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Severe storms rip through Northeast Ohio Wednesday

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Severe storms rip through Northeast Ohio Wednesday


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Severe storms rolled through Northeast, Ohio Wednesday afternoon triggering tornado warnings and knocking power out to thousands of FirstEnergy customers. Click here for the latest power outage numbers.

A possible tornado was spotted by residents near Kent off Route 303.

A 19 News crew that traveled to Windham in Portage County spotted a lot of damage from the storm that blew through. People living on State Route 303 in Windham tell 19 News they received the tornado warning, extremely heavy rain fell, and within a matter of minutes, the damage was done.

Jacob Hurd of JBL Roofing and Construction says, “Yes. I believe it was a tornado. A number of apps say there was a touchdown.”

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The damage ranged from numerous homes that had their roofs heavily damaged or ripped off by the power of the storm, large trees being totally uprooted, others trees had their limbs ripped off in what appeared to be a twisting pattern and there were tons of power lines down, not only on Route 303, but also on North Main Street and Crestview in Windham.

A possible tornado struck a post office in Bucyrus Ohio.

There are currently no reported injuries.

Severe damage to homes on N. Main Street in Windham.

A tornado watch remains in effect until Midnight.

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This is a developing story there is a 19 News crew headed to Portage County to check on possible damage. Check back with 19 News for the latest information.





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Cleveland, OH

Jury deliberating in trial for church employee of 2 Northeast Ohio parishes facing sex charges

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Jury deliberating in trial for church employee of 2 Northeast Ohio parishes facing sex charges


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The jury started deliberating Tuesday in the trial for an employee of two Northeast Ohio Catholic Churches accused of sex crimes.

Andres Andino’s trial began Feb. 9 in front of Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge William Vodrey.

Andres Andino(Cuyahoga County Jail)

Andino, 60, of Cleveland, was arrested in March 2025 by Cleveland police.

He is charged with the following:

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  • One count of rape
  • Two counts of sexual battery
  • Two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor

Court records show the alleged incidents happened between Feb. 25, 2013 through Feb. 24, 2018.

According to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, Andino worked full-time at St. John Bosco Parish in Parma Heights, and part-time at St. Joseph Parish in Avon Lake.

Andino was placed on unpaid administrative leave at both parishes.

Read the full indictment below (Warning: some materials in this indictment may be offensive to its reader):



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Cleveland, OH

Cleveland Police arrest driver after 1 killed, 1 injured in hit-and-run crash

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Cleveland Police arrest driver after 1 killed, 1 injured in hit-and-run crash


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Cleveland Police arrested a 21-year-old woman who allegedly hit two pedestrians with her car, leaving one dead and another injured.

According to a release from the Cleveland Police, at around 6:53 p.m. on Wednesday, officers received a call for a crash on Eddy Road.

When officers arrived, they learned two pedestrians were crossing the street in the crosswalk when a car driving southbound struck them.

The car then fled the scene, police said.

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A 37-year-old woman was taken to the hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased by hospital staff.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner identified the 37-year-old woman as Chiquitta D. Brown of Cleveland.

A 42-year-old woman was taken to the hospital with serious, but not life-threatening injuries, police said.

Using the Real-Time Crime Center, officers located the suspect vehicle and driver shortly thereafter.

The driver, a 21-year-old woman, was arrested, and the car was towed for processing.

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The Cleveland Police’s Accident Investigation Unit is investigating the crash.



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Cleveland Parental Rights Advocate Ray Lautenschlager Dies and Families Say Justice Lost a Champion

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Cleveland Parental Rights Advocate Ray Lautenschlager Dies and Families Say Justice Lost a Champion


CLEVELAND, OH — Ray R. Lautenschlager, a Cleveland-based family law reform advocate and president of Ohio Family Rights, died at home Feb. 9, according to friends and colleagues. Supporters remembered him as a relentless voice for parental rights and as a man who personally guided families through some of their most difficult custody battles.

“There will be a Zoom memorial on Feb. 19 at 8 p.m.,” a co-advocate and friend wrote in announcing his passing. Organizers later scheduled an additional online memorial for Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. Eastern to allow more friends, colleagues and family members to share stories.

Lautenschlager served as president and legislative director of Ohio Family Rights, focusing his work on shared parenting reform, constitutional parental rights, custody law reform and criticism of domestic relations court procedures. His advocacy was rooted in his own experience navigating divorce and parenting plan disputes, which led him to file federal civil rights litigation challenging Ohio custody statutes, domestic relations procedures and judicial conduct in his case. Public records show the lawsuit reflected his constitutional objections to family law practices and became a catalyst for his policy work.

In written testimony and committee appearances before Ohio legislative bodies, Lautenschlager argued that parental rights are fundamental civil rights and that courts often rely on inadequate evidentiary standards when limiting parental involvement. He promoted equal shared parenting as the default baseline in custody determinations and supported applying a clear and convincing evidence standard before restricting a parent’s time. He also criticized what he described as excessive judicial discretion in domestic relations courts and warned that inconsistent standards increase litigation costs and emotional strain on families.

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His white papers and reform proposals contended that fit parents are routinely removed from meaningful roles in their children’s lives and that Ohio custody law requires structural reform. He submitted written critiques of proposed statutory language changes that he believed weakened protections for parents. Legislative tracking confirms his participation in hearings involving family and aging committee matters and related custody legislation.

Beyond formal testimony, Lautenschlager provided advice to parents across Ohio and in other states, often speaking by phone or online with people he had never met in person. “I wouldn’t have the relationship I have with my daughter if it wasn’t for Ray,” one community member wrote. Another said, “He was such a good man and so giving and helpful.”

Many described shock at the news of his death. “I’m in shock and so sorry to hear this,” one resident wrote. Another added, “This is a major loss for all of us.” A longtime acquaintance said, “I have known Ray for about 50 years. I am just in shock about this.”

Parents who credited Lautenschlager with guiding them through custody disputes said his impact extended far beyond policy papers. “He helped me through a battle I’m currently going through still,” one father wrote. “I didn’t even know him. I was a stranger, yet that man talked and walked me through so much.” Another community member said, “Although I never met Ray in person, he took the time to help me through some tough family court times. I am heartbroken.”

Colleagues in the parental rights movement described years of collaboration. “We’ve been working together for years,” one associate wrote, adding that Lautenschlager “embodied a good friend” and continued making himself available to families in need of empathy even while dealing with his own health issues. Another supporter said, “He dedicated his entire life to injustice for parents, especially fathers.”

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Throughout his advocacy, Lautenschlager consistently framed parenting as a fundamental liberty interest deserving the highest procedural protections. He maintained that custody litigation is not only a private dispute but a broader social and economic issue affecting families, courts and state resources. Supporters said that commitment defined his life’s work.

“He was a leader, someone to look up to, someone to admire,” one community member wrote. “I’ll miss you, my friend.”
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At Cleveland 13 News, we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable reporting. If you spot an error, omission, or have information that may need updating, please email us at tips@cleveland13news.com. As a community-driven news network, we appreciate the help of our readers in ensuring the integrity of our reporting.



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