Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump brings out brave bunch

Feb. 16, 2013: A group of friends prepares to take the plunge at the 10th annual Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump at Portage Lakes State Park. Photo by Ryan Haidet, WKYC-TV.

PORTAGE LAKES -- Pirates, ninjas and superheroes were among the wacky pack of people jumping into wickedly cold waters in the 10th annual Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump.

With flurries flying and ice floating, hundreds of people packed the beach at Portage Lakes State Park on Saturday to take the bone-chilling challenge in an effort to raise money for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

Photos: 2013 Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump

Officials with the event say it was a splashing success with more than $75,000 raised.

Each brave jumper raised/donated at least $25 to take part in the plunge.

The 2013 event started with Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank CEO Dan Flowers making the first jump with his son around 2 p.m.

From that point forward, hundreds of people -- some in simple swimwear, others in goofy getups -- put their toes on the edge of the dock and lunged into the choppy water.

Some then swam to a nearby ladder to get out of the water as quickly as possible, while others raced to shore where a large audience of warmly dressed folks watched it all unfold.

Looking back: 2012 Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump

Emergency crews were on hand to make sure everybody was safe and warming tents were available.

The total number of participants and a final tally of money raised will be calculated Sunday.

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Cleveland Weather: Light snow showers

Sunday morning start out with Snow Showers that will shift into the Snowbelt by afternoon.  Then a Partly Sunny afternoon.   1" or less for most areas, 1"-3" for the Snowbelt.  It will be Cold.  High: 22.  Wind: NW 10-15 mph.

Partial Clearing Sunday night & continued Cold.  Low: 17.  Wind: W-S 5-10 mph.

Monday.....President's Day.....will feature morning Sunshine, followed by increasing Clouds in the afternoon.  It will be Windy & Warmer.  High: 43.  Wind: South 15-20 mph.

Rain moves back in on Monday night ahead of another Cold Front.  It will be Windy, but won't be as cold.  Low: 35.  Wind: SW 15-20, gusts-30 mph.

Morning Rain on Tuesday, mixing with & changing to Snow by afternoon.  High: 37.

Wednesday, behind the Front, it will Mostly Cloudy & Colder with scattered snow showers.  High: 28.

Partly Cloudy & Chilly Thursday.  High: 30.

Another Cold Front on Friday will bring us a Rain/Snow mix, with mostly Snow. High: 37.

Behind the Front, Saturday will be Mostly Cloudy.  High: 36.

WKYC-TV

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Atty: Negotiations for plea deal in TJ Lane case underway

CHARDON -- Attorney Ian Friedman says negotiations are underway for TJ Lane to plead guilty in the Chardon High School shooting case.

Friedman said the intention of the defense is to sign that agreement on February 26. That is the next scheduled hearing in the case and one day before the one-year anniversary of the shootings.

Three students weer killed and three wounded that day.

Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge David Fuhry already set 9:30 a.m. Feb. 26 for a hearing to set a new trial date for suspected Chardon school shooter TJ Lane.

Lane, then 17, was originally scheduled for trial on Nov. 26, 2012, but that date was continued to Jan. 14, then that date was continued.

Fuhry also previously denied earlier change of venue requests by defense attorneys. He said he could decide later to allow a change of venue if a jury can't be seated.

Voir dire for jury selection was originally set to begin Feb. 4 but Fuhry cancelled that. "Voir dire" is a process by which prospective jurors are questioned about their backgrounds and potential biases before being chosen to sit on a jury.

Fuhry said he thinks an impartial jury can be seated in Chardon and wanted to voir dire the jury before he would even reconsider his previous denial of a change of venue in the case.

Chardon police say Lane entered the cafeteria and opened fire, killing Russell King, Jr., 17, Daniel Parmertor, 16, and Demetrius Hewlin, 16 and wounding Nick Walczak, 17, Joy Rickers, 18 and grazing the ear with a bullet of a sixth person.

Lane faces life in prison if convicted of the multiple counts of aggravated murder because he was 17 when the shootings occured.

