Damage assessments are coming in, after last night’s wind storm.

The National Weather Service Office says winds hit 60 miles per hour locally, and 85 miles per hour in northwest Ohio. There are numerous reports of trees down around the area. Tornado warnings were issued last night, for parts of Wood, Lucas, Ottawa and Ashland counties. There have been no confirmed reports of twister touchdowns.

The St. Paul Flyers are one step away from a spot in the Division VII state semi-finals.

The Flyers will play Berlin Center Western Reserve Saturday night, at Ken Dukes Stadium in Medina.

Two local residents are in the Huron County Jail this morning, charged in connection with a series of break-ins in Norwalk, and Ridgefield Township.

So far, 43-year-old Eugene Large of Norwalk is charged with one count of complicity to burglary, while 35-year-old Maria Stallard of Monroeville is charged with burglary, complicity and tampering with evidence. Because of the ongoing investigation, deputies declined to release more information.

The EHOVE teacher accused of having sex with a teenage student is on paid leave, and is out of jail.

47-year-old Michael Edwards of Huron was arrested at home last Thursday. He was charged with sexual battery, a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. The Culinary Arts instructor and a 17-year-old girl allegedly engaged in a  sexual relationship last fall.

Ohio’s young hunters will have a chance to pursue white-tailed deer, during the state’s 11^th annual youth deer-hunting season this weekend.

The youth deer-gun season is open statewide to hunters holding a valid youth hunting license and a deer permit. Young hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult.

High school playoff football action continues this weekend.

Perkins and Clyde will meet tonight in Bellevue. St. Paul and Huron will play at different sites tomorrow night.

A Sandusky man is headed to death row.

Barring a successful appeal, Curtis Clinton will die by lethal injection, for killing 23-year-old Heather Jackson and her two children. Clinton learned his fate yesterday, in Erie County Common Pleas Court. Judge Tygh Tone agreed with a jury’s recommendation that he be sentenced to death, for the September, 2012 killings. Death sentences are automatically sent to the Ohio Supreme Court for appeal. An execution date will be set at a later time.

An EHOVE Career Center teacher is in jail, for allegedly having sex with a student.

47-year-old Michael Edwards was arrested Thursday at his home in Huron. He was charged with sexual battery. Edwards is EHOVE’s Culinary Arts instructor. He’s accused of having sex with a now-17-year-old girl numerous times last fall. According to report, the two had consensual sex in cars and buildings around Erie County, including Edwards’ home. The girl is a student at EHOVE.

An Erie County grand jury has indicted a Bellevue-area man accused of sexually assaulting a Lorain County woman.

38-year-old Brian Jury faces five counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping, plus single counts of attempted murder and felonious assault. Jury’s accused of raping the woman at his Strecker Road property November 1^st. She was found later, bound and naked along the roadside. He was arrested in Lorain County. Deputies said he had two loaded guns, prompting weapons charges there. Jury remains in jail in Lorain County, but is expected to be transferred to Erie County sometime soon.

State Route 601, near U.S. Route 20 in Norwalk has re-opened.

It was closed, for a culvert replacement project.

In case you missed yesterday’s announcement, leaf pickup in Norwalk will begin Monday.

Crews will take leaves the day after your trash is collected. If today is trash day, your leaves will be picked up on Monday.Crews will pick up leaves just once.

It seems low, but a new study shows it’ll cost $49.04 to serve Thanksgiving dinner to 10 people this year.

That’s down nearly one percent from last year.  According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, that includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, butter, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and whipped cream.

It was damaged by high winds last month, and now, it’s coming down.

We’re talking about the steeple at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, at League and State Streets in Norwalk. A bulletin from Norwalk Catholic School says “The church steeple will at some point be taken down.” The steeple has been in danger of collapse, since it was damaged during a Halloween night storm.

Governor John Kasich has delayed the execution of a man scheduled to die today.

The temporary stay will allow doctors to decide if Ronald Phillips non-vital organs or tissues can be donated to his mother and others. Phillips made the request earlier this week. His new execution date is set for July 2^nd, 2014.

1:30 this afternoon is when Erie County Common Pleas Court Judge Tygh Tone will decide on life in prison, or death, for convicted triple murderer Curtis Clinton.

Tuesday, a jury recommended death for the Sandusky man who killed Heather Jackson and her two children last fall.

