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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Legislators are trying to bring property tax relief, but recent changes bring growing pains for school districts and possible tax increases in the millions.

In June, Ohio legislators attempted to incorporate property tax relief into the biennial budget, but Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed several provisions, concerned that relief would not be worth the cost to local schools that rely on tax revenue. Last Wednesday, the Ohio Senate successfully voted to override one of DeWine's property tax vetoes, banning new emergency, substitute and replacement levies starting Jan. 1. See previous coverage of the veto in the video player above.

Legislators in favor of the override said words like "replacement" and "emergency" can be misleading, so the change will offer transparency to voters. The change does not affect current levies or levies on the November ballot, so any relief would be delayed. This decision removes options for school districts, although fewer options may not equate to fewer levy requests. 

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Experts fear the change could still raise taxes. Before 2014, the state automatically paid 12.5% of local school levy property tax bills before they hit taxpayers. The state legislature removed that credit for any levies enacted in or after 2014. However, it retained the credit for renewals and extensions of pre-2014 levies. Now, emergency and replacement levies that have carried that credit will expire, and will need to be replaced with new levies that don't experience the credit.

Without the credit, districts will likely have to ask for a larger levy in order to make the same revenue as the expiring levy. Ohio Tax Group co-chair Bill Seitz said the legislature's veto override likely accidentally raised taxes by more than $90 million by not accounting for the credit. He said Ohio will need to pass new legislation protecting the credit, or tax bills will increase.

Senate Republican spokesperson John Fortney said another expected override would address this issue, allowing county budget commissioners to adjust levy rates. That override would need to start in the House, and indirectly address concerns rather than directly protecting the credit.

School districts rely heavily on local property taxes because Ohio funds schools by a combination of state and local funding. The state uses a complex formula to determine how much funding each district should receive, and most remaining costs are covered at the local level. 

This summer, the state continued using the formula but did not fully update it, which the Ohio Education Association argues is underfunding public schools by nearly $3 billion. When districts receive less state funding, they must cut costs or ask for more local funding, typically through property tax levies. 

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"We believe it is critical for the state to increase investment in education, which creates the workforce, by making sure education formulas are fully funded," Columbus City Schools spokesperson Michael Brown said.

According to Ohio Education Policy Institute researcher and expert Howard Fleeter, now-banned levies made up 10% of all school property tax revenue in 2024. Not all school districts use these levy types, but substitute and emergency levies contributed more than $122 million to central Ohio districts last year.

Replacement levies are rarer; the Ohio Education Policy Institute found fewer than 1% of school levies place on the ballot between 2014 and 2023 were replacements.

In the immediate future, the change has limited effects on most local districts. In a message to families, Bexley City Schools said it does not use those levy types, but is watching carefully as the legislature has indicated it may override other vetoes in the coming weeks. Brown agreed that the override won't bring any immediate impact to Columbus schools.

"We will monitor how the recommendations translate into bills at the legislature," Brown said.

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Removing levy types is likely the first of several property tax changes. DeWine, upon issuing his vetoes, appointed a work group tasked with recommending changes to provide tax relief. That group issued its report on Sept. 30, offering 20 suggestions for change, many of which pertain to schools.

Legislators have also indicated they may try to override other property tax vetoes, which districts say could be even more influential in cutting funding for schools.

This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline available 24/7. To reach the 24/7 Crisis Text Helpline, text 4HOPE to 741741.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A new study from Ohio State University could dramatically shift how suicide is detected and prevented across the country. 

"In the state of Ohio, we lose five people every day to suicide," Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation CEO Tony Coder said. "We lose a child every 34 hours. The highest rates of suicide are actually individuals over the age of 65. So those folks are going to the doctor more regularly."

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In an effort to enhance suicide risk and prediction nationwide, researchers at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine are launching the ARTEMIS (Analyses to Reveal Trajectories and Early Markers of Imminent Shifts in Suicidal States) study funded by a $19.5 million award from the National Institutes of Health.

"We have this kind of challenge in clinical care about how to identify which patients need treatment and when," researcher and professor in the Ohio State Department of Psychiatry Dr. Melanie Bozzay said. "And we really think that this project is going to be so important in helping us to be able to answer that question in a way that allows providers to make decisions over very quick time periods."

Research shows that nearly half of individuals who die by suicide had visited a health care provider in the weeks prior to their death. Yet, existing suicide screening approaches in healthcare settings fail to identify most patients who go on to engage in suicidal behavior or die by suicide.

