Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State's last game in October now has a start time.

The No. 1 ranked Buckeyes will be heading to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers on Oct. 18 before their bye week in the final week of the month. The game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m.

Each team will be in action for Week 7 as Ohio State looks to stay unbeaten against No. 17 Illinois at noon Saturday while Wisconsin hosts Iowa at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Ohio State heads into Illinois game ranked No. 1 in the country

The Buckeyes have a remarkable 63-18-5 record all-time against the Badgers and have won the last ten meetings. Among those last ten wins include three Big Ten championship games in Indianapolis and three victories at Camp Randall Stadium.

Wisconsin's last win over the Buckeyes came at home in 2010, as the Badgers beat the top-ranked Buckeyes 31-18 behind a 21-point first half.

Remaining 2025 Ohio State football schedule

• Oct. 11: at Illinois, noon
• Oct. 18: at Wisconsin, 3:30 p.m.
• Nov. 1: Penn State
• Nov. 8: at Purdue
• Nov. 15: UCLA
• Nov. 22: Rutgers
• Nov. 29: at Michigan, noon

After winning its opening two games over Miami of Ohio and Middle Tennessee State, Wisconsin enters its home game against Iowa on a three-game losing streak. The Badgers lost by double-digits to Alabama, Maryland, and Michigan and still have to play Oregon, Indiana, and Illinois after playing the Buckeyes.

NBC4's coverage of college football will continue for Week 8 when No. 16 Notre Dame hosts USC at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 18. This week's primetime game on NBC4 also features USC as it hosts No. 15 Michigan. Coverage begins on Saturday at 7 p.m.

GROVE CITY, Ohio (WCMH) -- Southern comfort cooking is headed to Grove City.

Broadway Standard is bringing home cooking with "Southern charm" to 3911 Broadway. The shop comes from Grove City natives and a former Nashville restaurant manager, and it embraces Southern classics. Broadway Standard has not announced an opening date but said it's hoping for late November.

Owned by Standard Restaurant Group, whose chief operating officer spent more than a decade in food service in Oklahoma and Nashville, those behind the restaurant are excited to return to "our hometown Grove City."

The group's mission is "People are better off for being here," and the restaurant hopes to embrace that with complimentary inclusions. Broadway Standard's menu lists meals that come with complimentary fritters and two sides. The restaurant even offers free desserts with every meal, which will change with seasonal offerings.

"Here at Broadway Standards we feel that NO meal is complete without dessert so please choose one on us!" the menu reads.

Classic Southern breakfast offerings include chicken and waffles, a biscuit flight, flapjacks and Tennessee hoe cakes. For lunch, Broadway Standard features fried catfish, fried green tomatoes, sandwiches and country fried steak.

According to site plans, Broadway Standard will have a 40-person patio and a 70-person indoor space. It is replacing the former Pontones Music stone.

Site plans show Broadway Standard will initially serve a "hardy elevated Southern breakfast and lunch menu" from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Eventually, the restaurant hopes to extend its hours to 9 p.m. to offer dinner and drinks.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A 38-year-old man appeared in court Monday morning after being arrested Sunday and charged with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of another man in a west Columbus neighborhood.

Marqwan Foster had an arraignment hearing in Franklin County Municipal Court and received a $500,000 bond. His next court appearance is set for Oct. 15 for a preliminary hearing.

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A police dispatcher said that officers were called to the 100 block of Hayden Avenue in Franklinton just after 12:30 a.m. Sunday on reports of a shooting. According to police, O'Shay White-Foster, 29, and Foster allegedly attacked a third man. Police said that victim defended himself against White-Foster and Foster, resulting in the shooting.

White-Foster was taken to a local hospital for treatment and was pronounced dead at 2:48 a.m.

According to police, Marqwan Foster sought out treatment for a gunshot wound and was charged with involuntary manslaughter. The man police said shot White-Foster in self-defense is cooperating.

GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) – A Biggby Coffee location may be coming to a vacant site in Gahanna. 

The city’s planning commission on Sept. 24 unanimously approved a proposal to construct a Biggby Coffee at 348 Granville St. The property sits directly next to a Dairy Queen.

The plan calls for a 445-square-foot building with a drive-thru and walk-up window, but no indoor seating. The coffee shop would also offer eight parking spaces. 

