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The 47th Bank of America Chicago Marathon, held on October 12, 2025, featured 55,000 runners from around the world. An...

LONDON, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is dead and two others were taken to a hospital Thursday from a house fire in Madison County.

According to the Pleasant Township Fire Department, it was alerted about 11:15 a.m. to a house fire and explosion on Pringle-Benjamin Road, which is off of State Route 665 between London and Grove City.

Petition seeks to remove 8-year-old’s cold case homicide from Fayette County

Chief David Whiting said the house was heavily involved in a fire upon the arrival of firefighters, made worse by winds that prevented them from attempting to get inside and conduct a search.

A passerby who arrived before firefighters noticed a person trapped and attempted to break a window to help them get out, injuring themselves in the process. That passerby was taken to a hospital, as was one person from inside the house who got out. The person who died was inside the house.

• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (COURTESY PLEASANT HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT)
• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (COURTESY PLEASANT HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT)
• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (NBC4)
• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (COURTESY PLEASANT HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT)
• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (NBC4)
• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (NBC4)
• 
• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (COURTESY PLEASANT HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT)
• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (COURTESY PLEASANT HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT)
• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (COURTESY PLEASANT HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT)
• A house fire in Madison County, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025, left one dead and injured two. (COURTESY PLEASANT HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT)

The identities of the victims have yet to be released.

Multiple nearby fire departments responded to a call for assistance. Whiting said debris in the yard made it seem likely that an explosion was part of the fire.

An investigation into its cause is underway.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) riders can expect major delays and reroutes Sunday during the Columbus Marathon.

About 17 COTA lines will be rerouted during the morning and afternoon. Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22, 31, 102, CMAX, and Zoo Bus will all be impacted.

According to a news release, nearly all Downtown stops and more than 800 stops in surrounding areas will be closed. Stops in Downtown Columbus, Bexley, North Bank, Arena District, Short North, Victorian Village, Ohio State, Grandview Heights and Upper Arlington will be affected.

Road closures announced for the Columbus Marathon and related events this weekend

Downtown transit transfer points will be located on Spring Street and Long Street, near the Fourth Street intersection. Transportation street supervisors will be on duty to assist riders.

All reroutes will end after the marathon during the midafternoon.

AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin ANS-289
October 16, 2025

In this edition:

• AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting Livestream Available

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting Livestream Available

The 2025 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting begins at 1:00pm MST / 2000 UTC on October 17, 2025. A livestream will be made available of the presentations on AMSAT’s YouTube channel.

Day 1 will be streamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAC9_Uh2ys4

Day 2 will be streamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0K9cHCz9Fw

The schedule of presentations is below:

Friday, October 17*

Start Speaker Topic 1:00 PM Introduction/Announcements 1:05 PM AMSAT President Welcome 1:15 PM Cameron Castillo, KJ7ILB ASCENT Team Propulsion 1:45 PM Jim McCullers, WA4CWI Oscar to OsTrax 2:15 PM Andrew Robinson, KA3WDW FoxPlus Mechanical Layout & Design 3:00 PM Heimir Thor Sverrisson, W1ANT Extending Command and Control for GOLF 3:30 PM Frank Bauer, KA3HDO ARISS 4:00 PM Frank Karnauskas, N1UW Youth Initiative 4:30 PM Jim White, WD0E ARDC

 

Saturday, October 18*

 

Start Speaker Topic 8:00 AM Alan Johnston, KU2Y CubeSatSim Update & Demonstration 9:00 AM Agastya Bose, KJ5MSH CubeSatSim 9:15 AM Larry Ryan, W7DGP CubeSatSim 9:30 AM Frederic Raab, KK6NOW Bridging Orbit and Classroom: SatNOGS/CubeSatSim 10:15 AM Burns Fisher, WB1FJ Telemetry for FoxPlus & GOLF CubeSats 10:45 AM Burns Fisher, WB1FJ A New Use for Fox & MESAT-1 Whole Orbit Data Algorithm 11:15 AM Kipton Moravec, AE5IB GOLF-TEE Electrical Power Supply (EPS) 1:00 PM Jerry Buxton, N0JY Engineering / GOLF-TEE Update 2:00 PM Mike Moore, K4MVM FoxPlus Update 2:30 PM AMSAT President Annual General Meeting

* All times are Mountain Standard Time (UTC-7). Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time.

