A Huron County elected official has died. 

Huron County Commissioner Joe Hintz passed away Wednesday evening.

According to Norwalk Ohio News.com, Hintz was 65 and was currently serving his third term after first being elected in 2011.

Hintz and his wife founded a small services company, Qualicare, in 1985, which they still owned and operated.

———————————————————————————–

An 84-year-old doctor from Port Clinton has been found ‘guilty’ in federal court, of prescribing drugs…including opioids…to patients without medical necessity.

The indictment against William Bauer focused on 14 patients, treated from 2015 to 2019, in his Bellevue office.

Bauer will be sentenced at a later date.

———————————————————————————–

Fire…has damaged a condominium on Willow Brook Lane in North Ridgeville…

No one was hurt…

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

———————————————————————————–

Lorain County Public Health is reporting its first cases of the West Nile virus, found in local mosquitoes.

…4 cases confirmed yesterday by the Ohio Department of Health.

———————————————————————————–

The FBI has announced; First Energy has agreed to pay 230-million-dollars to avoid criminal prosecution in a case involving allegations of payoffs to public officials, to support a bailout of the company’s two aging nuclear power plants.

Five people were arrested a year ago, including former Ohio House Speaker, Larry Householder.

———————————————————————————–

A follow up to yesterday’s story about Ohio’s increasing jobless rate despite “help-wanted” signs, seen most everywhere…

According to Ohio Job and Family Services, more than 500 residents of Lorain County filed new jobless claims…up 80-percent from the previous week.

———————————————————————————–

The Huron County Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services has planned an open house event for Saturday.

Executive Director, Kristen Cardone says the event will allow residents to tour their office, meet staff, receive mental health and substance abuse resources; and will also include free refreshments.

The event runs from 10am to 2pm at their new location on 2 Oak Street in Norwalk.

—————————————————————————————–

A new gas line replacement project is underway in Bellevue. 

According to the Sandusky Register, 10,000 feet of new plastic piping is being put in at around 250 homes on Buckeye, Castalia, Green and Moore streets.

Those homes affected by the project will be contacted by Columbia Gas to schedule a short, shutoff of natural gas service.

———————————————————————————–

Elyria Library officials have announced, they hope to open the new downtown library on Broad Street in early October.

They’ve also announced; Lorain developer Jon Veard has agreed to buy the old, main library building on Washington Avenue, with hopes of filling it with an unnamed non-profit.

———————————————————————————–

It’s another summer weekend…which means festival time in the area!

The Shiloh Ox Roast runs this afternoon through Saturday with 9,000 pounds of beef for sale; along with a parade…

…and the Wakeman Firefighters Homecoming Festival happens Saturday and Sunday; featuring a 5K, Fishing Derby, fireworks and a parade as well…

—————————————————————————————–

The Ottawa County Fair in Oak Harbor wraps up this weekend. 

Grandstand entertainment includes a demo derby tonight and OSTPA Tractor Pulls on Saturday night.

It all comes to a close on Sunday.

———————————————————————————–

Applicants are still being accepted for next month’s Touch-a-Truck event in Sandusky.

If interested in being a participant, contact the City of Sandusky by Monday.

The August 3rd event at Battery Park, also known as ‘America’s Night Out Against Crime’, will feature over 80 large vehicles on display and also focus on crime prevention.

———————————————————————————–

SPORTS

-The Cleveland Indians lost to Tampa Bay last night, 5-4, in 10 innings.

———————————————————————————–

From the National Weather Service…

Today

Partly sunny, with a high near 80.

 

Tonight

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms overnight.

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.

 

Saturday

A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly early.

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85.

 

Sunday

A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Partly sunny, with a high near 87.

Erie County has the highest unemployment rate in the state for the third month in a row.

According to the Sandusky Register, in numbers from June, Erie County sits at 8.7 percent….tying them with Jefferson and Meigs counties.

Sandusky County has the 7th highest rate (8 percent), Huron County is 20th (7.2 percent) Ottawa County is 36th (6.6 percent) and Lorain County checks in at 41st (6.4 percent); out of Ohio’s 88 counties.

The overall state unemployment rate jumped from 5 percent in May to 5.2 percent in June.

———————————————————————————–

In COVID-19 numbers for Huron County…

According to Norwalk Ohio News.com, 6 new cases were reported on Wednesday.

———————————————————————————–

A scam alert from the Ohio BMV…

The BMV says that there have been reports of fraudulent postcards being sent out warning residents that they have an expired driver license and/or identification card, and asks residents to correct them.