A rendering of the proposed Biggby Coffee in Gahanna. (Photo courtesy/City of Gahanna)

The city is reviewing building permits for the coffee shop, according to Gahanna communications manager Dan Pearlman. NBC4 reached out to Biggby Coffee to inquire about the project's timeline but has not yet heard back.

The franchise-based chain serves a variety of iced, hot and frozen coffee beverages, along with tea lattes, hot chocolate, smoothies and energy drinks called “BIGGBY Blasts.” It also offers food, including bagel sandwiches, dubbed “bragels,” donut holes, muffins and cookies. 

The planned shop would join a Biggby Coffee that opened in May in the parking lot of a Meijer in northeast Columbus near Gahanna. The chain has four other central Ohio locations, including one in Lewis Center and one in west Columbus, as well as two in Marysville, according to its website. 

The brand’s website says it has more than 50 locations across Ohio, but does not provide an exact number. Founded in 1995, Michigan-based Biggby Coffee is a chain with about 430 locations across 13 U.S. states. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohioans will return to the polls this fall to cast their ballots in the November general election, and voting is about to start.

Early in-person and absentee voting will begin for the Nov. 4 election on Tuesday and will continue until Nov. 3. If you need to register to vote, you must do so by 9 p.m. Monday.

Voters can update their registration online here, where you must provide your Ohio driver's license number, address, and last four digits of your social security number. You can also register in person at your county's board of elections office until 9 p.m.

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Those who wish to vote with an absentee ballot can find the application here, which must be submitted by Oct. 28. Once you receive your absentee mail-in ballot, it must be postmarked by Nov. 3 or returned in person to your county board of elections on election day by 7:30 p.m. for the votes to count.

Central Ohioans will have multiple opportunities to vote early in-person at their local county board of elections office. Here is the schedule for early voting:

• Oct. 7-10: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Oct. 14-17: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Oct. 20-24: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Oct. 27: 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Oct. 28: 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
• Oct. 29-31: 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Nov. 1: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Nov. 2: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

You can find your sample ballot here, and you can look for your Nov. 4 polling location here.

NBC4 will be your Local Election Headquarters this fall with more than 600 races being decided in November across central Ohio. Among these races include seats for city council in Columbus, Hilliard, Whitehall, Dublin, and more, along with multiple school levies, Columbus bond levies, school board of education seats, and much more.

This election will not have any statewide ballot issues or races.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Bring Me The Horizon was announced Monday as the second headliner for Sonic Temple.

The Grammy-nominated band, formed in Sheffield, England, in 2004, will join My Chemical Romance as headliners for the music festival. Watch previous coverage in the player above.

In addition to Bring Me The Horizon, Motionless in White and Amira Elfeky have also been announced.

The festival takes place from May 14 to May 17 at Historic Crew Stadium. Tickets are on sale now. The daily schedule of performances will be announced at a later time.

Fall colors slowly peeking out in early October Full Sonic Temple lineup (as of Oct. 6)

In alphabetical order. Headliners in bold.

• Amira Elfeky
• Atreyu
• Attila
• Behemoth
• Black Label Society
• Bloodywood
• Brand of Sacrifice
• Bring Me The Horizon
• Cattle Decapitation
• Chelsea Grin
• Chiodos
• Coheed and Cambria
• Conquer Divide
• Cradle of Filth
• Dance Gavin Dance
• Dethklok
• Disembodied Tyrant
• Dying Fetus
• Electric Callboy
• Hawthorne Heights
• Lorna Shore
• Make Them Suffer
• Motionless in White
• My Chemical Romance
• Nekrogoblikon
• Paleface Swiss
• P.O.D.
• The Plot in You
• Saliva
• Senses Fail
• Sevendust
• Soil
• Stone Temple Pilots
• Suffocation
• We Came as Romans

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Supporters of a recent Ohio Statehouse bill say that recognizing "Natural Family Month" would highlight the role of married mothers and fathers in raising children, and help reverse what they see as decades of damage to the nuclear family.

House Bill 262, which would designate the weeks between Mother's Day and Father's Day as "Natural Family Month," received a proponent hearing on Sept. 30 in the Ohio House Community Revitalization Committee. Introduced in May by Reps. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) and Beth Lear (R-Galena), the bill proposes a symbolic recognition of what the legislation calls "natural families": married heterosexual couples raising biological or adopted children.

