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Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025
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Handcuffed escapee alive old Petra Pintar, “was reported After more than a week of missing by her family, and we searching for Donte Parker believe that they are together,” police said. II, 23, who was feared to Parker is wanted on have been killed jumping in multiple felony warrants the Black River to escape as well as for an alleged from police while handfederal probation violation. cuffed, Elyria detectives Elyria police charged him said he is alive and on the with having weapons under run. disability, escape and obIt is not known how authorities know he is alive structing official business, and continues to evade law all felonies. Elyria police took him enforcement after a week into custody and handcuffed of searches in and around the river where he was last him Feb. 3 following a welfare check at an apartment seen. Parker’s girlfriend, 20-year- on Washington Avenue in The Community Guide
Elyria. They found Parker hiding under a bed with a loaded gun. A convicted felon from a Cuyahoga County case, Parker is not allowed to possess guns. Parker managed to escape from police while in custody, bursting out of a closed door and running from officers. He was last spotted on security camera footage running, shoeless, toward a treeline overlooking the Black River near Washington Avenue. Multiple first responders
searched the area including the Black River but couldn’t find him. The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office and a North Ridgeville police K-9 joined the search for that same night, as did the Elyria Fire Department. Parker’s mother feared that he had fallen into or jumped into the Black River, which at the time was cold and full of ice. She walked the area multiple times in the days after he disappeared, calling out his name. Elyria police are conduct-
ing an administrative review into whether officers followed department policy while arresting Parker, Capt. Bill Lantz has said. Pintar does not have a criminal record in Lorain Pintar County. Court records in a Parker II 2023 misdemeanor speedOn A4 ing case said she was living Bodycam footage on South Lake Street in details the escape. South Amherst at that time. Anyone with information elyria.org, or call the Elyria on the whereabouts of Parker Police Department at (440) and Pintar is asked to contact 323-3302. Elyria police Detective Jeb Anonymous tips can also Larson at (440) 326-1211 or be submitted at cityofelyria.org/tips. jlarson@cityof
Watching out for avian flu It’s in Ohio but not here yet Carissa Woytach The Community Guide
CARISSA WOYTACH / COMMUNITY GUIDE
Dan Ketcham, owner of Hidden Acre Farm in Elyria Township, feeds his flock.
ELYRIA TWP. — While poultry farms in Southwest Ohio grapple with avian flu, Lorain County farms and public officials are keeping a watchful eye on their flocks. H5N1, or highly pathogenic avian influenza, has yet to reach Lorain County officially, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. While Ohio has a high rate of the virus, most cases are in Darke and Mercer counties. Ohio leads the U.S. in highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI cases,
with more than 9.1 million birds across 48 commercial flocks affected, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA has also detected HPAI in captive wild ducks and geese in Stark, Muskingum, Ottawa and Mercer counties in the most recent outbreak. Brian Baldridge, Ohio Department of Agriculture director, said did not have a flock infected until Christmas Eve — then saw spikes in central western Ohio. “We’re dealing with this,” Baldridge said. “We
See BIRD FLU, A2
Oberlin group looks to expand use of ‘Round House’ “The history of Oberlin related to the Underground Railroad, related to Black A group of Oberlin community members continue to history, is important,” English said. “There’s variexamine expanding the use and access of the city’s Un- ous initiatives emerging in Oberlin that can merge into derground Railroad Center. the idea of making Oberlin a Oberlin’s Underground Railroad Center is housed in destination for Black history, and this could be a part of the historic Oberlin Gasholder Building, also known that.” While the primary use as the Round House. will be dedicated to Oberlin Originally designed to store manufactured coal gas Black history and to Underground Railroad history, the to supply the city with heat facility could also be used and light, the building was for other needs, he said. constructed in 1889. To expand the use and acDiscussion centered on cess to the facility, the group the possibility of using it is weighing the possibility for things such as wedding receptions and other events, of adding restrooms and a according to Oberlin Coun- kitchenette to the existing building. cil member Ray English. “It’s an extraordinary Garrett Looker The Community Guide
building, and it has a stunning interior,” English said. “We want to see the facility to be well-used.” English added that there is broad agreement of real interest amongst the public in programs and usage related to the history of the Underground Railroad and Oberlin’s Black history. These improvements could make the facility available year-round, he said. It became home to Oberlin’s Underground Railroad Center in 2023 after nearly two decades of efforts. “I think there’s broad agreement in Oberlin of both Black history and continuFILE ing to work for racial justice, The Gasholder Building, or “Round House” as it’s also known, sits on if you will, is important,” South Main Street next to the George A. Abram Memorial Pavilion in English said. Oberlin. It became the Oberlin Underground Railroad Center IN 2023.
INSIDE THIS WEEK Fear for immigrants
Vance book ‘drugged’
Monster trucks & love
Churches worry about providing sanctuary. A5
‘Hillbilly Elegy’ sent to Grafton inmate. A4
Monster Jam roars in on Valentine’s Day. A5
SPORTS A6 • CROSSWORD A7 • SUDOKU A7 • KID SCOOP A8