[ANS thanks the AMSAT Symposium Team for the above information]

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

• Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
• Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.
• Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
• Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Contributing Editor,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm [at] arrl.net

ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio congressman is responding after a swastika was spotted in his Washington, D.C. office.

Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) called the incident vandalism and said Capitol Police were called to investigate. Taylor represents Ohio's second congressional district, which includes Pickaway, Ross and Pike counties.

POLITICO released an image it obtained from a virtual meeting, which shows an American flag pinned to a desk with the red stripes in the middle altered to make the shape of a swastika.

Columbus church sells to Nationwide Children’s for $7.3 million, but isn’t moving yet

"I am aware of an image that appears to depict a vile and deeply inappropriate symbol near an employee in my office," Taylor said in a statement. "The content of that image does not reflect the values or standards of this office, my staff, or myself, and I condemn it in the strongest terms."

Taylor said no further comment would be made while the incident remains under investigation.

The image was revealed one day after the outlet reported on a group chat where Young Republican leaders praised Hitler. The group also included remarks about the Holocaust, other racist language, and suggestions that their political opponents be put in gas chambers, according to POLITICO.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Thursday will be a very special night for Columbus Blue Jackets fans as the team honors one of its greatest players.

Cam Atkinson, 36, will be honored before Columbus' game against the Colorado Avalanche after he signed a one-day contract so he can retire with the team he spent ten seasons with. He and Blue Jackets president of hockey operations and general manager Don Waddell spoke with media members Thursday afternoon. You can watch Atkinson's retirement speech and more in the video player above.

He thanked everyone involved in his career from his parents, wife, three children, and of course the Blue Jackets family. "It was so special to be a Blue Jacket and obviously to play in front of the 5th line," said Atkinson. "They are a special group through the ups and the downs. Just happy to be able to call this place home."

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Atkinson first appeared for the Blue Jackets during the 2011-12 season. In 627 games, Atkinson scored 213 goals (second only to Rick Nash), and provided 189 assists (fifth in the team’s history) to amass 402 points. He was named an all-star in the 2017 and 2019 seasons.

Atkinson was instrumental in leading the Jackets to the Eastern Conference semifinals in the 2019 season, scoring two goals and notching six assists in 10 postseason games. During that playoff run was the Blue Jackets historic sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round and Atkinson shared his fond memories of completing the historic upset.

"There were so many different moments from that," said Atkinson. "It was special to be a part of but the city, the organization, the fans, they deserve it more than anyone."

The Blue Jackets traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2021 and, after two seasons, he appeared in 39 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2024-25 season.

Atkinson is among six Blue Jackets on the team’s quarter-century team announced in January by the NHL, alongside Nash, Sergei Bobrovsky, Zach Werenski, Seth Jones and Artemi Panarin.

He also mentioned that he will be the first Columbus player to wear No. 13 when he takes the ice Thursday since Johnny Gaudreau was killed. "I will be thinking about him and his family as I take my final lap tonight," said Atkinson.

Atkinson said he hopes to one day work for the Blue Jackets in the front office but Waddell said he gave him the advice of spending time with family before taking that step. He will live in Columbus with his family and devote more time to the Battery Hockey Academy in Plain City.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After more than a decade serving shoppers in the Short North Arts District, a locally-owned boutique is closing its door for good this month.

Happy Go Lucky at 787 N. High St. announced the closure in a social media post on Oct. 1, citing its retirement after 14 years in business. "Dear friends, the time has come," the post read. "After 14 unforgettable years in the Short North, Happy Go Lucky will officially retire and close its door on Oct. 31."

• Happy Go Lucky at 787 N. High St. is closing on Oct. 31. (Courtesy Photo/Happy Go Lucky)
• Happy Go Lucky at 787 N. High St. is closing on Oct. 31. (Courtesy Photo/Happy Go Lucky)
• Happy Go Lucky at 787 N. High St. is closing on Oct. 31. (Courtesy Photo/Happy Go Lucky)

The shop, known for its eclectic selection of clothing, accessories and home goods, launched a farewell sale the same day as its announcement. Everything in the store is currently marked 70% off, with all sales final. "Quantities are very limited, so if you've had your eye on something, now is the time. Once it's gone, it's gone," the post said.

