to the board that they will continue to fight for a fair contract.

A $1.9 million grant from the Ohio Department of Development will be used to turn a former industrial site believed to be contaminated with hazardous materials into a prime area for redevelopment.

ELYRIA -- A former county commissioner in northeast Ohio has been convicted on charges alleging he took bribes to steer county contracts to certain companies.

An Elyria school board meeting Wednesday night turned into a referendum on the current impasse between the district and the teachers union over contract negotiations.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Elyria – A late night fire with the threat of exploding propane tanks had Elyria Firefighters battling the fire defensively with their newest weapon – Tower 8.

An alert Elyria Police Officer, Sgt. Ryan Warfield, while on patrol spotted the fire behind a fence at A-1 Welding on Infirmary Road across the street from Westway Garden apartments. Warfield radioed for his Dispatcher to contact the Fire Department. Warfield also warned other Officers responding to the area to stay back due to large propane tanks near the fire. Police then secured the area so nobody would get close to the blaze in case of an explosion.

When Firefighters arrived they held at a safe distance while they investigated the safety of the area. It was decided by Captain Tim Mitchell of the Elyria Fire Department to fight the fire in a defensive mode by using their new Tower 8.

Tower 8 was set up a safe distance away and the Tower was extended out to its limit to shoot water onto the fire from above. Mitchell said that the Tower worked out very well for them in getting the fire under control.

By MEGAN ROZSA mrozsa@MorningJournal.com

ELYRIA — Just three days before Christmas, Elyrians will vote on whether Mayor William Grace should continue in office. In a special meeting last night, City Council set the date for Dec. 22.

Council was also set to vote on a resolution that called for council's support of the mayor in the recall, but several members questioned why it was necessary for council to have an opinion.

"Council needs to be neutral," Ward 3 Councilman Garry Gibbs said. "I've never signed the petition. This dispute is between the mayor and the citizens. When you talk about the special election costing $50,000, that's the price of democracy."

Lorain County Board of Elections Director Jose Candelario has estimated the cost of the special election to be around $50,000 because each of the 40 precincts in Elyria will cost between $900 and $1,300 for pollworkers, delivering equipment and postage for absentee ballots.

Candelario plans on asking the Lorain County Commissioners for money to cover the election, which will then be repaid by Elyria.

Ward 4 Councilman Mark Craig also questioned the legality of having council vote collectively on supporting the mayor. He said that each person should have their own opinion, but since council members represent all residents, a collective vote is uncalled for.

"We don't vote as a council to represent candidates in regular elections," Craig said. "So why should we vote in this one?"

Ward 1 Councilman Larry Tanner agreed and said, "It's their fight, not a council fight. It has nothing to do with me personally."

Elyria's Law Director Terry Shilling said he did not know whether the council voting as a whole to support the mayor was a legal or illegal action. Until he could clarify, council decided to table the issue.

ELYRIA a ' Those automated garbage trucks that empty trash and recycling cans could be coming to 16,500 households in Elyria soon.

The Elyria city council will choose the date for a special election tomorrow evening... one which could result in a mayoral recall.

LORAIN a ' An Elyria man is facing several charges after leading police on a chase through Amherst and Lorain Tuesday that ended with a foot chase and the suspecta TMs arrest, according to a sheriffa TMs report.

The Elyria Police Department will have 10 fewer police officers next year. A group of Elyria police officers gathers outside Monday's City Council meeting, where cuts were announced.

Electronics left in plain sight in your car are a target for thieves. Elyria Police say thieves hit 13 cars in a matter of five days stealing iPods, laptop computers, and GPS units among other things.