Ohio bill would require fetal development videos to be shown in schools annually

"There is only one biological way, one natural way to have a child, and that's a man and woman laying down and producing an offspring," Williams said in a NBC4 interview. "We want to make sure that we incentivize, that we encourage them to stay in a family unit and raise a child together."

Williams described H.B. 262 as part of a broader "family first agenda" from his office that includes legislation focused on promoting marriage, parenting and childbirth.

"We want Ohio to be a place where people want to … get married, plant their roots right here in Ohio, and raise a family with a good career where they can earn an honest living and chase the American dream like I had the opportunity to do so," he said.

Linda Harvey, president of Mission America and a board member of the Protect Ohio Children coalition, framed the bill as a way to reaffirm societal support for both motherhood and fatherhood, especially as some companies have recently offered customers the option to opt out of Mother's Day promotions.

"We need to get beyond our own issues and continue to support motherhood and fatherhood and in fact, the mother and father family as well," Harvey said. "Children thrive when they see committed parents of the opposite sex love each other and support each other. This in turn provides emotional stability and accelerates maturity."

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Harvey cited research that she said shows children raised by married mothers and fathers are less likely to drop out of school or be incarcerated. She also criticized what she called "adult-centered" thinking among those who object to celebrating parental roles.

"The intentional denial of one or the other of a child's biological parents creates a gap that may never be filled," she said. "Moms provide identity and emotional capacity, while dads foster social and relational capacity."

Ryan Folz, a legislative liaison for the Center for Christian Virtue, said the designation would send a "symbolic message" about Ohio's values. "H.B. 262 is a simple extension of that practice, but it is also one of the most important symbolic acts this body can take," Folz told the committee.

"Research consistently shows that when families are strong, communities are strong," he said, citing data from the U.S. Census Bureau and his organization's work with the Institute for Family Studies. "Across all races, the child poverty rate for children raised by single mothers in our state is 45% … [compared to] only 7% ... for children raised by married families."

Folz also noted that the bill would cost nothing to implement and require no government programs. "It simply affirms that the natural family -- children being raised by their biological married mother and father -- should be celebrated," he said.

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Marriage counselor Gary Lankford echoed those sentiments, calling the proposal "modest" and "completely uncontroversial."

"No laws have been proposed. No taxes will be collected. There is no required participation," Lankford testified. "It is a modest proposal. But it may bring a tremendous benefit to all Ohioans."

Lankford suggested the designation could inspire community groups to promote stronger marriages. "Perhaps they will support these marriages through the most difficult experiences and challenges of marriage: the differences, the conflicts, the intense emotions, the crushing disappointments, and the unexpected tragedies of life."

He also responded to critics of the bill, referencing opposition testimony that described H.B. 262 as "cruel" and "anti-LGBTQ+." "Certainly pro-family individuals and groups will cheer this effort. Who will oppose it? Is anyone really 'anti-family?'" Lankford said.

Opponents of the bill have argued that it excludes single-parent and LGBTQ+ families and that it aligns with a broader national trend of socially conservative legislation. In May, Equality Ohio executive director Dwayne Steward called the bill "a calculated act of strategic erasure."

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"It not only invalidates the existence of single parents and countless other caregivers, but it takes direct aim at LGBTQ+ families," Steward said. "The group pushing this legislation has made their ideology clear: if you're not a heterosexual, monogamous couple with children -- led by a biological male from the family lineage -- you don't count as a family at all. As an adoptive parent myself, I feel this erasure personally."

Asked about those criticisms, Williams said the bill is not meant to exclude any group. "Just because we include one group, doesn't mean we exclude the other groups," he said. "When we celebrate Mother's Day, we don't discriminate against fathers. When we celebrate Father's Day, we don't discriminate against mothers."

Williams emphasized his belief in promoting what he sees as the best structure for raising children. "We have to offset decades of damage that we did to our family units," he said. "That is the best family structure, and we've seen the studies that show it."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The gas price swings in central Ohio remain in full effect with another increase that followed a big drop from the previous week.

