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LORAIN COUNTY
AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022
Submit items to news@LCnewspapers.com
Volume 9, Issue 47
Coroner: 2014 death was homicide STAFF REPORT
The death of Cory Barron, whose body was discovered among the trash at the Lorain County Landfill in 2014, has been ruled a homicide. The 22-year-old Fremont man was reported missing after attending a Jason Aldean concert on July 18, 2014, at Progressive
Field in Cleveland. Investigators identified Barron’s body the next day at the landfill after finding a ticket stub in his pocket. They determined he had fallen down a garbage chute at the stadium, and at the time did not suspect foul play, according to previous reporting. That changed last week. Based on new information from the Cleveland Police Department,
‘Triple threat’ of viruses straining Ohio’s hospitals
Lorain County Coroner Dr. Frank Miller said the death was a homicide. Cleveland Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said the department’s Homicide Unit is continuing its investigation, which has been open and active since Barron’s death. In 2014, the Associated Press reported police had said Barron was involved in an altercation
before his death. Private investigator Dick Wrenn, a retired FBI agent, said Barron’s family was never convinced the death was accidental. “We believe that he was hit and kicked, perhaps, in the ribs and placed in that garbage chute,” he said. Wrenn said it would have been difficult for Barron, who stood 6 feet 2 inches tall, to get into the chute by himself.
An autopsy by former county Coroner Stephen Evans in 2014 showed Barron died from blunt force trauma. It also showed he was intoxicated when he died, based on blood tests. In 2019, Barron’s family erected billboards in downtown Cleveland, offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identities and arrest of those who caused his death.
Strutting their stuff
JASON HAWK EDITOR
A triple threat of flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, has raised alarm in Ohio’s medical community. “Never before have we had to contend, as it appears we will this winter, with all three of these viruses driving illnesses at one time,” Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said in a press conference last week. An “early and dramatic spike” in seasonal RSV has hit hospitals across NAME the state hard, he said. NAME Children’s hospitals are especially hurting. Vanderhoff said their emergency departments, urgent care centers and primary care offices are all seeing extremely high patient volumes. Dr. Claudia Hoyen, director of infection control for University Hospitals, said there have already been infant deaths this fall due to flu NAME at Rainbow Babies and Children’s NAME Hospital. At the same time, health care providers are dealing with ongoing staffing challenges that make it hard to keep up, said Dr. Rustin Morse, chief medical officer for Nationwide Children’s Hospital. TRIPLE THREAT PAGE A3 Classifieds, legals, display advertising, and subscriptions Deadline: 1 p.m. each Monday Phone: 440-329-7000 Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday
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Angelo Angel | Amherst News-Times
Erika Malone is at the front as the Steele dance team practices Monday in the lobby of Marion L. Steele High School.
Steele dance team ready for prime time JASON HAWK EDITOR
AMHERST — Taylor Davis and Erika Malone are ready to rumble. They started dancing as small girls, focusing on ballet, tap and jazz. Now as sophomores, they are co-captains of the brand new Steele dance team, which will bring the heat to the Comets basketball court this winter. After more than a month of practicing choreography, the team’s 13 dancers will debut their act at halftime during the Nov. 29 boys varsity basketball game against Clearview. “It’s my passion. I love dancing so much,” said Davis. “I’ve done it my whole life. Just being able to show people what I do, it’s exciting, and
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Jams by Jennifer Lopez, Meghan Trainor and Todrick Hall are all in the mix, appealing to Generation Z. Davis said the team made sure to include classic anthems from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s for parents too. Dance is more technical than cheer, said Davis. There’s still tumbling and tricks, but dance tends to be less stiff and “can get more flowy,” with an emphasis on form, she said. Keeping cool before the first performance is increasingly tough, said sophomore Ava DiFilippo. Varsity basketball games are a big pull, she said. A lot of familiar faces will fill the stands to see the Steele dance team launch. DANCE PAGE A2
INSIDE THIS WEEK
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I like when everybody gets excited about what I’m excited about.” Cheerleaders have earned their place courtside for many years. Dance squads are a little different, and are becoming increasingly popular during the winter high school season. With the squad’s introduction, Amherst joins the ranks of Midview, Avon and others in Lorain County that have established dance teams. Malone said keeping up with other top-notch schools was definitely on dancers’ minds when they joined this fall. Auditions were held in September, and practices started in October with the girls learning a dance a week. “We’ve worked hard to find songs that a lot of people know and like, so they’ll get excited,” said Davis.
Amherst
Oberlin
Wellington
School parties with young cancer survivor • B1
College musicians to perform for United Nations • B1
Main Street to replace its First Fridays events • B1
OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • BULLETIN BOARD A6 • PUZZLES B2 • KID SCOOP B6