Good Morning, Cleveland! It's Thursday, June 11th, and here is what you need to know.
Storms leave damage behind in Lorain County
Lorain County was hit hard by high winds and excessive rain. In Amherst, a bowling alley had its siding ripped off by wind. Video from our overnight news tracker found scattering debris across the parking lot. No injuries were reported. We also noticed a number of massive trees down in yards and on homes in Amherst. Over in Lorain, we also spotted a tree on a home and power lines and limbs in the road at the intersection of Cooper Foster Park Road and North Ridge. We have live team coverage tracking all the damage. Mike Holden will be live in Amherst this morning and Tessa DiTirro will be in Lorain. Your transportation reporter Caitlin Hunt will also be driving around Lorain County looking for more damage spots and roads impacted by the storms.
Senior center workers save Parma woman from lottery scam
A Parma woman in her late 90s is safe from losing thousands of dollars after alert workers at a local senior center intervened in an elaborate lottery scam. A bus driver for the Donna Smallwood Activity Center first noticed the woman buying large amounts of gift cards. The next day, when she asked to go to FedEx, staff members checked her package and realized she was caught in a scam. They stopped the shipment and called her family and police. Workers also recovered another $1,000 check. The woman did lose $1,500 in gift cards before staff stepped in. Center leaders say ongoing education from the Cuyahoga County Scam Squad helped them spot the red flags.
U.S. and Iran trade air attacks overnight
The United States and Iran exchanged air attacks overnight, with President Trump vowing to "bomb the shit out of them" if Tehran does not immediately agree to a peace deal. The strikes pose the most serious threat to a fragile ceasefire agreed in April, dampening hopes for a swift end to the war that started in late February. The escalation in hostilities began earlier this week with the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, which sparked a series of tit-for-tat attacks across Iran and on U.S. bases around the region. As the war drags on, Americans are paying the price. Inflation is now surging to an annual rate of 4.2% — its highest level in three years — thanks in part to the spike in gas prices since the war began. Families are now spending an average of nearly $300 more per month for the same goods and services than a year ago.
Corpse flower blooming now at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Cronus the corpse flower is blooming at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, and visitors have a narrow window to witness one of the largest and most pungent flowers in the world. The plant opened Wednesday afternoon, and the bloom is expected to last only about 24 hours. Cronus currently stands 58 inches tall. The zoo is opening early Thursday to give visitors a chance to see the spectacle. Members can enter at 9 a.m., and the zoo opens to all guests at 9:30 a.m.
WATCH THE NEWSCAST BELOW
Your forecast
Visit our News 5 weather page to see today's forecast.
Traffic impact
View our News 5 Traffic Map to see any road closures or delays due to weather or crashes.