Leaf pickup will begin this coming Monday, in Norwalk.

Leaves will be collected on the same routes as trash collection, and will be picked up the day after your trash day. If your trash day is Friday, leaves will be picked up on Monday, the first day of collection. Mulched leaves cannot be picked up, and leaves in bags will not be picked up. Leaves must be curbside by 7:30am. Leaves behind parked cars cannot be picked up. Leaves will be picked up just once. Again, leaf pickup begins Monday, in Norwalk.

A Bellevue man is going to prison for nine years, for his role in a brutal beating.

19-year-old Tyler Smith was sentenced yesterday, in Huron County Common Pleas Court. Smith and a co-defendant, Connor Holbrook used a crowbar to attack 19-year-old Austin Thornton, of St. Paris, Ohio. The assault occurred in late April, in Willard. Thornton suffered serious head injuries. Smith agreed to plead guilty to attempted murder. Holbrook has rejected a plea bargain, and will stand trial next week. A third person, Brianna Boonie of Bellevue will stand trial in December, on charges of conspiracy and obstructing justice.

A change of heart, in the Perkins school district.

Last night, the Board of Education voted to return 3.2 mills from the permanent improvement fund, back to the general fund. The move will return about $1.4 million annually, to pay for salaries and other day-to-day operations. The board shifted the money between funds two years ago. But three failed levy attempts forced officials to re-think the decision.

A longtime employee at the Huron County Auditor’s Office says he’s running for County Commissioner in 2014.

Democrat Dennis Stieber of Norwalk made the announcement yesterday. He also announced plans to retire from the Auditor’s Office at the end of next year.

A reminder…

The St. Paul High School Athletic Office will be open from 7 – 8 tonight to sell advance tickets to Saturday’s playoff football game against Wellsville.  The game will kickoff at 7 at Orrville’s Red Rider Stadium.

A Monday night stabbing in Norwalk has led to a felonious assault charge.

18-year-old Katelyn Taylor was arrested Monday night. According to police reports, Taylor allegedly stabbed her brother, 20-year-old Kyle Taylor with a kitchen knife, during an argument at their South Old State Road apartment. He was taken to Fisher-Titus Medical Center, for treatment of a punctured lung. She was taken to the Huron County Jail.

An Erie County Common Pleas Court jury has recommended death for Curtis Clinton, the Sandusky man convicted of killing Heather Jackson and her two children last September.

The jury came back with its decision yesterday afternoon. Judge Tygh Tone can accept, or reject the jury’s recommendation. He’ll announce his decision tomorrow. If he imposes a death sentence, Clinton’s case will automatically go to the Ohio Supreme Court for an appeal.

The annual holiday drive, sponsored by the Norwalk Fire Department and the Huron County Department of Job and Family Services is in full swing to help families in need.

New unwrapped gifts may be dropped off at the fire department, or Job and Family Services, Entrance C during regular business hours, until December 17^th.

The Willard Area Ministerial Association’s annual free Community Thanksgiving Dinner is set for Sunday, November 24^th, between 4:30 and 6:30 at the Willard High School commons.

Food for the traditional Thanksgiving dinner is donated by area churches.

It was almost too good to be true.

After dipping well below $3 a gallon, area gas prices rose 50 cents or more yesterday, to $3.29 a gallon.

If you’re a FirstEnergy customer, expect your electric rates to go up.

CEO Anthony Alexander said yesterday that customers will pay more, because the company is rebuilding transmission lines and substations. Rates won’t go up until at least 2015.

In sports…

Presale tickets are available for Saturday’s playoff football game between St. Paul and Wellsville.  You can buy tickets in the St. Paul High School athletic office during school hours tomorrow and Friday and between 7 – 8 tomorrow night.  Tickets are $7 via presale and $9 at the gate.  The game will be played at Orville’s Red Rider Stadium.  Orville is charging $2 to park.  If you can’t make it to the game, we’ll have it live on 95.3, WLKR, wlkrradio.com, the free TuneIn radio app and on Time Warner Channel 15 in Norwalk.

Snow and ice have led to slick road conditions this morning.

Three separate accidents involving semi-trucks on eastbound State Route 2, between Routes 101 and 4 in Erie County.  The first crash occurred at 12:15 this morning.  The other two occurred shortly after that.  The driver in the first crash suffered serious injuries and was taken by Lifeflight to the University of Toledo Medical Center.  There were no injuries in the second crash, but the trucker involved in the third crash was taken to Firelands Regional Medical Center.