According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in and around Columbus, Ohio, gas prices rose 13.9 cents in the last week, nearly erasing the previous week’s decline, to average out at $3.02 per gallon. The current price is 7 cents lower than four weeks ago as well as 8.1 cents lower than this time one year ago.

Columbus Gas Prices Tracker

The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.45 a gallon on Sunday, while the most expensive was $3.52, a difference of $1.07 cents per gallon. In Ohio, the average price of gas also jumped by 12.7 cents from $2.84 per gallon to $2.97 per gallon.

Nationally, gas prices inched lower by 0.3 cents per gallon to average out at $3.08, but the price of diesel rose slightly by 1.1 cents, settling in at $3.66 per gallon.

What is price cycling?

Barring any major setbacks due to weather or refinery issues in the Midwest, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan says that prices throughout the county, including in Ohio, should drop below the $3 per gallon mark in future weeks.

“While the national average slipped slightly over the last week, it’s once again been a mixed bag depending on where you fill up,” De Haan said. “Gas prices cycled upward in Ohio and Michigan, declined in Indiana and Delaware.  (But overall) most areas can expect relative stability or slight declines.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit from LifeWise Academy that sought to stop a state investigation into employee discrimination claims.

Hilliard-based LifeWise sued the Ohio Civil Rights Council over its investigation into labor discrimination claims filed by former LifeWise employee Rachel Snell. LifeWise asked the court to stop the investigation, saying it infringed on the biblical education group's right to decide who spreads its religious message.

The OCRC closed its investigation several months ago, and on Oct. 1, the Ohio Supreme Court agreed with the state agency that the lawsuit was no longer relevant.

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According to court documents, the OCRC closed its investigation after Snell requested to withdraw her claim in favor of a notice of right to sue. Ohio law requires anyone who alleges they were the victim of an employment law violation to first go through the OCRC. Ohioans are limited in suing former employers unless the OCRC has granted them a right to sue, which Snell received in late June.

The right to sue letter closed the OCRC's investigation, so Attorney General Dave Yost, who represented OCRC in the case, argued it should be dismissed as moot. The Ohio Supreme Court agreed.

LifeWise had claimed the "ministerial exception," a legal defense that says the government cannot interfere with a ministry's right to choose who spreads its religious message. The ministerial exception applies to religious organizations who have fired a "minister," which the courts define loosely. Snell said she was grateful the Justices dismissed LifeWise's filing.

"A decision in LifeWise’s favor would have set a precedent that organizations with even minimal religious affiliations would not be held accountable to violating employees’ workers rights," Snell said.

$6K in pumpkins stolen from Pickerington farm

The case's dismissal does not constitute an opinion as to whether or not LifeWise can claim the exemption, just that this lawsuit is no longer relevant with the OCRC case closed. Snell previously said she intends to sue LifeWise. The closed case paves the way for future litigation.

"This was the right decision. I believe their attempt to avoid accountability also says a lot about LifeWise, and I’m glad they showed their true colors to the public," Snell said.

LifeWise declined to comment.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – An Ohio lawmaker wants to require public school students to watch videos about fetal development annually from third through 12th grade. 

Rep. Melanie Miller (R-Ashland) introduced House Bill 485, named the “Baby Olivia Act,” on Sept. 29. The proposal would mandate schools show a video created by Live Action, an organization against abortion, called “Meet Baby Olivia,” which walks viewers through fetal development and narrates that life begins at conception. 

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In addition to "Meet Baby Olivia," the legislation would require the annual screening of a high-definition ultrasound video showing fetal development that is at least three minutes long. These are the minimum requirements laid out in the measure, and school districts may choose to “do something more extensive,” according to Miller. 

“By championing this legislation, I want to equip the next generation with knowledge that fosters respect for human life and an appreciation for the incredible biology that begins at conception," Miller said in a statement.

The bill seeks to begin showing the videos during the 2026-2027 school year. The proposal states that a school must, upon request, make related instructional materials available to parents. Miller said parents may choose to opt their children out. 

The Ohio Department of Education would conduct an audit at the beginning of each school year to verify compliance with the measure, and would publish its findings online no later than 120 days after the school year commences. If schools do not comply, they could face a lawsuit from the Ohio Attorney General. 

Legislation that mandates schools show the Baby Olivia video or similar content has been introduced in over 20 states. Six states – Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota and Tennessee – have passed such laws. 