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While no specific reason for the closure was given, the owners expressed gratitude to their customers and the Short North community. "Most importantly, we want to say thank you. Thank you for the laughter, the love and countless memories you've shared with [us] through the years," the post said. "This community has been our heart, and we couldn't be more grateful."

Happy Go Lucky hours through October are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

"Come see us one last time," the post said. "Share a hug, snag a treasure and celebrate 14 beautiful years together."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - Meet Jabarkus! He is available at the Franklin County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center.

Jabarkus is a one-year-old Pitbull mix and has been with the shelter since September. Shelter staff say Jabarkus started out as shy but has been doing really well. He has tested positive for heartworm, so the shelter is looking for a medical foster.

Jabarkus (Courtesy: Franklin County Dog Shelter) Study: Ohio ranks among best states for trick-or-treating

Once he has been treated, you can either adopt him or be a long-term foster. Staff say that Jabarkus would be best if he were the only pet in the house. He loves to cuddle and is described as a super friendly and gentle couch potato with bursts of energy.

Jabarkus knows "sit" and is said to be house broken as well. If you are interested in Jabarkus, you can visit him at the shelter, located at 4340 Tamarack Blvd. in Columbus. For the full list of adoptable dogs, visit the shelter's website.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Fall fun continues in central Ohio this October with some of the area's top signature events, Halloween-themed experiences and community celebrations.

Seasonal favorites include the Circleville Pumpkin Show marking its 118th year downtown with parades, giant gourds and plenty of pumpkin treats, while Pumpkins Aglow transforms Franklin Park Conservatory into a glowing wonderland of hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns.

For those seeking a scare or a laugh, “The Rocky Horror Show” returns to the Short North Stage, and the Ohio Statehouse Haunted Tours invite guests to explore the Capitol’s eerie past. Adults and teens can also join Halloween at Thurber House for a murder mystery, games and ghostly fun.

In New Albany, the Diwali festival brings light, music and fireworks, and the Library Concert Series at the Hilliard Branch offers a relaxing, family-friendly afternoon of live music. Dog lovers can head to Dublin for the Running of the Bullies supporting Buckeye Bulldog Rescue.

Columbus Crew fans can cheer on the team in their final regular-season home match.

The weekend caps off with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon in its 45th year and the 1/2 Marathon in its 19th year, drawing thousands of runners and supporters downtown.

Circleville Pumpkin Show

Downtown Circleville, 159 E. Franklin St., open daily until Saturday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• The Circleville Pumpkin Show, sometimes referred to as “The Greatest Free Show on Earth,” will run for its 118th season. Held in the heart of Circleville’s downtown, the show offers a selection of baked goods, live entertainment, parades, amusement rides and more. The show kicks off with area pumpkin growers vying for the coveted Giant Pumpkin Trophy. More than 100,000 pounds of pumpkins, squash and gourds are featured in a large street display. Admission is free.

Pumpkins Aglow

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Wednesday through Sunday until Nov. 2
• More than 700 hand-carved glowing pumpkins light up Franklin Park Conservatory during its sixth annual Pumpkins Aglow event. A family-friendly festival that is spooky, but not scary, features themed displays, including pirates, creepy-crawly spiders, dancing skeletons and even aliens landing among the leaves. Nightly roaming entertainment, food trucks, a bar with specialty cocktails, a glass pumpkin pop-up shop, crafts and more. Open hours are 5 to 9 p.m. nightly, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m. Tickets range from $17.33 to $30.45, including the city's culture fee; check for member discounts.

(Courtesy Photo/Franklin Park Conservatory) The Rocky Horror Show

Short North Stage at the Garden Theater, Thursdays through Sundays until Nov. 1, showtimes vary
• Back for its eighth year, buckle up for a wild ride through the twisted, tantalizing world of “The Rocky Horror Show.” When straight-laced couple Brad and Janet's car breaks down, they find themselves at the mercy of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a mad scientist with a flair for the dramatic and a penchant for creating life. The audience will rock out to “Time Warp,” the ultimate party anthem.  Rated R. Tickets range from $43.35 to $92.75, including fees. Student rush tickets are available at the door two hours before showtime for $20.