He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

WKYC-TV

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Exclusive: Westlake moviegoer with gun speaks out

WESTLAKE -- For the first time, we are hearing from the local man who brought a gun and weapons into a Westlake movie theater, just days after the deadly shooting inside a Colorado movie theater.

Scott Smith regrets his decision to take a loaded gun into the Regal theaters in Westlake.

He says the community has nothing to fear from him, that he was protecting himself.

"I was being stubborn and I wasn't about to let James Holmes and people like him dictate my behavior," Smith said.

Instead, Scott Smith, 38, fell right into the same trap he was trying to avoid. His life has changed forever, now facing a possible prison sentence.

"It's in a shambles, Smith said.

Last August, Smith packed a loaded gun, ammo and a knife into a duffle bag and headed to Regal Cinema in Westlake for the new Batman film "Dark Knight Rises."

"I didn't think it was this big of a deal," Smith said.

Smith wanted to see the film but not take chances. Three movie house shootings nationwide, including the Colorado ambush that killed 12 people, left him on the defensive.

"I made a snap decision. A poor decision. I didn't think it through," Smith said.

He was charged with 20 felony gun violations, including posession under disability because he took a sleeping aid and pain medication.

"There were implications for the entire country and everyone who owns guns and takes medications, so I felt like I had to fight it out," Smith said.

He fought it and won. The judge dropped the charge Friday. He pleaded guilty to two counts of carrying concealed weapons. While he regrets his decision, Smith can't help but feel there is another agenda at work here.

"This became about politics and gun control," Smith said.

Smith says having to do it all again, he simply would have stayed home.

When asked why he didn't get a conceal carry permit, Smith says he had no time to do it, that he thought this was the one and only time he needed to carry a gun.

WKYC-TV

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Cleveland Weather: Sun, clouds, snow mix

Light snow showers develop overnight through this morning as a weak disturbance passed across the area. For much of the day we are expecting sunshine, but snow showers are also expected as we head into the evening. This is due to another cold front passing across the area.

Saturday: A mix of sun and clouds. Isolated snow showers are expected later in the day. Mid/upper 20s. Winds: W 5-15 mph.

Sunday: Lake-effect snow showers are expected. 1"-2" accumulation. Mid teens. Mid 20s. Winds: NW 10-15 mph.

Monday...President's Day: Mostly sunny, breezy and mild. Mid

Tuesday: A rain and snow mix is likely as a cold front passes across the area. Mid 30s.

Wednesday: Isolated snow showers. Mid 20s.

Thursday: Partly cloudy, with a low chance for snow showers. Upper 20s.

Friday: Rain and snow showers are likely as another cold fronts pass the area. Upper 30s/Low 40s.

WKYC-TV

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Cleveland Weather: Colder weekend

Today:  Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers.  Little, if any, accumulation.  Temps in the low 30s into the upper 20s later.

Saturday:  Mostly cloudy with scattered snow showers.  Light accumulation up to 2" possible.  Mid 20s

Sunday:  More snow showers.  Mostly cloudy to partly sunny late day.  Mid 20s

Monday:  Partly sunny.  Near 40

Tuesday:  Rain or rain/snow mix changing to snow.  Breezy.  Upper 30s.

Wednesday:  Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries.  Upper 20s/near 30

Thursday:  Partly sunny.  Low/mid 30s

I'll keep you updated on twitter through out the day too!  Follow me at:  @holliesmiles

WKYC-TV

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Traffic Report: Friday, Feb. 15, 2113

CLEVELAND -- Your connection to traffic conditions and incident reports from WTAM 1100 Total Traffic and wkyc.com for Friday, Feb, 15, 2013.