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Planned Parenthood has called the Baby Olivia video “manipulative,” stating that its up-close shots misrepresent fetal development. The reproductive healthcare provider also claims there is “very little mention” of the mother in the video and that it “downplays the risks of pregnancy.” 

Kellie Copeland, the executive director of Abortion Forward, has come out against the bill, stating Miller and the Ohio Legislature want to “force anti-abortion disinformation” into public schools. Copeland pointed to the fact that Ohio is the only state in the nation without state-mandated health education standards for K-12, and said adopting such standards would serve as a better option for students. 

“Students should learn the science around human reproduction, but those lessons should also include medically accurate and comprehensive information that is proven to encourage teens to delay the start of sexual activity until later in life and give them the tools to prevent unintended pregnancy and plan how to start a family when they are ready to do so,” Copeland said. “This propaganda video full of misinformation is the opposite of that.” 

The bill has drawn support from the Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio and Center for Christian Virtue, with representatives from each organization speaking at an announcement of the bill in late September. 

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“How many times have we heard the rationale that an embryo or a fetus is just ‘pregnancy tissue’ or a ‘clump of cells,’ or worse yet, not even human?” said Kate Makra, president of the Right to Life Action Coalition. “This dehumanization of the unborn must stop, and it can only be overcome by teaching children the truth about the humanity of the child in the womb.”

HB 485 was referred to the Education Committee, where it awaits its first hearing. Seven Republicans are cosponsoring the bill. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As we head into the first full week of October, temperatures have remained near what we would normally experience in the middle of summer (mid 80s). But with changes in store this week, we should start to see a bit more color change in fall leaves.

What is the average for peak colors in Ohio?

Normally, the northern third of the state sees "peak colors" in the first 10 days of October. This puts central Ohio in peak colors during the second and third weeks of the month. The southern part of the state normally sees peak colors in the final week and a half of October to near the start of November.

What we are seeing right now

A lot of what we are seeing as far as colors go in central Ohio has more or less to do with the dry to drought conditions we continue to have here in the area. However, there are some trees that are already showing color changes to near peak in some parks. By this time of the year, though, colors do start to show across the state, but not at peak in most locations.

According to the state Department of Natural Resources' fall color-tracking website, most of the state is experiencing changing colors, as expected, with mostly green conditions in the southwest part of the state. However, if you are looking for where to see peak colors, that is in the northeast corner of Ohio, where the colors are near peak.

What will help this week

We are going to finally see some rain returning, but with a cold front early-middle of this week, with much more seasonal air to follow for a few days at least. This means much cooler (seasonal) mornings and brisk and seasonal afternoons, with sunshine returning. This is basically what you want when you are looking for the leaves to start changing colors.

Expect that the upcoming weekend (Oct. 11-12) should see more parks in the state seeing colors changing to near peak, with many parks in the north near peak to peak colors, especially in the northeast part of Ohio. One thing working in our favor is that things have not been too windy in the past several weeks, which should help to keep the fragile fall leaves on the trees a bit longer, too.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — One person is dead after being struck twice by oncoming vehicles while crossing a street in south Columbus Sunday night.

According to a Columbus Police incident report, an unidentified adult was crossing South High Street near the Eldorado Scioto Downs racino. The victim, who police say was outside of the marked crosswalk area, was struck by a Ford pickup truck, which was heading south on High Street.

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The person struck by the pickup truck was then hit again by a Ford SUV, also heading south, which was unable to avoid the victim in the road.

Police at the scene said that the southbound traffic had the green light and right of way at the time of the collision. The incident report did not cite whether the vehicles remained at the scene, which remains under investigation by the CPD Accident Investigation Unit.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:28 p.m. Anyone with knowledge about this incident is asked to contact the Columbus Division of Police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 to remain anonymous.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Less than a month after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed while speaking at a Utah college, Turning Point USA chapters are emerging in colleges and high schools nationwide, Ohio included.

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed during a routine campus event. Kirk was known for appearing on college campuses and debating political topics, and for his prominent conservative youth organization, Turning Point USA. Since Kirk’s death, his organization said more than 120,000 students have asked to launch new Turning Point chapters. See previous coverage of central Ohio's response to the death of Charlie Kirk in the video player above.

