Huron County/Local men sentenced to prison

Two men have been sentenced to multiple years of prison time in Huron County for separate, unrelated crimes.

The Norwalk Reflector reports that it’s 25-years-to-life for 51-year-old Lucas Mejia of Plymouth after he pled guilty to rape in a plea deal in which eight other sexual crime charges were dropped.  Mejia has been designated as a Tier 3 sex offender following his arrest in August.

Also, Bellevue’s Matthew Robbins is going to prison for close to five years for robbery. The 21-year-old was arrested in August…then accepted a plea deal where a firearm specification charge was dismissed.

Erie County/Sheriff’s Office reports vehicle entries

The Erie County Sheriff’s Office says they received a number of reports of people illegally entering vehicles yesterday morning in Margaretta Township.

They say the reported incidents took place in the area of Bardshar Road, Bogart Road and Rockwood Drive…with cash and loose change taken from unlocked cars.

Erie County/Sandusky bar shooting suspect pleads guilty

A suspect who allegedly fired a gun multiple times from outside a Sandusky bar last month has turned himself in to authorities.

According to the Sandusky Register, 25-year-old Davonte Williams of Toledo was charged with aggravated riot, carrying a concealed weapon and another charge related to allegedly firing a gun outside of the Dog House Bar on West Jefferson Street.

No one was hurt in the incident.

State News/DeWine calls to increase tobacco-buying age

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine joined state health officials yesterday to warn parents that vaping is not a safer alternative to smoking and called to increase the age to purchase tobacco and vaping products in Ohio to 21.

The governor’s 2020-2021 budget proposal calls for the tobacco age increase; which has the support of the state’s Children’s Hospital Association and chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Lorain County/First female leprechaun at Notre Dame from Elyria

A graduate of Midview High School has made history at the University of Notre Dame…

The University has announced; Elyria native Lynette Wukie will become the first female Leprechaun in the school’s history.

Wukie is entering her junior year at Notre Dame…majoring in film, television and theater.

She will officially don the famous green suit and hat in the fall.

State News/Part-time jobs survey

A new study shoots down predictions that the recession that began in 2007 would re-shape America’s workforce, with more people having several part-time jobs rather than one full-time job.

New numbers show;  those with more than one part-time job stand at 10-percent…DOWN from 11 percent before the recession hit.

State News/Latest on Ohio sports betting

The Ohio House and Senate have put forth proposals on the way sports betting should be handled statewide.

The House says to let the Ohio Lottery Commission control it with a 10-percent tax going to education and gambling addiction issues. That would include betting at casinos, racinos, horse tracks and veterans fraternal organizations.

The Senate wants the Casino Control Commission to handle it…with operators to pay a gross income tax from all wagers.  Where the money would go has not yet been decided.  The proposal also limits the physical locations…allowing for online and mobile betting as well as in-person at casinos and racinos.

State News/Lake Erie boating season

The Lake Erie boating season is right around the corner, and in Avon Lake, crews are getting ready, dredging the boat launch at Miller Road Park.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST

Today

A chance of showers and thunderstorms.  Cloudy and breezy with a high near 75.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms.  Low around 44.

Friday

Showers.  High near 49.

Saturday

Showers likely.  Cloudy, with a high near 50.

Sandusky County/Fremont missing teen

Authorities in Fremont are asking for the public’s help in locating a teen girl that was reported as a runaway Monday night.

McKenzie Stover is 5-7, 125 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Her photo can be found on the Fremont Police Department’s Facebook page.

Erie County/20+ years in prison for Sandusky child sex offender

A Sandusky man has been sentenced to 22 years behind bars in connection with sex crimes involving two young children in late 2017.

According to the Sandusky Register, 47-year-old Eddie Cox pled guilty to five charges, including attempted rape, in exchange for having nearly 30 other charges dropped.

Once released, Cox will have to register as a sex offender every 90 days for the rest of his life.

Huron County/Storm damage assessment meeting

***MEETING CANCELED***

The North Coast Community Emergency Response Team is hosting a meeting tonight focused on the basics of damage assessment in the wake of a severe storm.

Officials say the 90-minute session will familiarize attendees with how to document damage levels.

The meeting is free and open to the public; taking place at 7:00 pm at the Willard Fire Station.