To the east of us, in the snow belt…Lake Effect Snow Advisories and Warnings.

Some spots could get 9 or more inches, plus thunder.

A man scheduled for execution this Thursday wants to donate his organs, to help his mother and sister.

Ohio death row inmate Ronald Phillips says he’s also willing to donate organs to others. It’s unknown if the request will be honored. Phillips has been on death row for nearly 20 years, for raping and killing his girlfriend’s three-year-old daughter.

Life in prison, or death by lethal injection.

That’s what an Erie County Common Pleas Court jury will begin deciding today, in the case of convicted triple-murderer Curtis Clinton. The penalty phase of Clinton’s trial could take a week. Last week, the same jury found Clinton guilty of killing 23-year-old Heather Jackson and her two young children.

The main topic at tonight’s Norwalk City Council work session is expected to be the 2014 budget.

The budget must be approved by the end of this year.

A new poll shows 72 percent of Ohioans are in favor of immigration reform.

One week from today, the Willard Salvation Army will offer sign-up for Toys for Tots.

The hours will be 10am until 4pm, at 114 Blossom Center Boulevard, Suite B. Participants must show proof of income for 60 days, or a tax return from last year. Parents must show proof of children, and if necessary, a copy of divorce papers.

Wal-Mart has announced plans for 1 million employees who will work on Thanksgiving.

Wal-Mart stores will open at 6pm Thanksgiving night, and the retail giant will feed workers a traditional turkey day dinner, give them an extra day’s pay, and offer 25-percent off a future holiday shopping trip.

An update on State Route 99, between Township Road 34 and State Route 547 in Monroeville.

It’ll remain closed until November 22^nd, while crews finish an embankment stabilization project.

Also scheduled to open November 22^nd…State Route 61 near Laylin Road in Norwalk.

It’s been closed since late summer, for bridge replacement.

Snow tonight.

The National Weather Service Office in Cleveland says we could get 1 to 3 inches.

Today is Veteran’s Day, a federal holiday.

Most banks and government offices are closed today. There’s no mail, but trash pickup is on its normal schedule.

Jurors in the Curtis Clinton murder case will reconvene tomorrow, to begin the penalty phase of the trial.

The Erie Common Pleas Court jury will decide if the Sandusky man should be sentenced to life in prison, or death, for the September, 2012 killings of Heather Jackson and her two young children. It could take a week to decide.

A weekend crash has led to charges against a Norwalk woman.

Carmen Weigel is charged with DUI, and failure to control, in connection with the Saturday morning mishap. Huron County deputies said Weigel’s mini-van somehow caught fire, after she swerved to avoid a deer on Gibbs Road. The van was fully engulfed in flames, when firefighters arrived on scene. No one was injured.

New information on a 25-year-old Bellevue homicide will be presented to a Grand Jury this week.

Sandusky County Deputies say they received several tips after the October 15th TNT show ‘Cold Justice’ focused on the 1988 death of Isabel Cordle.  She was found dead in her home of a hatchet wound.  With the help of the TV show, the case was re-opened this summer and deputies were able to gather more evidence.

Dates are set for Ohio Bike Week, 2014.

The annual festival will begin May 30^th, and run through June 8^th, across Erie County.

A welcome sight at the pumps…We’re talking about lower gas prices.

Some area stations are selling self-serve regular for as low as $2.81 a gallon.

In sports…

Week 12 football pairings and locations are set. 

At 7:30 Friday night, Perkins and Clyde will play in Bellevue in a Division III, Region 8 semi-final matchup.

At 7 Saturday, it’s Division V, Region 16 action with Huron playing Loudonville in Medina.  In Division VII, Region 23, St. Paul will play Wellsville in Orville.

And the media and coaches agree…The Huron Tigers are the pre-season pick to win the 2013-2014 SBC boy’s basketball championship.

For the first time in history, the Maple City has two teams in the state football playoffs.

Tonight, in Division III, Region 8, the Norwalk Truckers will travel to Tiffin, to take on the Columbian Tornadoes. It’s Norwalk’s first football playoff appearance since 1974. Tonight’s game kicks off at 7:30…You can hear it live on 95.3, WLKR and wlkrradio.com.