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"Ohio is blessed with great Turning Point USA chapters and staff," said Jay Edwards, former state representative and candidate for Ohio Treasurer. "Since Charlie Kirk’s assassination, my inbox has been flooded by parents and students interested in starting a chapter in their local school or community.”

Turning Point USA calls itself the "largest conservative student movement in the nation." The organization helps high school and college students start local chapters to explore conservative beliefs. Chapters must be approved by the national organization and are required to hold a set number of activism events annually.

Turning Point USA already had a presence in central Ohio, with chapters at institutions including Ohio State and Ohio universities, and a younger "Club America" chapter at Hilliard Davidson High School. Turning Point USA lists a Club America chapter at Dublin Coffman High School, too, although it does not appear on the district's website.

After Kirk's death, more students are beginning local chapters. Olentangy Liberty High School has not had its chapter approved by the school yet, but work is underway. The students behind Olentangy Liberty's Club America recently began their social media pages, writing that they hope to "make a difference at Liberty but also grow into a community project."

"There is a process that students must follow to form a district-approved student group," an Olentangy district spokesperson said of the new chapter. "There are Liberty High School students currently following that process for a Turning Point chapter."

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Existing central Ohio chapters are also seeing a change. This is the third year Mike Carney has been the adviser for Hilliard Davidson's chapter, and he said there's been a noticeable difference since Kirk's death. Carney said he sent an email to teachers with information after the shooting and purposefully made himself available for students who saw violent videos of the event online.

Carney said after Kirk's death, a few more students and teachers attended the next Club America meeting. After a few years of struggling to make the club known to students, Carney said it was unfortunate "that it has to take this to get positive feedback and privileges that other clubs have."

Turning Point chapters are emerging across the state. Near Cincinnati, Clermont County and Lebanon high schools have each recently launched new chapters.

Shawnee State University, along the Ohio River, launched a chapter within a week of Kirk's death. According to its social media, it has already attracted at least two dozen students who are serving on various boards and subcommittees within the group. Students, via the chapter's social media, said they joined to spread their faith and find community.

In northern Ohio, Salem High School is creating a chapter. Northern Ohio's Baldwin Wallace University and Lake Erie College each also launched a chapter after Kirk's death.

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Many universities already had a Turning Point USA chapter, but may not have been officially registered. The University of Cincinnati had to release a statement after internet rumors swirled that the university had removed Turning Point USA as a registered student organization. The university clarified that the group had not registered since 2021.

"Earlier this week, interested students connected with the Center for Student Involvement and indicated that they would be pursuing re-establishing the group as a registered student organization," the university said in a statement, adding the chapter has the opportunity to apply, as is standard.

Even if main campuses have chapters, university branch campuses have begun creating their own groups, too. Ohio University's Southern campus, located along the Ohio River, launched its chapter on Thursday. Kent State University's Geauga and Trumbull campuses each launched chapters toward the end of September.

As Turning Point USA works through applications, Carney said more may emerge in the future.

"It's sad but true that tragedies will spur people to see the truth and see good things and hopefully unite people," Carney said.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) -- A local farmer's hard work was stolen right out of his field.

Terry Dunlap, owner of Sam's Pumpkin Patch in Pickerington, said that sometime at the end of September, around 300 of his pumpkins were stolen. Dunlap estimates the loss to be worth more than $6,000. 

"Keep your eyes open," Dunlap said. "Keep your ears open. Somebody knows who did it. Somebody knows."

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Dunlap was growing the pumpkins on a quiet field in Fairfield County. He treated them weekly to keep them healthy, but when he went back to check on them, all but one were gone. 

"I was sick," Dunlap said. "Physically. I mean, just overwhelming."

For Dunlap, it wasn't just business; it was personal. 

"We treated these special," Dunlap said. "We wanted them to grow big, and they were about the size of bushel baskets with stems on them as long as your arm, and we were proud of those."

Dunlap filed a police report with the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office, but he's still searching for who's responsible. 

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"I had a special place which is surrounded on three sides with brush and briers and pea vines where nobody can see in or see out," Dunlap said. "However, it opened up to my neighbor to the east, and from his property, there was an access to 33." 