The postcards are loaded with grammatical errors and direct residents to visit a non-official website.

The postcards are not from the BMV…and it is a scam.

———————————————————————————–

Groundbreaking ceremonies in Amherst for a 5-and-a-half-million-dollar expansion of the Amherst Public Library…

Weather permitting, officials say, the work could be wrapped up in the spring.

———————————————————————————–

Today, the observation deck of Perry’s Monument at Put in Bay opens for public tours for the first time since late 2019.

Masks are required inside the column, regardless of your COVID vaccination status.

———————————————————————————–

The City of Sandusky continues their neighborhood clean-up events this weekend. 

The focus this Saturday will be at Lions Park.

Those interested in helping out are asked to be there by 9am.

Cleaning supplies will be given out.

———————————————————————————–

A reminder from Lorain County Board of Elections Director Paul Adams…

August 4th is the filing deadline for non-partisan candidates for local school boards and township trustee races.

———————————————————————————–

Once again this year, the group…Friends of the Medina County District Library…presents its Bee Festival.…

All things “bee”…from beekeeping information to story times.

This year, most events are ‘virtual’.

The fun continues through July 31st.

———————————————————————————–

Final preparations are underway for a two-day job fair at Tyson Foods in Amherst.

It’ll be held tomorrow and Saturday at their complex on Cooper Foster Park Road.

Tyson is looking to hire several hundred people.

———————————————————————————–

SPORTS

-The Cleveland Indians avoided a 3-game sweep, as they defeated Houston last night 5-4.

-The Sandusky Bay Ice Haulers baseball team won 13-0 at Royal Oak last night…With the win, Sandusky clinched the North Division title and earned home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

———————————————————————————–

From the National Weather Service…

Today

Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.

 

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.

 

Friday

A chance of showers, mainly in the afternoon.

Partly sunny, with a high near 82.

Developments from a fatal crash last May…

The State Highway Patrol says that a Huron driver responsible for a double fatal crash that killed him and a 15-year-old Norwalk girl, was legally drunk.

According to Norwalk Ohio News.com, 49-year-old Nicholas Barylski’s blood-alcohol content tested 3 times the legal limit.

Norwalk High School sophomore Ally Jo Kurdinant was a passenger in a vehicle struck by Barylski on Mason Road in Milan Township.

The driver of the other vehicle, 36-year-old Veronica Stanley of Norwalk, was seriously hurt.

The Ohio Investigative Unit is looking into the events that led to Barylski being drunk and behind the wheel.

————————————————————————-

The Assistant Fire Chief in Brunswick Hills is being called a life saver, after saving the life of a 2- year old girl.

Tim Haas was on a family vacation in Mexico when he saw the girl, pulled from a swimming pool, and applied CPR…which brought her back to life.

————————————————————————-

In Huron County COVID-19 numbers…

According to Norwalk Ohio News.com, 5 new cases were reported on Tuesday.

There were no new deaths, leaving the fatality number at 122.

————————————————————————-

To mask or not to mask, that’s the question schools are facing heading into the next academic year. 

Lorain County Health Commissioner Dave Covell says that the Ohio Department of Health is expected to release guidance on masks in schools in the next day or 2.

Superintendents in Lorain County are expected to meet this Friday, with masking likely on the agenda.

————————————————————————–

The Huron City School Board has decided to put a 5-year, 5.6 mill emergency replacement levy on the ballot this November. 

73 percent of voters declined the same monetary levy amount back in May.

According to the Sandusky Register, the levy, if approved, would produce $2.1 million per year for items such as salary and benefits for employees; as well as classroom materials and student programming.

————————————————————————-

In Medina County…

The county commissioners have agreed to spend about 500-thousand-dollars of so-called federal “American Rescue” money for upgrades at the Medina County Jail and the Medina County Home.

————————————————————————-

Voters in the Lorain School System will consider a new levy in the fall.

The Lorain School Board has agreed to place a 5-year, 6-point-8 mill levy on the November ballot.

It would generate about 4-million-dollars-a-year for operating expenses.

————————————————————————-

Among those hiring right now…the IRS.

They’re looking to fill 350 ‘contact representative’ positions across 3 states, including Ohio.

Those interested can apply by creating a profile at usajobs.gov.

————————————————————————-

Today, the Second Harvest Food Bank will bring its Mobile Food Pantry to Brookside High School on Harris Road in Sheffield Lake.

It’ll open at 4 o’clock. (until 5:30pm).

