(Geauga County, OH) -- The YMCA of Greater Cleveland is happy with a gift from a generous donor. The nonprofit organization received a $1.5-million donation from Charles and Helen Dolan. Charles is the brother of Cleveland Indians owner Larry Dolan. The money will be used to for the construction of a Y in Geauga County. The agency also received a similar gift for the construction of a new facility in Lakewood Ohio. The Greater Cleveland YMCA will celebrate its 150th anniversary next year.

Huge Fire in Garfield Heights

A magnesium fire devastated a plant in Garfield Heights for over 24 hours. Firefighters spent the night controlling the blaze even as explosions rocked the area. The cause of the fire is under investigation and State of Ohio EPA officials are determining if there is any environmental damage from the prolonged smoke.

Cleveland Zoo plans new Elephant Exhibit

(Cleveland, OH) -- The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo will reportedly begin raising funds next year for a new elephant exhibit. The projected cost is $12 million. The planning phase of the project is expected to take about 18 months. The Zoo currently houses only three elephants. According to a zoo spokesperson though, the new exhibit would include a herd of elephants and possibly some hippos.

Ohio Community Colleges boost enrollment

(Cleveland, OH) -- The Ohio Association of Community Colleges says two-year colleges hold the key for boosting higher education enrollment in Ohio, as well keeping down tuition costs for bachelors degrees. The Association believes it can almost double the number of Ohioans attending college over the next decade by promoting two-year colleges. In states such as California, Florida and Illinois, new enrollment at community colleges far outpaces enrollment at four-year schools. The Association also maintains that students who begin their studies at a two-year school can reduce tuition costs for a bachelors degree by as much as 25 percent.

Cleveland City Hall waiting for Police and Fire Vote

(Cleveland, OH) -- The city of Cleveland is waiting for its firefighters and police officers to approve the deal that would save some of their jobs. Police officers are being asked to give up their uniform allowance and trade bonuses for comp time off. Firefighters must decide if they want to abide by new overtime rules and an adjusted work schedule. Both unions are expected to vote on the concessions next week

School Voucher Program late with checks

(Cleveland, OH) -- Cleveland's school voucher program was expanded to include Catholic high schools this year, but none of the participating students have received their tuition assistance checks yet. The Ohio Department of Education says procedural delays are to blame. The schools must be inspected and all of its employees must be fingerprinted before voucher payments can be approved. The vouchers pay about half of the participating students' tuition.

Cleveland Man indicted fro stalking Neki Mohan

(Cleveland, OH) -- A Cleveland man faces stalking charges after being arrested in the lobby of a local newswoman's apartment building. Michael Robinson was indicted of menacing by stalking for following WOIO and WUAB-TV anchor Neki Mohan and sending her numerous letters and e-mails. Mohan said she feared for her safety.

Cleveland Garbage Schedule Changes for Holiday

(Cleveland, OH) -- The city of Cleveland will not pick up trash on Christmas day. Trash will be collected Monday through Wednesday, Friday and Saturday this week Due to the holiday, Thursday's trash collection will be delayed one day and will be collected on Friday. Friday's collection will take place on Saturday.

Form Middle School Closed because of FLU

Brook Park, OH) -- Ford Middle School in Brook Park is closed again today due to student illness. Officials closed the school yesterday after nearly 25 percent of the students called in sick. A high absentee rate among students at all area schools lately has been blamed on the flu and other seasonal illnesses.

Ohioans not prepared for possible terror attach

(Cleveland, OH) -- A recently released report says Ohioans would be doomed if faced with a bioterror attack. The Trust for America's Health calls the state "hopelessly unprepared" to protect its citizens. A spokesman for the report says that no state is completely prepared for such an attack, but Ohio ranks particularly low, suffering from a shortage of public health workers and lacking the ability to handle an infectious disease outbreak.

Pizzaroni's to offer low carb Pizza in Parma

(Parma, OH) -- Here's good news for pizza lovers. Pizzaroni in Parma Ohio has created a new lo-carb pizza made with new a dough and healthier sauces. Natalie Teare of Pizzaroni's says, "It's made up of whole wheat, whole grains, so there's high fiber content and no sugar added." Teare says there's about 3.6 grams of carbs per slice.

