Thursday, May 23, 2024
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Volume 10, Issue YY
Woman who killed baby denied parole Stabbed her 2-year-old in 1990 risk relevant programA Lorain County woman ming,” the sentenced to life in prison parole board for killing her toddler son in wrote in its 1990 has been denied parole decision. for the crime. “However, Patterson Renee Patterson, 62, saw this case is her most recent parole effort aggravated rejected by the Ohio Parole by the fact that she took a knife Board following a hearing and slit the throat of her young on April 17, according to son who was left in her care,” state records. Her next parole the parole board wrote. “Adhearing will be in December ditionally, the same child had 2026. previously been harmed by her. Patterson was convicted Finally, this case has a sigof aggravated murder by nificant amount of community a jury at trial in 1990 and opposition.” sentenced to life in prison “After considering all of the with the possibility of parole statutory factors, the board after 20 years by thenconcludes that the incarcercounty Common Pleas Judge ated adult is not suitable for Lynette McGough. She has release onto parole supervision served 34 years behind bars at this time,” the parole board between jail and prison for concluded. the murder of Joshua Marsh, Patterson first became eli2, as he lay in his crib. gible for parole in 2010, then Patterson “has served a again in 2015 and has done so significant portion of her every three years thereafter. life sentence, has made a All of her appeals have been positive adjustment to the unsuccessful, according to institution, and completed court records. Dave O’Brien The Community Guide
STEVE MANHEIM / COMMUNITY GUIDE
Students attend the Lorain County Joint Vocational School 2024 Senior Recognition Ceremony at Black River Landing in Lorain last Thursday.
JVS honors graduating seniors Carissa Woytach The Community Guide
LORAIN — Hundreds of students walked across the stage at Lorain’s Black River Landing on Thursday, accepting diplomas for their work in everything from nursing and child care to electrical work, HVAC and cosmetology as part of the Lorain County Joint Vocational School’s senior recognition ceremony. Principal Tina Pelto thanked the families of Thursday’s grads for purchasing work boots and Carhartt jackets, scrubs and other supplies — and reminding their students to wear them every day. She thanked those seniors for tolerating high school including all the prompts to watch their language and put away their cellphones. “You have shown us the future of Lorain County,” Pelto said. “… You are the reason we do what we do. Most importantly, we want to thank you for sharing our passion for career tech education — from the very beginning you knew that the trades matter, that hard work pays off and that people who work with their hands drive our economy.” Senior speaker Devin Ansel, a soon-to-be graduate of Midview High School and the JVS agricultural equipment mechanics program, said it was hard to believe that most of his fellow members of the Class of 2024 were just as nervous then as they were when they first walked into the joint vocational school. “When I first came into the building as a sophomore I was worried about finding new friends, getting along with my teachers and fitting in … I realized there were no specific groups of people at the JVS. Everyone was part of one family, even as we chose different labs.” Ansel praised the staff at the JVS and also thanked his mother and late grandfather for their support. Superintendent Glenn Faircloth shared Pelto’s gratitude to the families of Thursday’s graduates, who allowed his staff to shepherd their “most precious cargo” over the years. “We hope we did you proud,” Faircloth said. “… I will tell you, parents, they are equipped, not only
Heating and air conditioning students stand on stage.
South Amherst man arrested after 2-day chase Dave O’Brien The Community Guide
Navaeh Blevins, of Firelands in masonry trades, shakes hands with Lorain County JVS Superintendent Glenn Faircloth. to get a job, but they are equipped to begin to change the world.” As a U.S. Army veteran, Faircloth said he pays close attention to what is happening at home and abroad and assured families sitting across the lawn that morning that the Class of 2024 has the wisdom to challenge the status quo and begin to change the narrative. Assistant Principal Brandon Kushinski had the final word for those gathered on Thursday — the same words he left students with each day at the end of their morning announcements. “I will remind you one last time,
honor the trades and choose kindness,” he said. Alongside the graduates recognized, precision machine technology teacher John Green received the JVS’s first award of distinction for commitment to academic and career technical excellence. The Lorain County Joint Vocational School serves students from Amherst, Avon, Avon Lake, Clearview, Columbia, Elyria, Firelands, Keystone, Midview, North Ridgeville, Oberlin, Sheffield-Sheffield Lake and Wellington schools. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.
A South Amherst man wanted for allegedly assaulting a family member, then allegedly assaulting Lorain County sheriff’s deputies who attempted to arrest him is in custody. Matt Dillion, 32, of Wallu Drive, was arrested last Thursday by the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office in Amherst, with the assistance of Amherst and Lorain police officers and State Highway Patrol troopers. Dillion had been sought by authorities since last Wednesday when they went to his home after a domestic violence complaint. Once there, they found Dillion sitting in the driver’s seat of his white Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck in the driveway. For more than an hour, deputies spoke with Dillion and tried to get him to
BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE
A man later identified as Matt Dillion screams at deputies in the driveway of a Wallu Drive address in South Amherst before driving away Wednesday. Police chased him from state Route 113 to Baumhart Road, and east on state Route 2; the chase was terminated near Avon See ARREST, A2 for safety concerns.
INSIDE THIS WEEK Amherst
Fire chief Jim Wilhelm dies. A3
Oberlin
Donated instruments on display. A4
Wellington
Congratulations, class of 2024. A4
SPORTS A6 • CROSSWORD A7 • SUDOKU A7 • KID SCOOP A8