Tomorrow night, the St. Paul Flyers will host Chalker, in a Division VII, Region 23 quarterfinal matchup. The game will begin at 7, on 95.3 and wlkrradio.com.

Little information has been released, about a Thursday night shooting near Willard.

Huron County deputies were summoned to a Sherman-Norwich Road home shortly after 10 last night. A woman was flown to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, for treatment. Her name hasn’t been released, and her condition is unknown.

Bond is set at $100,000, for a Massillon man accused of causing a mid-September fatal crash in downtown Bellevue.

Morgan Jevec remains in the Huron County Jail, and is facing nine charges. If convicted, he faces up to 26 years in prison. Authorities believe Jevec was going 85 miles-per-hour, when he slammed into a stopped SUV driven by Tracey Albright of Bellevue. She was killed in the crash. Jevic and three passengers suffered serious injuries. A third driver escaped with minor injuries. Toxicology test results show Jevec was legally drunk, and had marijuana in his system at the time of the crash.

Two area superintendents will be interviewed, for the top job in the Findlay Schools.

Perkins superintendent Jim Gunner, and Margaretta superintendent Ed Kurt are among the top 5. They’ll answer questions tomorrow, behind closed doors. Finalists will be interviewed next month.

A North Carolina man will face charges in Huron County, for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of antique auto parts, from a Bronson Township location.

Daryl Becker is charged with felony theft. He’s accused of stealing the parts in early October. He’s currently in jail, in North Carolina.

Governor John Kasich has denied clemency for the killing of an Akron woman in 1993.

Barring a successful appeal, Ronald Phillips will die by lethal injection next Thursday.

State Route 60, at its overlap with U.S. Route 20 in Wakeman is nowopen.

It was closed, for expansion joint repairs.

State Route 547 in Monroeville is open.

It had been closed for railroad crossing repairs.

Monday is Veteran’s Day, a federal holiday.

Most banks and government offices will be closed.  Trash pickup will go on as schedule.

Winds from the Halloween night storm have damaged the steeple at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, at League and State Streets in Norwalk.

Safety-Service Director Bob Patusky said engineers have determined that another wind event would like produce additional damage, with possible catastrophic consequence. To ensure public safety, the city has closed League Street from Hester to Baker Street, and State Street, from Clifton to Ohio Street. Residents living with the radius of a possible collapse have been advised to vacate, until the situation is resolved. More information is available on the church’s Facebook page, or by calling the St. Mary’s church office.

Odds and ends from Tuesday’s election…

Voters approved about 60 percent of Ohio school issues. Locally, voters approved renewals for Monroeville and Huron, and a replacement levy for EHOVE Career Center. A replacement income tax for the Norwalk City Schools, and a new 6.73 mill levy for the Perkins schools were soundly defeated. Voter turnout in Huron County was about 26 percent. In Erie County, it was 31 percent. To Cuyahoga Falls, where longtime mayor Don Robart lost his bid for re-election. He’s been mayor for nearly 30 years.

Proving once again that every single vote counts…Voters in the Mogodore school district rejected a levy by just one vote. Voters in the village of Bay View approved a new police levy, by a single vote, 98-97. Both issues are subject to an automatic recount.

All results from Tuesday’s election are unofficial, until certified by the Board of Elections.

Counterfeit money has turned up in Perkins Township.

At least 2 phony $100 bills were discovered earlier this week.  One passed a counterfeit pen ID test, but a bank confirmed it wasn’t real.  Perkins Police are investigating.

A new area code is coming to Ohio.

That’s because the 740 area code will run out of telephone numbers by 2015. State regulators are mulling various options.

The search for the next president of the Ohio State University could cost $300,000.

Half of that is going to an executive head-hunting firm.

Ohio-based Bob Evans will open its restaurants on Thanksgiving this year, and will offer a limited Thanksgiving day menu.

Hours will be 7am until 2pm.

Vice-President Joe Biden was in Ohio yesterday.

Among his stops—North Baltimore to tour the CSX railroad facility.

Two men who seriously injured themselves at the Huron County Jail are now facing felony charges.

Daniel Legg of Norwalk and Emory Slone of Willard are each charged with escape and inducing panic.  In separate October incidents, the two jumped at least 20 feet from an upper level.  Both men required surgery.

In sports…

There’s still time to get pre-sale tickets for this week’s Norwalk and Norwalk St. Paul playoff football games. 

