Erie-Huron County/Turnpike Commission to pay tribute to fallen workers

The Ohio Turnpike will hold a Memorial Sign Dedication Ceremony Friday as part of its efforts to ask motorists to move over for emergency vehicles.

Those to be remembered include…Kenneth Bailey and Berton Stewart of Monroeville, who lost their lives in a work zone in 1970…and signs will be dedicated to Frank Protzman Junior of Sandusky, Jeff Hotz of Fremont and David Lescher of Norwalk; three tow truck operators who were killed in work zone accidents in 2002, 2003 and 1995, respectively.

The ceremony will take place at 2:00 pm Friday at the turnpike’s Castalia Maintenance Building.

 

Erie County/Dog killed by neighbor after alleged attack

A Sandusky woman told authorities Sunday that she had to stab her neighbor’s pit bull to death after it attacked her dog and bit her arm.

The incident reportedly happened in the 700 block of Fox Street, with the pit bull’s owner, 34 year-old Elizabeth Franks, to likely be charged with failing to confine an animal and not having a dog license.

 

Erie County/OVI accident in Huron

A Sandusky man was charged with OVI Saturday after allegedly hopping a curb and crashing into the outside of Riverview Lanes bowling alley in Huron.

The vehicle driven by 25 year-old Judd Campbell reportedly caused some damage to the facility’s cinder blocks, doors, door frames and sections of the ceiling.

 

Huron County/September is National Suicide Prevention Month

Huron County Public Health has released some statistics related to this being National Suicide Prevention Month.

In Huron County, suicides typically account for between one to two-and-a-half of resident deaths annually.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Ohio’s suicide rate increased by 36-percent from 1999 to 2016.

Nationally, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., with nearly 45,000 lives lost to suicide in the U.S. in 2016.

 

Local News/Red Cross locally helping Hurricane victims

Local help for Hurricane victims…

The American Red Cross says nearly 4,000 disaster workers, including 38 from northeast Ohio, have been sent to help assist victims of Hurricane Florence.

They’ve also sent over 130 emergency vehicles to the Carolina coast; four of those from here in northeast Ohio.

 

Huron County/Debate planned in Monroeville for Jordan/Garrett

Monroeville High School will be the site for a debate next month between U.S. Representative, Republican Jim Jordan and opponent, Democrat Janet Garrett.

It will take place October 23^rd at 12 noon, as part of a series of debates the Sandusky Register is organizing at local schools.

Earlier, on October 10^th, two debates will also take place…State Representative Steve Arndt and Joe Helle at Huron High School…..Erie County Commissioner candidates Julie Farrar and Steve Shoffner will also debate that same day at Margaretta High School.

 

Erie County/Video game store robbed

Perkins Police are asking for the community’s help in identifying three suspects wanted in the robbery of a video game store last Wednesday.

According to video footage, the suspects took several items from shelves at ‘The Exchange’ on Milan Avenue…and kicked in a door to the store’s back room.

 

Erie County/Fundraising for possible new Sandusky aquatic center halfway done

Fundraising efforts to build a new aquatic center at Sandusky High School is halfway finished…according to project supporters Monday night at an informational meeting.

The new natatorium is expected to cost $6.7 million; paid for through $4.7 million in donations and $2 million already approved by taxpayers.

Sandusky High School’s current pool is over 60 years old, with plans for the new facility to be built partially where the current pool is located on Hayes Avenue.

 

Erie County/New radios for Perkins Township police

Communications improvements are coming to first responders in Perkins Township.

Township trustees have approved spending $287,000 for new radio equipment for both police officers and firefighters.

 

Erie County/Perkins boil advisory

A boil advisory is in effect through 10:00 am Wednesday off for a number of residences in Perkins Township; on East Perkins Avenue (1801-2022) and Pioneer Trail (2604-2618).

 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18^TH, 2018

 

Today

Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

 

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.

 

Wednesday

Partly sunny, with a high near 78.

 

Thursday

A slight chance of showers.  Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

Erie County/Second Kalahari shooting suspect indicted

A second man has been indicted on felony charges related to a shooting incident at Kalahari Resorts in May.