State News/Bicycle helmet campaign

Nearly 9-thousand bicycle helmets will be going to children across Ohio this spring, thanks to the Put A Lid On It! Campaign.

It’s a partnership between the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Thanks in part to a 12-thousand-dollar grant from Honda of America in Marysville, these helmets will be provided at no cost to children across Ohio, to keep them safe while enjoying a bicycle ride.

Between 2009 and 2018, 182 Ohioans were killed while riding a bicycle, a 22 percent increase from the previous decade.

Twelve percent of bicycle-related fatalities in the last five years were children between the ages of 5 to 14.

Huron-Ottawa County/Now hiring for city jobs

Now hiring…both the City of Norwalk and Put-In-Bay…

Norwalk is looking for a full-time Account Specialist for City Hall. Visit www.NorwalkOH.com for more info.

Put-In-Bay is in need of a couple of paramedics through Mercy Health. A link to information is posted on the Put-In-Bay EMS Facebook page.

Erie County/Free health screenings in Sandusky

Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky is offering two free health screenings later this month…

A breast cancer screening will take place Saturday from 9 to noon at Firelands Center for Breast Care.

A skin cancer screening is also planned for April 30^th from 4 to 7-pm at the University Hospitals’ Seidman Cancer Center at Firelands.

Huron County/Stieber retires 

A local, decorated, amateur wrestler has announced his retirement from competition.

Logan Stieber won five state titles at Monroeville High School and four national championships at Ohio State.

Stieber’s other career accolades include winning a world championship in 2016 and being a two-time U.S. World Team member.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST

Today

Cloudy, with a high near 64.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Thursday

A chance of showers and thunderstorms

Partly sunny and breezy; with a high near 71.

Friday

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm.  High near 54.

Local News/Shelby tornado

The National Weather Service has ruled Sunday’s tornado in Shelby as an EF-2 (the highest being an EF-5).

Weather officials say the twister had estimated max wind speeds of 125 miles-per-hour and was up to a half-mile wide at times.

Heavy damage was done to a few homes…with some businesses receiving some major destruction; including the Rocket Chevrolet dealer on Route 39.

There were at least 6 injuries; but no fatalities.

Huron County/Pastor’s residence burglary suspect arrested

A 38-year-old man has been arrested in relation to Friday’s robbery of a pastor’s residence at a church in Norwalk.

The Norwalk Reflector reports that Ryan Justice was nabbed in Norwalk on Friday and charged with burglary…facing two to eight years of prison time if convicted.

The robbery in question took place at St. Mary Mother of the Redeemer Church on West League Street.

No one was hurt.

Lorain County/Drug pipeline arrests

Three residents of Lorain County are facing drug charges in Richland County…

They’re accused of being part of a drug pipeline from Houston to North-Central Ohio.

Police say, they found more than 1-million-dollars of cocaine in hidden compartments of the suspect’s car.

Ottawa County/Davis-Besse’s future

Two nuclear power plants in Ohio could be saved if a proposed bill by the speaker of the Ohio House is approved.

According to the Sandusky Register and Associated Press, Larry Householder’s “Ohio Clean Air Program” includes placing an extra $2.50 on residential electrical bills; that would add up to $300 million a year…half of that going to keep two nuclear power plants in operation, one of those being Davis-Besse in Oak Harbor.

Both plants are set to close in 2021 unless a solution is found by this summer.

State Representative Steve Arndt of Port Clinton said the bill would save 600 jobs in Ottawa County.

Huron County/Phone scam

The Huron County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning about a phone scam.

The scam concerns a caller saying they’re from the Social Security Administration and that your Social Security number has been suspended.

Authorities say that this is a scam…and to never give your Social Security number to anyone you weren’t expecting to receive a request from.

State News/Ohio’s alcohol law reminders

During prom and graduation season, the Ohio Investigative Unit says that parents and teens need to understand Ohio’s underage drinking laws; such as…

For parents, it is illegal to provide a place for your underage child and their friends to drink in a “safe” environment…It is illegal to purchase alcohol for anyone under 21…If you are under 21 and are caught driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .02 percent or higher, you can be arrested.

Huron County/Norwalk Safety Town info

Registration is now open for 2019 Safety Town in Norwalk.