I-71

No delays, no incidents reported

I-76

No delays, no incidents reported

Construction:
• Medina County: Eastbound down to ONE LANE from S.R. 57 to Medina/Summit county line through Sept. 2013

I-77

No delays, no incidents reported

I-80 (Ohio Turnpike)

No delays, no incidents reported

I-90

No delays, no incidents reported

Construction:
• Ashtabula County: Various LANE RESTRICTIONS eastbound and westbound east of S.R. 84 (Conneaut River bridge) to PA state line until Oct. 2013
• Lorain County: Down to TWO LANES EB & WB, east of S.R. 57 through Nov. 2013
• Avon/Westlake: Down to TWO LANES EB, from S.R. 83 to Crocker/Bassett roads

I-271

No delays, no incidents reported

I-480

No delays, no incidents reported

S.R. 2

No delays, no incidents reported

S.R. 176 (Jennings Freeway)

No delays, no incidents reported

U.S. 422

• Bainbridge: LEFT LANE BLOKED due to accident WB at Rt 306

Downtown Cleveland

No delays, no incidents reported

Construction:
• EASTBOUND TRAFFIC ONLY on Cedar Ave. from E. 89th St. to MLK Jr. Dr.; westbound traffic detours to Carnegie Ave. until June 2014
• E. 21st St. on ramp to I-77 SB CLOSED until both Innerbelt Bridges are completed (approx. 2016)
• Ontario St. on ramp to Innerbelt south/west CLOSED until late July 2013
• Abbey Ave. exit from Innerbelt south/west CLOSED until late 2013

Akron Central Interchange

No delays, no incidents reported

Other Construction Notes

• Macedonia: Highland Rd. EB/WB CLOSED west of Roll And Hold Pkwy. for work on railroad tracks though mid-Oct. 2013
• Avon: Nagle Rd. CLOSED NB/SB on I-90 overpass for new interchange construction through Sept. 2013
• Mentor: Heisley Rd. (S.R. 44) CLOSED over S.R. 2 through mid-Oct. 2013; expect periodic daily LANE CLOSURES on S.R. 2 under Heisley Rd. during off-peak travel hours

 

WKYC-TV

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Raw video: Russia meteor strike injures hundreds

MOSCOW -- A meteor streaked across the sky above Russia's Ural Mountains on Friday morning, causing sharp explosions and injuring more than 400 people, many of them hurt by broken glass.

Fragments of the meteor fell in a thinly populated area of the Chelyabinsk region, the Emergency Ministry said in a statement.

Interior Ministry spokesman Vadim Kolesnikov said more than 400 people had sought medical treatment after the blasts, and at least three had been hospitalized in serious condition. Many of the injuries were from glass broken by the explosions.

Some of those injuries were reportedly at a school in a thinly populated part of the region, which is on the eastern edge of the Ural Mountains.

NBCNews.com has collected several videos and other images from the area, as well as foreign news outlets like RT.

The Associated Press

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6 Instant Valentine's Day gifts under $30

CLEVELAND -- Finding that perfect Valentine's Day gift on the big day itself, while steering clear of markups is no easy feat. Luckily, this top 6 list is jam-packed with coupons to make today or date night more memorable.

Looking for more deals? CLICK HERE to follow me on Twitter.

A Morning Treat, Surprise Him/Her at Work/School:

50% off Starbucks Chocolate Treats printable coupon

**Submitted by Ways 2 Save Offers.com Community Member "Catlover" - Thanks - We love you!

Get Super Personal And Skip That Generic Card:

25% off Personalized Valentine's Day Cards + free same-day pickup (CVS)

Coupon code: CARD25

A Gift To Last Through Next Valentine's Day:

Up to 66% off magazine subscription sale -- starting at $3.99

**Pick up a magazine today and wrap it, mention the subscription is on the way and you'll look very thoughtful

A Year-Round Reminder:

Up to 30% off fragrance gift sets + free store pickup (Sears)

Rare Price Drop With Same Day Pickup:

50% off Craftsman 18-volt drill + free store pickup

Was: $59.98
Now: $29.97

*Lowest price since Black Friday

Make That Perfect Photo More Festive:

33% off Valentine's photo gifts + same day pickup (Walgreens)

Coupon code: 33today

Ready For Date Night:

10% off Regal Cinemas $25 e-gift card

WKYC-TV

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