19 year-old Samuel McKnight Junior of Cleveland faces charges of felonious assault and aggravated robbery.

The incident reportedly took place at one of the resorts’ entertainment villas during a party where McKnight allegedly pistol-whipped someone, before the incident spilled out into a parking lot.

19 year-old Ronnelle Chandler of Euclid is then accused of firing a gun multiple times, which didn’t strike anyone.

 

Erie County/Hospital bomb threat

The main campus of Firelands Regional Medical Center was placed on lockdown for about two hours Friday morning due to a called-in bomb threat.

The hospital says the facility was searched…with the threat determined to be non-credible.

Sandusky Police are investigating the call’s origin.

 

Erie County/Jail drug smugglers

Two Perkins Township residents have been indicted on drug charges related to an incident at the Erie County Jail last November.

36 year-old Amie Martinez is accused of smuggling a drug substance inside of contact lens containers to 39 year-old William Peabody, while he was incarcerated in jail on a drug-related offense.

 

Erie County/Sandusky Police “Drive Sober” campaign results

Sandusky Police have shared results from their recent “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” impaired driving crackdown.

The S-P-D teamed up with the U.S. Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Administration to arrest 11 offenders from the roads between the dates of August 17^th to September 3^rd.

 

Erie County/Patrol plans OVI sobriety checkpoint this week

The Ohio State Highway Patrol Sandusky Post has announced that an OVI checkpoint will take place in the area this week.

The county where the checkpoint will take place will be announced the day prior to the checkpoint, and the location will be announced the morning of the checkpoint.

 

Erie County/New YMCA in Sandusky likely a no-go

Plans to build a new YMCA in Sandusky have stalled.

Board members said Friday that they’re ending a fundraising campaign that ended up $3 million short of their goal.

Last May, the Sandusky “Y” on West Perkins Avenue closed due to multiple reasons including finances, aging facilities and decreasing memberships; leaving Erie County without one.

Board members were looking to construct a new facility at the $50 million Cedar Point Sports Force Parks indoor sports complex, which is being built right now on Cleveland Road.

Officials say they’ll continue to pursue other avenues.

 

Huron County/Near $14,000 grant will help local fire department  

A recent state grant received by a Huron County fire department has been used to help keep first responders safe.

The Fairfield Fire Department recently was awarded close to $14,000 which has gone towards the purchase of an extractor and around 30 hoods and gloves.

40 Ohio Fire Departments are sharing a $426,000 grant from a program linked to the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation.

 

Erie County/Roadwork

In Erie County, State Route 61, between Deehr Road and Smoky Road, will close today for railroad crossing repairs.

Detour signs will be posted.

ODOT says they expect to reopen the road on Friday.

 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17^TH, 2018

 

Today

A chance of showers.  Cloudy, with a high near 79.

 

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.

 

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

 

Wednesday

Partly sunny, with a high near 76.

Sandusky County/O’Connell to prison

Former Sandusky County Sheriff’s Detective Sean O’Connell was sentenced to two years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to evidence tampering in the Heather Bogle homicide investigation.

Bogle was found dead in the parking lot of a Clyde apartment complex in 2015.

O’Connell was the lead investigator in the case until he was removed from it in 2016.

A co-worker of Bogle’s at Whirlpool in Clyde, Daniel Myers, has been charged in the homicide.

 

Huron County/Willard gas station robber going back to prison

A Huron County man convicted of robbing the Hy-Miler gas station in Willard in 2015 is going back to prison after being granted an early release.

23 year-old Caleb Hale had been out on parole since July before a Huron County judge sentenced him earlier this week to four years in prison for violating his probation.

 

Erie County/Truck fire

No one was hurt when a truck caught fire Thursday while unloading product at the O.E. Meyer Company in Margaretta Township.

No structures were damaged but the truck was completely destroyed.

 

Huron County/Norwalk mayor asking for a share of state money

Norwalk Mayor Rob Duncan is asking the state to share some of its $147-million in surplus money with local communities.

In a letter sent to state officials, Duncan says the state’s surplus funds would be more useful to local governments than the state’s plan of using it for an income tax withholding reduction and to max out Ohio’s rainy day fund.