Ohio Statehouse Haunted Tours

Ohio Statehouse, Fridays and Saturdays until Oct. 25
• Guests step into the dark and historic hallways of the Ohio Statehouse and take a glimpse at figures from the past, following conductors through its hallways and chambers. The lantern-lit tours are offered every half hour between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. This spooky historical tour is a ticketed event and appropriate for children 12 and older. Affordable event parking is available in the Statehouse underground garage. Tickets for adults are $16 and children ages 12 to 17 are $8. 

Ohio Statehouse (Adobe Stock) Buckeye Bulldog Rescue — Running of the Bullies

Scioto North Park, 7377 Riverside Dr., Dublin, Oct. 18, 9 a.m.

• Dog lovers can take part of one of the most fun, bulldog-celebrating events of the year. All types of dogs are welcome, but the bulldog race will be limited to English and French bulldog participants only. Participants must register one human per dog. Registration begins at 9 a.m. the Bulldog Derby anticipated start time is 10:30 a.m., no same day registrations will be accepted this year.

(Courtesy Photo/ Running of the Bullies) Columbus Crew vs. New York Red Bulls

Lower.com Field, Saturday, Oct. 18, kickoff 6 p.m.
• Columbus Crew is set to host New York Red Bulls for the last regular-season home match. The first 10,000 fans will receive a wearable flag courtesy of Cenovus. Tickets start at $45.98.
• 3:30 p.m.: Happy Hour at the Chase Plaza and Condado Tacos begins
• 4:30 p.m.: Lower.com Field Gates Open
• 6 p.m.: Match Kickoff
• Halftime Performance: Jady

Celebrate Diwali

Charleen & Charles Hinson Amphitheater, Saturday, Oct. 18, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• The New Albany 2025 Diwali Celebration will take place at the Hinson Amphitheater. This “Festival of Lights” symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. The free event is open to the entire community and will include music, dancing, food and fireworks. Fireworks are scheduled to start at approximately 7:20 p.m. Organizers suggest bringing a chair and a reusable water bottle.

Halloween at Thurber House (Adults/Teens 15+)

Thurber Center, Saturday, Oct. 18, 5 to 9 p.m.
• Thurber House will host a murder mystery and a spooky social with mini pumpkin and gourd painting, games, sweet treats, a ghost raffle and more festive activities. Attendees can register online for the event and pick a time slot to solve the murder mystery. Teens must be accompanied by an adult. General admission is $35 and student discount tickets are $25.

Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon

Downtown Columbus, North Bank Park, Sunday, Oct. 19
• Each year, thousands of athletes gather in Columbus for a day celebrating health and wellness, personal victories, record-breaking performances and of course, the children helped by Nationwide Children's Hospital. The Columbus Marathon began in 1980; the 1/2 Marathon was added in 2006. Both the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon events are sold out for 2025, however the races feature a spectator-friendly course.
• 6 a.m.: Corrals Open
• 7:25 a.m.: Wheelchair Division Start
• 7:30 a.m.: Marathon Start

Runners leave the starting line for the 2022 Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 16. Library Concert series

Columbus Metropolitan Library, Hilliard Branch, Oct. 19, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• A fun-filled, family-friendly afternoon of music. Enjoy the sounds of a string quartet from ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. The event is free and appropriate for all ages.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – As Ohio State heads to Wisconsin for a game Saturday, center Carson Hinzman will be returning home.

Normally, fans won’t hear his name called during games, which is exactly what he wants.

“Every birthday, my mom would paint something on the windows, and she’d paint Bucky Badger ... and we'd do dress up," Hinzman said. "And I'd dress up as a Wisconsin Badgers fan. My whole life, I always carried around a Wisconsin lunch pail, like until I graduated high school. I mean, everything I had was Badgers my whole life.”

Coach Ryan Day spoke highly of the Wisconsin transplant.

“He's become an excellent football player, and ... he's playing with great confidence,” Day said. “He keeps everybody together up front. And, you know, I thought he's held some of the environments he played in well so far. We're going to need him here. I know he's excited to go back to his home state and play well.”

Hinzman said he’s 1-1 at Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium, with a win two years ago as a Buckeye and then a loss in a high school state championship game.

He also tried to commit to Wisconsin, but he called late at night. No one answered and then, by the next day, when the call was returned, he felt different and ended up at Ohio State.  