————————————————————————-

Downtown Lorain will come alive tonight with a performance at the Black River Landing by Lita Ford.

Tonight’s concert is called, “Vaxxin on the River”…

The first 5-thousand people with COVID-19 vaccination cards…or those who get the vaccine on-site tonight…get in free.

The promotion is sponsored, in part, by:

• Rockin’ on the River
• The City of Lorain
• Lorain County Public Health

————————————————————————–

SPORTS

-The Cleveland Indians lost at Houston last night, 9-3.  The 2 teams will wrap up their 3-game series tonight in Texas.

-The Milwaukee Bucks are NBA champions; defeating Phoenix last night to win the NBA Finals 4 games to 2.

————————————————————————–

From the National Weather Service…

Today

Partly sunny, with a high near 75.

 

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.

 

Thursday

Sunny, with a high near 78.

Bond has been set for 2 men charged in the shooting death of Sandusky man, 34-year-old Elisha Cannon, earlier this month.  

According to the Sandusky Register, bonds of $1 million each were announced for 34-year-old Curtis Thomas of Kenton and 27-year-old Shakill Fenderson, who appeared by video before a judge on Monday.

Thomas faces an aggravated murder charge while Fenderson is charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated murder.

———————————————————————————

Lorain County Public Health is reporting another increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases…

…the new number of active cases…39…

…up from 25 the previous week…and 10 the week before that.

———————————————————————————

The Ohio State Highway Patrol has joined forces with other members of the 6-State Trooper Project to focus on “Move Over” law enforcement. 

The initiative began Sunday and will continue through this Saturday.

Ohio law requires all drivers to move over to an adjacent lane, if possible, when approaching any vehicle with flashing or rotating lights parked on the roadside.

From 2016 to 2020, Ohio State Highway Patrol cruisers were involved in 56 crashes that were “Move Over” related.

The 6-State Trooper Project is a multi-state law enforcement partnership.

———————————————————————————

New Norwalk City Schools’ superintendent Brad Cooley will have his 3-year contract up for approval by the school board at tonight’s meeting.  

According to Norwalk Ohio News.com, the contract includes an annual salary of $140,000, fringe benefits and an agreement to reside in the school district throughout the contract.

Cooley’s hiring was approved last month by a 3 to 2 vote from the school board.

———————————————————————————

We now know the name of the company that’s buying the Gen On Power Plant on the shores of Lake Erie in Avon Lake…

The Kentucky-based Charah Solutions is described as a ‘sustainability leader in utility services with a 30-year track record’.

Plans now call for the power plant to shut down in April of next year, with Charah taking possession in May.

———————————————————————————

It appears, a halfway house for men returning home from prison will NOT be located in the former DeLuca’s Place in the Park in Lorain.

Last night, Lorain City Council voted down a rezoning request, after the owners withdrew their application.

———————————————————————————

Lorain County Public Health has announced; they’ve awarded grants totaling more than 50-thousand-dollars to 11 organizations that have a commitment toward the county’s “Community Health Improvement Plan’.

Recipients include;

• Big Brothers, Big Sisters
• El Centro in Lorain
• The United Way Collaborative, THRIVE, in southern Lorain County
• Horizon Education Centers
• Amherst School System

All of the grants are earmarked for projects that promote healthy and active living.

———————————————————————————

Road work in Huron County…

Wenz Road, between Route 60 and Fitchville River Road, is closed for a bridge replacement project.

It will remain closed for about 3 months.

———————————————————————————

You know them from “The Reason”, and you know the other band from their hit “Cult of Personality”.  

National recording acts Hoobastank and Living Colour will be live in concert tonight at Sandusky’s Jackson Street Pier.

The free concert on the Erie County Community Foundation Stage gets underway at 7pm.

———————————————————————————

The National Park Service has announced; the observation deck of Perry’s Monument at Put in Bay will reopen for public tours, Thursday.

However, everyone will have to wear a mask once inside the column.

(The monument closed for repairs in 2019, and stayed closed through the pandemic.)

———————————————————————————

Christmas in July is coming to downtown Lorain.

Saturday, Main Street Lorain will present the Christmas in July Bar Crawl, featuring nine downtown businesses.

Main Street Lorain says, it’ll run from 4 until 11pm, and you might even see Santa along the way.

———————————————————————————

SPORTS

-The Cleveland Indians fell to the Houston Astros last night, 4-3.

———————————————————————————

From the National Weather Service…

Today

Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

 

Tonight

Scattered showers and thunderstorms.

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.

 

Wednesday

Partly sunny, with a high near 75.