Tickets for tomorrow’s Norwalk-Tiffin Columbian game are being sold until 6 tonight at Norwalk High School and then tomorrow between 8 and 2.

Pre-sale tickets for Saturday’s St. Paul-Chalker game can be purchased between 7:30 and 8:30 tonight at St. Paul High School and tomorrow during normal school hours.  Presale tickets are $7.  If you buy at the gate, they’re $9.

Voters in the Norwalk City School District have rejected a 1.25 percent replacement income tax.

The issue failed, 57-to-43 percent. A 1.8 mill renewal for the Monroeville Local Schools passed 53-to-47 percent. EHOVE Career Center’s .5 mill replacement levy was approved by an overwhelming margin.

The only countywide issue in Huron County passed by a large margin.

59 percent of voters approved a .55 mill renewal and increase, for Huron County Services for Aging. Various issues were approved in Bellevue, North Fairfield, Plymouth, Greenfield and Greenwich Townships, along with Hartland, Norwich and Ridgefield Townships, the New Haven Fire District, and the Tri-Community Ambulance District.

Eric Weisenburger will stay on as Norwalk Municipal Court Judge.

Earlier this year, he was appointed to fill the seat left vacant by retired Judge John Ridge. Yesterday, he downed T. Douglas Clifford, by a near 75-to-25 percent margin.

Norwalk City Council will have one newcomer in 2014.

David Wallace won one of four at-large seats. He’s joined by incumbents Kelly Beck, Steve Euton, and Steve Schumm. Incumbent Scott Meyer is out. In Norwalk’s third ward, incumbent Samantha Ludwig has defeated challenger Shelley Robenalt.

Two council races in Willard…

Just 72 votes were cast in the city’s second ward. Charles Danhoff won 50 of those, to defeat Robert Owens. In Willard’s fourth ward, incumbent Michael Elmlinger defeated Steve Fannin by 10 votes, 120-110.

Winners in village council races…

In Greenwich, Steve Bovia, Lynne Phillips, Wesley Sallee and Travis Wilson. In North Fairfield, Jane Antill, Sharleen Coy, Terry Jones and John Whitright.

The Norwalk School Board will have a new member next year.

Challenger Kevin Cashen was the top vote-getter, in a five-way race for three seats…He’s replacing four-term board member Janet Broz, who finished fourth. Cashen is joined by incumbents Steve Linder and Rob Ludwig.

Checking other school board winners…

In Monroeville, Mike Helmstetter, Sandy Lonz and Brian Watt. In New London, William Given, Ken Long and Domenic Maiani. South Central, Bryan Hamman and Michael West.

Huron County Township Trustee winners…

Bronson Township: Dave Berry and Steve Rospert.

Clarksfield Township: James McClaflin and John McClaflin.

Fairfield Township: Dale Bond and Jeff Deeble.

Greenwich Township: Walter Leber Jr. and Michael Robinson.

New Haven Township: Thomas Babcock and Frank Smith.

Norwalk Township: Rich Marett and Andy Skinn.

Norwich Township: Gerald Mahl and Richard Wiles.

Richmond Township: Mike Adams and Matt Schwab.

Sherman Township: Todd Bischoff and Ronald Myers.

Townsend Township: Joe Barnhouse and Tim Patrick.

Results from Erie County…

Two former Sandusky City Commissioners are back.

Dick Brady and Dennis Murray Jr. won two of three open seats, along with challenger Naomi Watts.

Incumbents John Hamilton and Diedre Cole are out.

In the hotly-contested Huron school board race, seven people ran for three seats.

The winners were incumbents Scott Slocum, Donna Green, along with challenger Eric Muehlhauser.

Perkins school board winners were Michael Ahner and Terry Chapman.

67 percent of Erie County voters approved the health department’s .3 mill renewal.

By a margin of 62-to-38 percent voters in the Perkins School District turned down a 10-year, 6.73 mill levy. By a wide margin, Huron school voters approved a 5.9 mill renewal levy.

Erie County Township Trustee winners…

In Milan Township, Sparky Weilnau and Michael Kegarise.

In Perkins Township, Jim Lang and Tim Coleman.

In the race for Berlin Heights village council, the winners were Bill Werner, Connie Ward, Richard Close and Karen Foster.

All results are unofficial until certified by the Board of Elections.