INJURY REPORT: There’s good news for the Ohio State defense as Lorenzo Styles and Eddrick Houston work their way back onto the field. Day said they’re ready to go. Both players were out this past week against Illinois. Styles starts at nickelback, and Houston rotates up front on the line.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A recently released report ranked the best institutions of higher education in Ohio and across the country. 

The personal finance company WalletHub compared 791 U.S. colleges and universities to determine the best, based on 30 metrics, including graduation rates, student loan debt, on-campus crime and post-attendance median salary. 

Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland ranked as the top higher education institution in Ohio and placed at No. 56 nationally. In the state, the university boasted the best post-attendance median salary, the second-highest graduation rate and had the most gender and racial diversity. 

Southwest Licking hopes to build school with $95 million bond issue

Central Ohio colleges that made the state’s top 10 include Kenyon College at No. 2 (ranked at No. 94 nationally), Denison University at No. 4 (No. 103 nationally), Ohio State University’s main campus at No. 5 (No. 113 nationally) and Ohio Wesleyan University at No. 7 (No. 156 nationally).

The full list of Ohio’s top 10 includes:

1. Case Western Reserve University
2. Kenyon College 
3. Oberlin College (No. 99 nationally)
4. Denison University
5. Ohio State University 
6. The College of Wooster (No. 130 nationally)
7. Ohio Wesleyan University
8. Ohio Northern University (No. 166 nationally)
9. Cedarville University (No. 205 nationally)
10. University of Dayton (No. 226 nationally)

The top 10 colleges and universities in the country were:

1. Princeton University in New Jersey
2. Harvard University in Massachusetts
3. Yale University in Connecticut
4. Dartmouth College in New Hampshire
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
6. California Institute of Technology 
7. Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania
8. Williams College in Massachusetts
9. Rice University in Texas
10. Northwestern University in Illinois

WalletHub’s full report can be found here.

PATASKALA, Ohio (WCMH) -- Southwest Licking Schools are trying again at the ballot to fund facility expansions after a similar bond issue failed in May.

Southwest Licking is asking for a 3.48 mills bond issue to fund a new fifth- and sixth-grade building, and to add a new wing and parking to Watkins Memorial High School. Unlike the 4.2 mills bond issue that failed in May, November's request does not include funding for an athletic center. If approved, the bond issue would generate $95,335,00 for the schools.

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"These projects will allow the district to accommodate projected peak enrollment and ensure students have the space and facilities needed for learning well into the future," Southwest Licking Superintendent Kasey Perkins said.

Southwest Licking said the expanded facilities are needed to address rising enrollment. The district's current facilities have a capacity of 5,200, but enrollment projections expect to surpass that by the 2032-2033 school year. With the expansions, building capacity would grow to around 6,800 or 6,900, the district said.

In May, district plans also included a new training facility, which would have been built in partnership with the YMCA. When 68% of taxpayers voted against the bond issue, the district changed courses for its new request. See previous coverage of May's bond issue in the video player above.

Voters told NBC4 that the request was too expensive and may not be needed. Southwest Licking built new facilities in 2017, and voters asked the district why the new buildings are already too small.

The district said its 2017 facilities project was done with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, which helped cover costs. Southwest Licking administrators said that despite requests to use district enrollment projections, the state used its own, which demonstrated less need. The 2017 collaboration is also stopping the district from renovating its former middle school, as the OFCC agreement guaranteed its demolition.

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On social media, people asked the district to stop allowing new residential developments if there are enrollment concerns. Perkins said there are 27 residential developments within district boundaries, driving growth. Southwest Licking reminded voters that school districts do not have the opportunity to approve or deny residential developments or property tax breaks for big projects.

"Those decisions rest solely with local governmental entities," Perkins said. "As growth continues, it is the district’s responsibility to find ways to educate all students who reside within its boundaries."

Other schools have faced similar concerns where developments do not have to pay property taxes but increase district enrollment. A governor-appointed group tasked with suggesting property tax relief recommended requiring school approval for large development projects in district boundaries. However, the law has not changed.

The district's planned middle school would host 1,200 students. The academic wing expansion at Watkins Memorial would raise the high school's capacity to 1,700, 500 students more than its current capacity. Southwest Licking said the project will also expand parking around the high school to ease congestion.

The district said it will cost taxpayers $10.16 per month for every $100,000 of their home value, or $121.92 per $100,000 annually. Early voting is already open, and taxpayers can vote in person on Nov. 4.