The program is designed for children entering kindergarten this fall.

To sign your child up, stop by the lobby of the Norwalk Police Department.

There are five different sessions; which start June 10^th.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST

Today

A slight chance of showers in the afternoon.

Cloudy, with a high near 63.

Tonight

Scattered showers.  Cloudy, with a low around 48.

Wednesday

A chance of showers.  Cloudy, with a high near 66.

Thursday

A chance of showers and thunderstorms.  Partly sunny and breezy; with a high near 73.

Local News/Storms, apparent tornado in Shelby

Cleanup continues in Shelby (Richland County) today after a likely tornado touched down late Sunday afternoon.

No serious injuries were reported…but heavy damage was done to the Rocket Chevrolet dealership on Route 39.

Some homes were also damaged on Plymouth Springmill Road.

The storm, for the most part, had little impact on Lorain County.

However, several trees were blown down in Wellington, and today, officials from the National Weather Service will be in Shelby and Savannah…near Ashland…to confirm tornado touchdowns.

Erie County/Sandusky march planned to protest arrest

A march is planned in Sandusky to protest the way two arrests were handled by local law enforcement last month.

According to the Sandusky Register, the ‘March Against Brutality’ will take place April 27^th…with the route running by both the Sandusky and Perkins police departments and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office.

Those agencies were involved in the arrest of two Sandusky men at an apartment building, one of those believed to match the description of a man involved in the armed robbery of a convenience store; but were later let go and cleared of involvement.

The arrests were recorded on cell phone video and by police body cameras.

Law enforcement did an internal review…and said the officers did not violate “use of force” policies.

Ashland County/Escaped inmate nabbed

Authorities have captured an escaped inmate in the Ashland area.

Friday, 33-year-old Said Ali El Khatib escaped from a private inmate transport company when they stopped at a rest area on I-71 in Wayne County.

He was being taken from New York to Fort Wayne, Indiana where he’s wanted on a charge of receiving a stolen vehicle.

Lorain County/New fire chief

The new week brings a new fire chief to the city of Lorain.

Chris Radman will take the oath today.

Current chief…Matt Homolya…announced in December that he was stepping down…and will return to the Central Station.

Local News/Tax Day

It’s Tax Day…

For those filing through the regular mail, your tax return must be postmarked today.

Select post offices may be open later to accommodate.

Huron County/Norwalk pastor’s home robbed

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation joined Norwalk Police on Friday to investigate the suspected burglary of a pastor’s residence.

The Norwalk Reflector reports that the apparent crime took place at St. Mary Mother of the Redeemer Church on West League Street.

No one was hurt in the incident, in which multiple items were stolen.

Authorities say they have suspects.

State News/Trooper project to focus on distracted driving

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is putting a major focus this week on distracted driving enforcement.

The initiative runs now through Saturday.

Last year, 51 people lost their lives and more than 6,800 were injured in Ohio as a result of distracted driving crashes.

Authorities say that sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds.

Huron County/Road work

An update on a road construction project starting this week in Huron County…

ODOT says that U.S. 20 in Wakeman, at the structure over the Vermillion River, will have reduced lane widths and traffic shifts…in order to complete bridge repair work.

Two lanes of traffic will be maintained.

The project is expected to be complete by October.

Erie County/Pat Catan’s future in Norwalk and Sandusky

The future is now known for the closed Pat Catan’s craft store locations in Norwalk and Sandusky.

All 35 Pat Catan’s shut down in January after the Michael’s company purchased them…with 12 of those locations to turn into Michael’s stores.

A spokeswoman told the Sandusky Register that the location on East Perkins Avenue in Sandusky will be one of the stores rebranded as a Michael’s; which will reopen its doors later this year.

The Norwalk store is closing for good though.

Erie County/Sandusky on top of USA Today 10 Best poll

Sandusky is currently in the top spot for “Best Coastal Small Town” in the USA Today “10 Best” poll.

You can vote once a day at 10best.com through May 6^th.

The top ten will be announced May 17^th.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST

Today

Partly cloudy and breezy; with a high near 50.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Tuesday

A chance of showers, mainly in the afternoon.  Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

Wednesday

A chance of rain.  Cloudy, with a high near 66.