"What we're actually trying to do is create a monitoring tool kind of like you might see when someone is monitoring their insulin for diabetes or monitoring their blood pressure for a heart condition, to basically be able to say, ‘How are you kind of doing throughout the day,’" Bozzay said.

Ohio State’s new intellectual diversity center opens for students

The study will use cognitive tasks to understand how participants think and approach problems. It will measure their activity through their smartphone sensors and will ask key questions about sleep patterns and mental health symptoms.

"That gives us a sense of how people are coping with stressors that are coming up," Bozzay said. "What's kind of working? What's not? And what might be some indicators that somebody is really having a really difficult time."

The idea is simple: to help providers know who needs help and when. 

"We need folks to have the best tools to be able to meet those mental health needs and not just the physical health needs that people go to their doctors for," Coder said. 

The study will begin recruiting about 13,500 participants nationwide in January, including about 4,000 people from Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana who have recently visited a healthcare provider. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 55 will be recruited, representing varying levels of risk for suicide.

"Having the ability to have better outcomes, better ability to help folks coming into the primary care physician's office, really could be literally lifesaving," Coder said.

For more on the study, click here.

LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) – Lancaster police said a 9-year-old suffered a life-threatening injury after being shot Monday night.

According to police, it happened at a home on Summitview Drive at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Police said that when officers arrived at the home, they found the victim, a second, uninjured juvenile witness, and a gun.

The victim was airlifted to a Columbus hospital for treatment.

Police did not state the nature of the shooting and the investigation is continuing.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Darlington Nagbe, a midfielder and captain for the Columbus Crew, will retire at the end of this season, according to reports.

The 35-year-old Liberian-born Nagbe joined the Crew in the COVID-shortened 2020 season after being acquired from Atlanta United. Nagbe started his MLS career with the Portland Timbers in 2011.

For his six-season Crew career, Nagbe has nine goals in 174 appearances for the club, with his best seasons coming in 2022 and 2023, when he scored three goals each. In total, Nagbe scored 44 goals for his career across league, playoff, and U.S. Open Cup appearances.

• CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 27: Darlington Nagbe #6 of the Columbus Crew controls the ball during the MLS match between Chicago Fire FC and Columbus Crew at Soldier Field on September 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Drew Horton - Columbus Crew/MLS via Getty Images)
• CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 14: Gerardo Valenzuela #22 of FC Cincinnati and Darlington Nagbe #6 of Columbus Crew compete for the ball during the second half of a game at TQL Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
• Courtesy Photo / Columbus Crew
• CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 14: Pavel Bucha #20 of FC Cincinnati controls the ball against Darlington Nagbe #6 of Columbus Crew during the first half of a game at TQL Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
• COLUMBUS, OHIO - AUGUST 09: Darlington Nagbe #6 of the Columbus Crew battles Daniel Salloi #10 of Sporting Kansas City for the ball during the first half of the Leagues Cup 2024 match at Lower.com Field on August 09, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
• Columbus Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe (6) celebrates his goal against CF Montreal with teammates forward Cucho Hernandez, top, and defender Steven Moreira (31) during the second half of an MLS soccer match in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. The Crew won 2-1. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
• COLUMBUS, OHIO - AUGUST 20: Darlington Nagbe #6 of Columbus Crew runs past Ignacio Aliseda #7 of Chicago Fire during their game at MAPFRE Stadium on August 20, 2020 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
• COLUMBUS, OHIO - JULY 03: Gyasi Zardes #11 of Columbus Crew celebrates his goal with Lucas Zelarayan #10 and Darlington Nagbe #6 in the first half during their game against the New England Revolution at Lower.com Field on July 03, 2021 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
• Columbus Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe (6) kicks the ball during an MLS soccer match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kirk Irwin)

Nagbe was also a member of the Crew’s two MLS Cup teams in 2020 and 2023, as well as a member of the CONCACAF Champions Cup runner-up in 2024 and the Campeones Cup in 2021. He was also an MLS all-star in the 2016, 2022, and 2024 seasons.

Nagbe is one of 10 players in the league to win four MLS Cup championships, but the only one to do so with three different teams.

The Columbus Crew has yet to officially comment on Nagbe’s retirement, which was first reported by MLS Insider Tom Bogert.

His family fled Liberia when Nagbe was five months old, eventually settling in the Cleveland area in 2001 when Nagbe was 11.