After months of his labor was just washed away, Dunlap isn't taking any more chances. He has since installed a fence to keep future thieves out. He said his pumpkin patch doesn't appear to be the only target.

"There's a pumpkin place on 188, east of Circleville, called Puffy's Pumpkin's," Dunlap said. "He's got a greenhouse there and last Monday, he filled up a big display out front. When he came back Tuesday morning, every pumpkin was gone." 

Recently, there's been a spike in thefts at central Ohio farms and orchards.

"It's the time of the season and it's easy," Dunlap said. "It's easy to get rid of the product. Boom. If you've got big pumpkins at a cheap price, people are going to suck them up if they've got money in their pocket. It's easy prey, easy money."

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Since the theft, support has poured in for Dunlap across the country. Now he's decided to turn this negative into a positive. 

"Make a donation that you were going to send to me, but double it to a local charity, food bank, something else that doesn't go to corporate but stays here," Dunlap said. "You do that. That makes me happy."

Dunlap is offering a reward for any tips that lead to an arrest.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Tuesday marks two years since the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, and the Jewish community of central Ohio is remembering, healing, and choosing hope.

Jewish Columbus hosted a special event on Sunday to honor the memory of those lost and forever changed that day. Families gathered to decorate and fly kites in a display of resilience.

The event was inspired by the annual Kite Festival at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, whose founders were killed in the attack.

Leaders said the rise in antisemitic incidents since the attack is deeply concerning, but events like the kite festival remind them that joy, safety, and community are worth protecting, adding that a save and vibrant Jewish community is a safe and vibrant Columbus.

“Violence has zero place in our community, we really do believe that,” Jewish Columbus President and CEO Julie Tilson Stanley said. “And we believe that Columbus, once again, this big, small town, can do that, that we can be diverse and we can disagree and yet we can all come together to stamp out hate.”

Twenty Jewish institutions across central Ohio took part in the remembrance event.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is dead after being struck by a car near a casino on the south side of Columbus Sunday night.

According to a Columbus police dispatcher, the accident was reported at approximately 9:21 p.m. near Eldorado Scioto Downs Casino on the 6000 block of South High Street.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

There is no further information available at this time.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Columbus Blue Jackets' 25th anniversary season kicks off this week, and the band O.A.R. had a special, fun weekend to support the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.

O.A.R.’s Crazy Game of Hockey event was held Sunday at the OhioHealth Ice Haus, and it was an appropriately named event.

The game featured the band members from OAR, lots of former Blue Jackets like Rich Nash and Cam Atkinson, as well as other celebrities.

All proceeds from the event are going to the Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.

Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny Gaudreau’s widow, said the entire weekend was incredible as is the continued support from Columbus, a place her family loves to call home,

"I really feel so much support here, so that's one of the main reasons that we're here, and just being able to have these events for everyone in the city is, you know, it makes it fun on both ends,” she said. “On Friday night, when it was the concert and they presented the check, it was so, so generous, and the whole team was kind of behind me for that. So that almost felt a little symbolic, too.”

The Blue Jackets start the season Thursday on the road in Nashville, taking on the Predators, and on Saturday, facing the Minnesota Wild; the home opener for the Jackets will be one week from Monday, on Oct. 13, against the New Jersey Devils.

For more on the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation, visit its website by clicking here.

COLUMBUS (WCMH) -- Skywatchers have several events this month to look forward to, starting with the full Harvest Moon, which peaks at 11:48 p.m. EDT Monday.

This will be the first supermoon of 2025, appearing opposite the sun and fully illuminated in the evening after sunset on Monday. A supermoon happens when the moon is near its closest position to Earth, appearing a little larger and brighter than usual, with an orange-yellow tinge. Even closer supermoons will occur in November and December.

The first full moon after the autumnal equinox (September 22-23) is known as the Harvest Moon because it occurs during the harvest season, when the extra brightness provides additional time for farmers to gather crops and complete field work ahead of winter. Also, look for Saturn a little above and to the right of the moon, and very bright. Later in October, Jupiter will be rising around midnight, higher in the southeastern sky. Venus is currently very low in the sky just before sunrise.

Orionid meteor shower

Later in October, the Orionid meteor shower will be ongoing, with the best views on the night of Oct. 21-22. The Orionids derive their name from the constellation Orion, the point from where meteors appear to originate, called the radiant.