Free Flu Shots in Cleveland

(Cleveland, OH) -- The Cleveland Department of Public Health and the City of Cleveland have teamed up to offer free flu shots. The vaccinations are available to anyone over 18 years old on a first come, first served basis. Locations include the McCafferty Health Center and the Tremont Health Center on Wednesdays and the J. Glen Smith Health Center on Thursday mornings between eight and eleven through the end of the month. On December 15th, the shots will be available at Dave's Supermarket on Ridge Road.

Man Dies after car hits Deer

(Ashtabula, OH) -- A 26-year-old man is dead after his car hit a deer and then slammed into a house. Police say the driver ran into the animal on Route 193 in Ashtabula County, causing his car to flip and strike an empty house. The man was found dead at the scene.

Life Skill Center Graduates 50 in Elyria

(Elyria, OH) -- White Hat Management has announced its Life Skills Center of Elyria will hold a commencement ceremony this month to present 50 area students with state-certified high school diplomas. It will be held this evening at Lorain County Community College's Spitzer Humanities and Fine Arts Center on Wednesday. The evening will feature a keynote address by William O'Brien, a local entrepreneur and community leader involved with community development and education. A reception will follow and the public is invited to attend.

Beaumont School helps Inner City Children

(Shaker Heights, OH) -- Over 100 inner-city children got the opportunity to attend a Christmas party hosted by Beaumont School earlier this week. The kids got a chance to hang out with jolly old Saint Nick. They also got special tickets to purchase gifts for friends and families.

Cleveland Medical Unit Going to Iraq

(Cleveland, OH) -- A Cleveland-based medical unit is on its way to Iraq. The group of 20 is ready to take on its mission. Many of the families are worried about their loved ones going to war. One reservist says she's not worried because she has confidence that she and the others will all return home safely. The 848th Medical Unit could be deployed for as long as 18 month.

City of Parma is Hiring

(Parma,OH) -- The city of Parma is looking for a few good people to fill new positions. Thirty part-time and 30 full-time positions are available. As a result, nearly 700 people turned out to fill out the application Monday. Officials want to fill the positions by the beginning of the new year. Parma has no residency requirement, and the nearly 30 full-time jobs up for grabs, range in salary from $23 thousand to $61 thousand.

No injuries in Vermillion Police Chase

(Vermilion,OH) -- A Vermilion officer was not injured following a police chase which ended with the his car spinning out of control. The officer clocked a speeding car, and moments later gave chase. The officer spun out to avoid another vehicle. The driver of the other car got away.

Cleveland Safety Director Leaving

(Cleveland,OH) -- Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell is losing another member of her administration. Public Safety Director James Draper is leaving after the holidays. The mayor will make the official announcement later this afternoon. WKYC reports Draper commented he would not have taken the job if he would have known the layoffs were part of the deal. Operations Manager Henry Guzman who resigned several days ago will take on a similar position for the city of Columbus. The city is dealing with a $61 million deficit.

Two indicted in Prunella murder from 1968

(Cleveland, OH) -- The Kilbane brothers will face another trial for a 35-year-old murder. Owen and Martin Kilbane were indicted yesterday for allegedly killing Andrew Prunella Jr. in 1968. The two were charged with the crime in 1982, but that case was dismissed due to a mistrial. The Kilbanes have been in prison for more than 25 years for conspiracy to murder a Euclid judge's wife. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason hopes to keep the brothers jailed by convicting them of the Prunella murder.

East High Gym to Reopen

Cleveland,OH) -- A special dedication ceremony will be held later this afternoon at East High School. Students and staff members are gathering to celebrate the opening of the school's brand new gym. Three years ago, the roof collapsed costing the school thousands of dollars to replace. The students have been using the new facility since the end of November.

Cleveland in discussions with Police and Fire Unions

The city of Cleveland and its Police and Fire Unions are in discussions with a mediator to determine if there is an alternative to the proposed layoffs. The results of these meeting could lower the number of safety works who become redundant.