 

Huron County/Drive-thru flu shot clinics

Huron County Public Health has announced that they’ll be holding four drive-thru seasonal flu shot clinics next month.

Mark your calendars for October 3^rd at the Huron County Fairgrounds in Norwalk and St. Mary’s Church in Wakeman; also October 11^th at First Baptist Church in New London and Willard Alliance Church.

 

Erie County/Maui Sands sold

Maui Sands Resort and Indoor Waterpark on Milan Road in Perkins Township has been sold for $7 million.

The hotel recently received some bad publicity when it was featured on the Travel Channel’s “Hotel Impossible” show; which highlighted a number of issues at the resort.

After viewing that program…a company with hotels, resorts and assisting-living centers in multiple states, Vintro, bought the six parcels of land; with plans to invest $15 million in renovations to the property.

 

Sandusky Aquatic Center committee

The Sandusky Education Foundation is hosting an unveiling event on Monday evening related to fundraising efforts involving a new aquatic center.

It will take place at 6:00 pm at the new planetarium at Sandusky High School.

Committee members have set a goal of raising $4.7 million to help build the new facility.

The current pool is 61 years old.

 

Area News/Weekend activities…

What’s going on this weekend?  Plenty of fun activities!  Here’s just a few…

The “Imagine Norwalk” arts and music festival goes on this evening; featuring a “pet ‘n pup parade”.

HalloWeekends at Cedar Point begins tonight.

…and the Paper District Marina in Sandusky plays host to “Dragons and Bacon Fest” on Saturday.

 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14^TH, 2018

*A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect now through 10:00 am.

Today

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79.

 

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.

 

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

 

Sunday

Sunny, with a high near 82.

Huron County/Wakeman man faces child pornography charges

A Huron County man faces multiple federal charges of child pornography in Connecticut.

24 year-old Robert Dudukovich was arrested Wednesday in Berlin Heights after being indicted late last month by a federal grand jury.

He’s accused of managing a chat group on a smartphone messaging app and sharing images and videos with group members, including a person in Connecticut.

 

Huron-Erie County/Monroeville man indicted for alleged shooting

A Monroeville man has been indicted on attempted murder and felonious charges in Erie County.

According to authorities, 32 year-old Tyler Keegan last month allegedly texted a man from a woman’s phone to come to his house on Ransom Road in Oxford Township, where he shot the man in the chest.

The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries.

 

Sandusky County/Bellevue vehicular homicide

A man from Bellevue has pled guilty to vehicular homicide in connection with a fatal crash in Ballville Township near Fremont in June of last year.

47 year-old Christopher Ferguson suffered life-threatening injuries in the accident while his passenger, 52 year-old Rodney Lewis, died in the crash.

Law enforcement said Ferguson was allegedly under the influence of a non-alcohol substance at the time of the crash.

He’ll be sentenced next month.

 

Ottawa County/Man says he guilty of drug trafficking

A 36 year-old Port Clinton has pled guilty to attempted aggravated drug trafficking.

The charges for Clayton Havens are in connection with an investigation by the Ottawa County Drug Task Force last year after an informant told agents that Havens was selling heroin.

 

Erie County/EHOVE superintendent to resign

EHOVE Career Center is in the market for a new superintendent.

After 12 years of leading the district, Sharon Mastroianni has announced her resignation, effective July of 2019.

The Monroeville resident first began working for the career center in 1985.

 

Erie County/Margaretta football stadium improvements

Margaretta High School in Castalia will play their first home football game of the season on Friday, no matter what.

An over half-million dollar improvement project including new bleachers, press box and sound system is all but finished.

Last November, a tornado touched down there; destroying the press box and heavily damaging bleachers and the track.

School officials hope to have Erie County sign off on the new bleachers, granting the district an occupancy permit.

If not, the school says they’ll still play at the Duck Pond, even if fans have to bring their own lawn chair.

The school had their home opener moved to Bellevue last month.

 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13^TH, 2018

Today

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon.

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80.

 

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.

 

Friday

Partly sunny, with a high near 83.

 

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 82