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A petition with more than 1,800 signatures aims to transfer the investigation into an 8-year-old girl’s homicide out of Fayette County, as organizers allege “conflicts of interest” and “mishandlings” have stalled the case.

In April 2006, Mackenzie Branham died in a fire at her mother’s residence in Jeffersonville, which the mother shared with her live-in boyfriend. The Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office ruled the blaze was arson, and the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office discovered male DNA on Mackenzie’s body, indicating she was sexually assaulted before her death.

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Over the 19 years since the homicide, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office has had investigative authority over the case, but not without controversy. The latest pushback against the office comes in the form of a petition attempting to reassign the investigation to a new agency.

“We're not gonna stop what we're doing,” said Donald Branham, Mackenzie’s father, who supports the petition's effort. "My daughter deserves this. She surely didn't deserve to be set on fire and raped that night and there is somebody out there accountable for it.”

The petition was created on Oct. 9 by Shawn Wilson, a friend of Donald’s, and Melissa Sandberg, a cold case podcaster investigating Mackenzie’s homicide. Wilson also created a petition to suspend Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth over the investigation in 2018, which Donald said reached about 200 signatures. See NBC4’s previous coverage in the video player above. 

Sandberg and Donald pointed to multiple incidents as reasons for the effort, including the fact that the sheriff’s office did not obtain the results of Mackenzie’s rape kit until 2012, about six years after it was administered. Additionally, a now-deceased sergeant who was seen at the scene of the fire was the brother-in-law of Mackenzie’s mother’s boyfriend, which the pair have called a conflict of interest. 

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“They did the [rape] kit and then that test result sat for six years,” Sandberg said. “They were found by mistake when Donald started his investigation. So to me that right there shows incompetence.”

However, Stanforth told NBC4 his office has worked “diligently” on the case since the beginning. He said the sexual assault kit – which rendered a “poor quality” DNA sample that has not produced a suspect – may have been misplaced by Montgomery County resulting in the delay, but his office never got a full answer on what happened. Stanforth also claimed the brother-in-law was never allowed access to any investigative materials and that the case was not discussed in his presence. Stanforth did, however, admit he may have been at the scene, as “dozens and dozens of people” were. 

“I've lived this case for 19 years as a sheriff,” he said. “That's nothing compared to what the families had to go through. … The worst of the tragedies is we have an 8-year-old girl that lost her life.”

Tension over the case escalated when episodes of Sandberg’s podcast, "Dog with a Bone," published earlier this month, containing audio of an interview she conducted with Stanforth. In the recording, Stanforth can be heard saying “we don’t know that” after Sandberg said the girl was sexually abused. He also discussed multiple ways the fire could have started, including the possibility that it was accidental.  

“You have a sheriff who's still 19 years later questioning, do we have a sexual assault and do we have an arson?” Sandberg said. “That's unacceptable to me. If you don't even believe those two things, you're not investigating.”

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“I've never felt so disappointed, so hurt, as a father of a child, that they would even make the comments they made, the sheriff did,” Donald said. 

Stanforth denied disbelieving that Mackenzie was sexually assaulted and said he was trying to convey that they did not know that information in the early days of the investigation, when a pathologist initially found no signs of sexual assault.

“This is the complexity we have, is that one day it wasn't, and six years later, it is,” Stanforth said. “Now we have a very complicated case to be able to prove that it's a sexual assault."

Stanforth also said that since the fire marshal ruled the incident as arson, they have been treating the case as such.

While the petition called for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to intervene and reassign the investigation to a different agency, a spokesperson with the department said it does not have authority to take a case from a local jurisdiction. 

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“I'm sick and tired that all these agencies, all these law enforcement, they can't come into a case unless they're invited in,” Donald said. “I will prove that these agencies that are supposed to protect my child are failing my child, and the only way, probably, to do that is with a lawyer.”

In light of the recent controversy, on Tuesday, Fayette County Prosecutor Jess Weade sent a letter to the Ohio Attorney General’s Special Prosecutor Unit – consisting of seasoned prosecutors who help with local investigations – asking it to review the case and allegations against the sheriff's office.

The Special Prosecutors Unit and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation have reviewed Mackenzie's case in the past and have not found enough evidence to charge anyone, according to Stanforth. He said he is not against outside agencies looking at the case and has welcomed them throughout the investigation. 