Ohio EPA reports high Ozone Levels

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency says 34 counties in Ohio, including Cuyahoga and most of the northeast area, have ozone levels considered too high. The federal government is requiring coal-burning power plants in 30 states, including Ohio, to cut their air pollution emissions in half. The U.S. EPA hopes to cut sulfur dioxide emissions by 70 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by 50 percent by the year 2015.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan to speak at City Club

(Cleveland, OH) -- Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, will address The City Club of Cleveland at a special Forum at 7 p.m. on Monday, December 15th. His topic will be current U.S.-Saudi relations. Prince Bandar is the son of the Saudi defense minister, who is second in line to the throne. The prince has served as ambassador to the U.S. for 20 years and has worked with four presidents

Prank Turned Bad

(Huron, OH) -- Huron Police have arrested and charged some TV show Jackass imitators Tuesday night. Five males have been charged in connection with video taping themselves throwing flour on a gas station clerk. According to WKYC-TV, the clerk called police, saying someone was videotaping the store while two males wearing hoods and bandanas approached her. Police found the pranksters and the videotape, which shows the group preparing to go "antiquing" at the gas station

Henry Guzman Leaves Cleveland City Hall

(Cleveland, OH) -- Cleveland City Hall officials have announced that Henry Guzman, the Director of the City's Office of Equal Opportunity will serve as the Director of Public Service for the city of Columbus starting in January. He will oversee nearly one thousand employees with an annual budget of $36 million. Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell says that the more than the 11 year City Hall employee will be missed.

Racist Letters Sent from Ohio to NFL Players

(Cleveland, OH) -- Northeast Ohio FBI officials are looking for clues into who's sending vicious hate mail to several black NFL players and other prominent black men. The letters have been sent from Cleveland, Youngstown, and Erie, New Castle Pennsylvania. According to WKYC-TV, the letter to an unidentified Dolphins player says, quote, "African-Americans should not be allowed to play professional sports and shouldn't be allowed to make the money that football players and entertainers make." The letters are not handwritten and some of them say they're from, quote, "angry Caucasian women." The FBI is asking for your help if you have any information to help their case.

Shooting on Ohio Turnpike

(Erie County, OH) -- Two people are hospitalized after being shot while driving along the Ohio Turnpike last night. The State Highway Patrol says the victims' car was traveling westbound near the 118 interchange at Route 250 when the shots were fired. Officers say the car has at least seven bullet holes. The Highway Patrol continues to investigate to determine where the shots came from.

Cleveland City Layoffs  

(Cleveland,OH) -- Layoffs for workers in the city of Cleveland will happen faster than first thought. Mayor Jane Campbell recently announced that nearly 700 city employees are facing pink slips at the beginning of the new year. The pink slips are coming two weeks earlier than first announced. The city is trying to fix a $61 million deficit. Some workers are concerned that officials did not try and come up with more creative measures to deal with the budget crisis.

East Cleveland Mayor being Investigated 

East Cleveland Mayor Emmanuel Onunwor says he doesn't know what the IRS and FBI investigators are looking for. Agents raided his home and office at City Hall earlier this morning. They will not discuss the nature of the search. During an impromptu news conference, Onunwor called the whole thing a witch hunt. East Cleveland, Cuyahoga County's poorest suburb, has had financial problems for many years. The city is plagued with high crime and few taxpayers

Thief Caught on Tape

Cleveland, OH) -- If you're going to steal Christmas decorations from someone's yard, you'd better make sure you're not being videotaped. A man in Amhearst Ohio didn't take the time to check the security situation before napping a sleigh and a reindeer. A camera caught a man driving an SUV getting out and grabbing the decorations. The tape has been sent to NASA for enhancement. In the spirit of Christmas, a good Samaritan was kind enough to replace the stolen items.

Tower City offers free Wireless Access 

(Cleveland, OH) -- A high-speed wireless Internet service known as Wi-Fi is now available at Tower City Center. Access to the service started yesterday at the mall. Over the next two months, Wi-Fi access will spread to a 14-block stretch along Euclid Avenue between Public Square and Playhouse Square.<

FBI Investigating Cleveland Water Division 

(Cleveland, OH) -- Information concerning an investigation into fraud at Cleveland's Water Division has been handed over to the FBI. Accountants found unauthorized purchases and falsified documents during an internal audit covering 2001 and 2002. As a result of the findings, two employees were fired and one resigned.

Lynne Cheney to visit Canton

(Canton, OH) -- The vice president's wife is scheduled to make an appearance in Canton today. Lynne Cheney is expected to read to children and sign copies of her book, "A is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women" at the National First Ladies' Library.