Nagbe attended Lakewood High School and St. Edward High School, scoring 18 goals with 10 assists as a senior. He continued his soccer career at the University of Akron, where he scored 19 goals in 73 games. He skipped his senior year of college to be drafted second overall in 2011 by the Timbers.

The MLS regular season is set to end with Decision Day on Oct. 18; the Crew has already made the playoffs.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio State University has opened its doors to its new intellectual diversity center.

The Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society was established by Ohio lawmakers in an effort to reduce groupthink and encourage free speech. Despite the center sparking some controversy in the beginning, it is now open to students.

“If you have ideas, they will become stronger if they confront opposing ideas. So the process of considering and answering counter arguments is absolutely essential to the health of a university and Ohio State,” said Christopher Green, Associate Director of the Salmon P. Chase Center.

NBC4 sat in on one of two inaugural classes; The American Civic Tradition: Creeds, Conflicts and Cooperation which is focused on the Declaration of Independence.

“We're thinking about, okay, what were the founders thinking when they wrote this document? And what does that mean for us as citizens today to we, you know, kind of agree with these traditions that they were developing and building upon? Or do we have critiques as well?” said Assistant Professor Robert Siscoe.

The class is mostly discussion-based with students sharing how they interpret the document.

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“Everybody comes from such a different background and there are so many different opinions, but everybody is just able to come together in a unified manner just to talk about these principles that the Declaration lays out,” said Freshman Chara Rimback.

She said the conversational format allows everyone to share their viewpoints. “It's crucial to an intellectual pursuit because if you don't have any opposing arguments, then how are you going to clearly establish what you think?” Rimback said.

The center was established in 2023 and sparked concerns from some faculty about the center’s purpose and potential ideological motives.

“We're not coming at this from a you know, what's a conservative position on these issues? What's the liberal position on these issues? Instead, we're just asking, what did the founders think about some of these kind of like central, you know, political debates and what do we think in light of that kind of tradition? And so there's a sense in which we're kind of raising the debates,” Siscoe said.

The university also did not ask for the $10 million allocated to create the center which brought up questions of enrollment but Green said both courses have filled up and there are 300 members of the Salmon P. Chase Society.

“So we are very encouraged that we are doing good for the university and making it a better version of itself, a healthier, scholarly community,” he said.

The Chase Center will launch another course in the Spring 2026 semester called Profiles in American Leadership.

WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) -- Whitehall Mayor Michael Bivens hosted the first of eight town hall meetings for residents on Monday.

The City of Whitehall sent out a statement from a private public relations firm that read, "The City of Whitehall invites the community to join Mayor Bivens and Whitehall leadership for its first in a series of moderated town hall sessions, to engage residents and discuss public safety, public service and construction, development in Whitehall and the proposed Department of Neighborhoods."

Whitehall resident Patricia Balser attended Monday's meeting and has attended many city council meetings in the past. She questioned what would come of the series of town hall meetings.

"I think a lot of citizens in Whitehall are worn down. They don't feel like they're going to get answers from the mayor again. It's his agenda," Balser said.

Balser is one of a group of Whitehall residents who collected signatures in an effort to get four measures on the ballot for November's election regarding a housing development in Fairway Cliffs.

Holly Stein, who was ruled ineligible to run for City Council, has also been advocating for changes to the proposed Fairway Cliffs development.

"I appreciate Mayor Bivens for going ahead and having these town meetings, because it's important that every single person understands who and what the issues are going to be on the ballot," Stein said.

However, when NBC4 requested an interview with Bivens ahead of Monday's town hall meeting, a private PR firm representing the city stated that "ballot initiatives are not the purpose of the town hall" and that the mayor would not answer questions about it.

NBC4's Kyle Beachy did speak with Bivens briefly before the town hall meeting started.

"It's always important to engage constituents, especially the residents that are concerned about the city," Bivens said. "With the end of the year, budgeting, we're already going into that season I thought it was important to start engaging the residents one so that we get a bead on where we're going to go economically in 2026, get their engagement, get their incite, just like we've given to council and we've given them questions so we're going to take it to the community."

When asked about developments in the city of Whitehall, Bivens said, "Housing developments are moving forward and we're in a positive trajectory in bringing affordable housing, attainable housing, and we are in a positive, have a positive outlook as it relates to economic development in this city."

The city council recently voted to move forward with Bivens' proposal to create a Department of Neighborhoods within Whitehall to encourage residents from different areas of the city to get involved with the city government.

"The goal is simple: one, to increase the strategic trajectory of everyone in the city, making sure that they get equity, making sure that they get prosperity, and making sure that they get opportunities for everyone," he said.

