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Local News

Police: Mailman attacked by dogs in South Lorain

Monday, January 9th, 2012

A mailman was attacked by two dogs at about 11 a.m. this morning in Lorain.

According to police Lt. Mark Carpentiere, an ambulance was called to the scene for assistance. The attack occurred on East 31st Street, between Seneca and Pearl avenues, according to LifeCare radio traffic.

The mailman’s condition was not immediately available.

Check back at Chroniclet.com for more on this story as it becomes available.

Elyria woman fires on neighbor she says was breaking into house

Friday, January 6th, 2012

ELYRIA — An Elyria woman fired three shots at a neighbor she said was breaking into her home yesterday, and the man was arrested nearby within minutes.

Napp

Steven Napp, 31, is charged with burglary and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police were called to a home at 107 Floral Court about 8:30 a.m., according to a police report.

The resident of the home told them she’d fired on a man who was breaking into her house but did not hit him.

A witness told police he recognized Napp as the boyfriend of a woman who lives at 111 Floral Court, the report said. He said he heard Napp yelling “Oh my god!” and running south toward Lake Avenue.

He said Napp had no shirt or shoes on and was wearing blue jeans. He said he then saw Napp running east on Lake Avenue toward Furnace Street.

By the time officers arrived, they learned that U.S. Marshals had stopped Napp at Lake Avenue and Cascade Street.

Once Elyria police took custody of Napp, they found a used syringe in his pocket. He told them he’d used the syringe the day before for heroin, the report said.

Napp was taken to the Lorain County Jail.

‘Santa Claus’ mysteriously delivers toys to Ohio kids

Friday, December 23rd, 2011

MORROW, Ohio — A southwest Ohio couple says packages from Santa Claus have mysteriously shown up on their doorstep after they forgot to intercept their children’s letters to the North Pole from their mailbox.

Micah and Missy Steele of Morrow told WCPO-TV that 7-year-old Lydia wrote Santa a few weeks ago asking for a Zooble character, and 4-year-old Levi requested Hot Wheels and a yoyo.

On Tuesday, they found packages containing those very toys at their door, with handwritten letters signed “Santa.”

The Operation Santa director at a Cincinnati post office that processes Santa mail said the U.S. Postal Service didn’t deliver the gifts. The director of a local library that often receives such mail said workers there also never saw the letters.

Micah Steele said his family is very grateful.

Indians: Tribe adds three players to the fold

Friday, December 16th, 2011

CLEVELAND — At the recent winter meetings, Indians general manager Chris Antonetti hinted that he had something surprising up his sleeve.

Tribe fans are hoping this isn’t it.

Cleveland was busy Friday, acquiring three players, but it was more quantity than quality, with only one of them, outfielder Aaron Cunningham, a safe bet to grace the big league roster on opening day.

The Indians signed free agents, veteran infielder Jose Lopez and outfielder Felix Pie, to minor league contracts before landing Cunningham in a trade with the Padres for Double-A right-hander Cory Burns.

Though Lopez and Pie have all spent significant time in the majors, Cunningham, 25, was the more substantial move of the day. Out of minor league options, he is considered the frontrunner to win the job as fourth outfielder behind Michael Brantley (left field), Grady Sizemore (center) and Shin-Soo Choo (right).

“We feel like we’re getting a guy that has a chance to be a major league outfielder for us,” Antonetti said of Cunningham, who batted .329 with nine home runs and 63 RBIs in 87 games at the Triple-A level last year. “He’s a right-handed hitter that has some versatility to play both corner outfield spots and should complement the rest of the players we have on our roster very well.”

Cunningham hit just .178 in 52 games for the Padres last year, but batted .288 with a homer and 15 RBIs in 53 games for San Diego in 2010 after being acquired in a trade with Oakland.

The 24-year-old Burns was Cleveland’s eighth-round draft pick in 2009, going 2-5 with a 2.11 ERA and 35 saves for Double-A Akron last year. He was not on the 40-man roster, so a move had to be made to add Cunningham, with Triple-A right-hander Josh Judy designated for assignment to clear a spot.

Lopez, 28, will come to camp hoping to win a job as the utility infielder.

The Venezuela native was Seattle’s regular second baseman from 2006-10. He made the all-star team in 2006, but his best season came in 2009 when he hit .272 with 25 homers and 96 RBIs in 153 games.

Lopez’s production has plummeted since. He hit just .216 with eight homers and 21 RBIs in 82 games with Colorado and Florida last season.

“He can compete for regular at-bats at third base and potentially at first base, depending on how well he swings the bat and who our other alternatives are,” Antonetti said of Lopez, who will earn $900,000 should he make the opening day roster. “I think he could be a very good complement to some of our regulars on the infield who are predominantly left-handed hitters.”

As it stands, the Indians will employ left-handed hitters at third base in Lonnie Chisenhall and Jack Hannahan, as well as at second (Jason Kipnis). Switch-hitter Carlos Santana and right-handed hitting Shelley Duncan will most likely get the majority of the reps at first base, unless Matt LaPorta shines during spring training.

Pie, 26, began his big league career with the Cubs in 2007, spending the past three seasons in Baltimore. He was designated for assignment and became a free agent at the end of the year after batting just .220 without a homer and seven RBIs in 85 games for the Orioles.

Pie, who will earn $700,000 should he make the big league roster, will compete with Cunningham and Ezequiel Carrera for the extra outfield spot.

Indians fans can continue to hold out hope for something more, with Antonetti saying the club still has financial flexibility. But the 40-man roster the team employs once Cunningham is added, might be the one Cleveland takes to spring training.

“It could be what we go to camp with, but we’re going to continue to work to find alternatives,” Antonetti said.

 

Swing and a drive

The Indians announced that longtime radio voice Tom Hamilton will return for his 23rd season as part of a multi-year extension for the Avon Lake resident.

Hamilton will be joined by Bay Village resident Jim Rosenhaus, who took over for Mike Hegan when he stepped down during the season last year.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.