At peak, as many as 10-20 per hour could be visible under ideal conditions, traveling at about 41 million miles per second. A few particularly bright ones are possible, best seen after 1 a.m. up to the beginning of twilight. As usual, the best view will be from a dark sky away from city lights.

The annual Orionid show is associated with debris leftover from Halley's Comet, which comes around every 75-76 years. When the tiny particles, estimated to be the size of a grain of sand, enter our atmosphere and burn up, we can observe fleeting streaks of light.

You may be able to catch a few meteors as early as this coming Wednesday evening, shortly after sunset, associated with a weaker Draconid meteor shower.

Viewing the comets

This month will bring a rare opportunity to see not one but two comets: C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) and C/2025 R2 (SWAN). Both were discovered this year: one from the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, and the other from the Solar and Heliospheric spacecraft images.

The origin of comets dates back to the beginning of our solar system and they are composed of ice and rock. The sun causes the ice to turn into gas that carries dust, leaving the familiar tail.

Don Stevens, director of Perkins Observatory at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, said that the comets will be challenging to observe in early October due to the moon's brightness, and they may be best viewed through a telescope.

"C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is just below naked eye visibility in dark rural skies. It is going to be low over the northern horizon, which will make it very difficult to observe unless at a very rural location with no terrain in the way. It will be located below the Big Dipper," he said.

Regarding C/2025 R2 (SWAN), Stevens said this will also be too low to view even in dark rural locations. "It will be low in the southwestern skies in Libra," he said.

There is a possibility that A6 (Lemmon) could be visible later in the month in the evening sky near the horizon. "You will need binoculars to view them and finder charts," Stevens said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – This week on the Sunday Briefing:

• “We are going everywhere in this state,” gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton said. “We are listening deeply, we are going places.”

Acton is hitting the campaign trail, still the only Democrat in the race for Ohio’s governor. Some in her own part are skeptical she can defeat Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in a general election match-up.

“I wouldn't be running if I didn't think I could beat him,” Acton said.

Hear why she said she has a clear path to the governor’s mansion.

• It’s day five of the government shutdown, and there’s no end in sight.

“The Democratic caucus has been very clear: no healthcare, no vote,” Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio 3rd) said.

"This nonsense needs to come to an end,” Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) said.

Hear from Ohio lawmakers about the stalemate.

• A one-on-one interview with one of Ohio’s most outspoken members of Congress.

“I think our constitution, I think our constitution is being trampled in a lot of ways,” Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio 8th) said.

Hear why the conservative congressman says the current funding battle goes beyond the usual political disagreements.

• Do Democrats on Capitol Hill have any leverage when it comes to bringing an end to the government shutdown? Republican strategist Terry Casey and Democratic strategist Brian Rothenberg discuss the situation at the all-star roundtable.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ann B. Walker, a Columbus media icon, former columnist, journalist, and radio host, has died, according to her family. She was 101.

Walker was the first woman and woman of color in management in Columbus television history and the community service director at NBC4. During her time at NBC4, she interviewed Martin Luther King Jr., senators, congressmen, and President Jimmy Carter, who eventually offered her a position in the White House as a public affairs advisor; this made her the first Black woman from Franklin County to receive a White House appointment.

• Former NBC4 journalist Ann B. Walker with former President Jimmy Carter. (NBC4)
• Ann B. Walker of WLW-C/WCMH/NBC4 in an undated photo (NBC4 archives)
• Ann B. Walker. (NBC4 File Photo)
• Ann B. Walker. (NBC4 File Photo)

Before accepting a job with NBC4, she worked at WVKO Radio and the Ohio Sentinel. Additionally, she was the first female broadcaster to report on the Ohio legislature.

In 2021, the city of Columbus dedicated a plaza to Walker in the King-Lincoln Bronzeville neighborhood. She is also featured on the Long Street Cultural Wall. Walker was the subject of the documentary "Queen Mother: The Ann B. Walker Story." Watch a report on that documentary in the video player above.

Walker married her husband, Linwood Walker, in 1946, later raising four children. After her husband's death, Walker established a scholarship to honor him.

She held a lifetime membership with Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and was a lifelong member of the Bethany Presbyterian Church.

The family did not release Walker's cause of death.

Funeral and burial details have not been released.