“It's not for the public or not for social media to decide who's going to be charged or how they're going to be charged because it's got to be able to be presented to a jury and we have one shot at this,” Stanforth said. 

However, Donald and Sandberg believe there is plenty of evidence for prosecution, and that Sandberg’s digging has uncovered even more. They are continuing to push the Ohio attorney general to investigate the sheriff’s office and exploring options to have the investigation reassigned.

“I've been fighting this for 19 years,” Donald said. “I want it out of this county.”

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (WCMH) -- It's not every day you see pumpkins turned into fine art, but Reynoldsburg resident Deane Arnold has made it his specialty. 

"Art is fun," Arnold said. "Creating is fun. Working with other creatives is fun. It's satisfying. It's rewarding. I hope other people enjoy it as much as I do."

Arnold has been featured on Food Network's “Halloween Wars” and “Outrageous Pumpkins.” He's sculpted for audiences around the world and has also earned a Guinness World Record for the world's largest jack o'lantern. 

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"I'll work on these things for eight, nine, 12 hours," Arnold said. "Sometimes three or four days."

This weekend, Arnold is bringing his talent home for Halloweekend in the BURG. 

"Bringing it back to Reynoldsburg really is special to me because I feel like I neglected my neighbors," Arnold said. "A lot of the kids that really loved it when I started have grown up and now have their own careers."

People will get to watch as he turns ordinary pumpkins into detailed, lifelike sculptures. He said art has always been part of his DNA. 

"When I was small, I remember riding in the back of the car and looking out the window and tracing the outlines of trees and things like that," Arnold said. "Just in my mind I was aware of how things were shaped."

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Arnold's specialty is sculpting faces that seem to come alive. 

"That's just an art form that a lot of people aren't exposed to," Reynoldsburg communications and events director Jennifer Clemens said. 

All of his work is open to the viewers’ imagination. He likes his pumpkins to convey something, but he never wants it to be too obvious.

"You can't quite make out what the pumpkin might be thinking or judging or mocking or whatever," Arnold said. "I like that because it lets the viewer project their own feelings onto it."

Arnold said he starts by taking off the outer rind of the pumpkin to get to the sweet spot for carving. 

"I block in the face," Arnold said. "I go for the large forms first. The eyebrows, the cheekbones, where the mouth is, where the dimples are."

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According to Arnold, it's all about depth and working with each pumpkin's unique shape. 

"It's not drawing," Arnold said. "It's not two-dimensional. You're not just drawing the eyes and the mouth on the surface, you're going around. When you sculpt a mouth, it’s got a bite to it. It goes back."

For Arnold, bringing his art back to Reynoldsburg isn't just about the Halloween spirit -- it's about sharing his creativity with the community that's supported him from the start. 

"I'll never forget the moment that I found him online," Clemens said. "I didn't know of Deane, and we were trying to think about what we could add to this weekend just to do more. It’s been really fun to work with him. He's very creative and we just feel very fortunate that he's a Reynoldsburg resident and we get to highlight him in this way."

Arnold has two Food Network celebrities coming in to help him on Friday. 

Halloweekend in the BURG is on Saturday and Sunday at JFK Park in Reynoldsburg. Arnold encourages people to watch him in action and if you're lucky, you may even get a chance to try sculpting a pumpkin yourself. 

Joel and mumble rpc.

MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WCMH) – There are multiple police and fire levies on the November ballot this year, and one small police department has extra reason to ask for money from taxpayers.

In Mifflin Township, two of their officers are still recovering after being shot at following a traffic stop in May.

The department said it needs additional funds to hire more officers and maintain around-the-clock patrols. Currently, it has one officer patrolling during the day, one in the afternoon, and no coverage at all on Sundays.

Mifflin Township Police Chief David Briggs said the department has had to lean on neighboring agencies just to keep the streets covered, and he said they’re already one of the lowest-paid departments in Franklin County.

"Currently, I'm operating a police department on $768,000 a year, and what that means is we don't have state-of-the-art equipment,” Briggs said. “We have hand-me-downs. We have things that get us by. That's what we're operating on.”

The levy would cost property owners $195 a year for every $100,000 of appraised value. Briggs said the township may have to disband the department.