"He's very focused on his agenda. The council is really focused on his agenda. We're not seeing much into thoughts. We're not seeing a lot of questions asked. And it's really frustrating the citizens. We've had a lot of problems with our council fighting, talking, not so nice to each other, very not professional, throwing out citizens from council meetings. So, I really want my biggest thing from this election is to see turnover, not people who are just there for the mayor's agenda," Balser said.

"Development in Whitehall" was one of the main issues listed on the news release from the city. One of the main developments is the Fairway Cliffs development on Fairway Blvd. 

"He pushes it a lot. He says if we don't develop, we're not progressive enough. But I think to this, as I talk to a lot of citizens, they feel that we haven't finished the business. We started with, with wood Cliff, the one on Hamilton and Broad Street is not finished," Balser said.

Stein lives directly adjacent to the proposed development. She has several issues with the plan as it stands.

"What they'll tell you is, oh, we're building 50 homes on eight acres. It's not true if you're building 50 homes on three and a half acres, that is available to build on. And the reason why is because it's literally a five-hundred-year flood plain, and it's a sheer drop off of about 16 to 20 feet," Stein said.

The plot of land butts up against the Big Walnut River and is surrounded by dense trees and vegetation. The neighborhood is made up of older custom homes that are all set back from the road, in accordance with the city code.

"There's a required setback from the road, and there's a required footage frontage requirement so that it matches the rest of the neighborhood. If you drive down Fairway Boulevard, you recognize that these lots are large, right? And the idea behind it is in order to support "like neighborhood" construction," said Stein. She's concerned that the housing development as it stands will go against both the frontage and setback requirements while creating density that isn't seen in that part of Whitehall.

"We understand development is going to come. You can't stop it. But it also has to be in agreement with the existing neighborhood. We believe that this development, where they're trying to do a rack 'em stack 'em development, is against our planning and zoning code for those reasons," Stein said.

All of the initiatives on November's ballot are directly tied to the Fairway Cliffs development and the organization of a Fairway Cliffs association. 

"Giving a for-profit developer tax abatements is always at the expense of services to your people. And Whitehall is a city of about 19,700. And we have one of the highest rates of poverty in the cities that make up Franklin County. They're a for-profit developer. If they want to develop it, they should take on the burden, especially in this case, this particular development is bringing zero economics to Whitehall. There is not a single long-term job associated with this," Stein said.

The Fairway Cliffs development includes a 100% tax abatement for a future developer. Stein and Balser helped get a ballot initiative to eliminate that tax abatement.

"When we give away tax abatements, 15-year, 100% property tax abatements, and then on top of that, another 30-year tiff, those are dollars that are coming out of the general fund supporting fire police, roads, water, infrastructure, and other things. So, what happens? And this is now a known fact that when you give away tax abatements and tiffs, property taxes go up. You're giving up services to the elderly, to children's services, the library, the park systems and others. And so, when you think about giving something in a way, it's always at the expense of somebody else," Stein said.

The city of Whitehall has four major issues on the ballot in November, and four City Council seats up for grabs. You can check out your ballot here. 

Stein, a former city council candidate, is looking forward to the push for new representation on the council.

"We now have choices where in the past only one person would win or run, and therefore they would become the sitting council member without a single person essentially voting for them," Stein said.

Whitehall's next town hall meeting with Mayor Bivens is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 13 at 6 p.m.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) — Recently confirmed measles cases in central Ohio have health leaders once again reminding the community of the importance of getting vaccinated against the highly contagious disease.

New Albany Plain Local Schools' Early Learning Center (ELC) was closed Monday because of a measles case in a student. Kindergarten students who are fully vaccinated can return Tuesday. Pre-school classes are closed through this week. Pre-school families have been told to prepare for the possibility of those classes being closed through Oct. 16.

“It’s a huge inconvenience to many of these families," said Dr. Mysheika Roberts, health commissioner with Columbus Public Health (CPH).

CPH, Franklin County Public Health, and the school district are all working together on this. Roberts said an unvaccinated person traveled internationally, gave the infection to their sibling, and that sibling was at the ELC as part of their enrollment process while infected.

"Given their age, not all of them are fully vaccinated. Now for the ones who had one dose, we can give them that second dose and then they can go back to school. But for those kids who’ve had no doses, even if we give them their first dose today, they can't go back to school for another 21 days," Roberts said.

Roberts told NBC4, including the child, there are now four confirmed cases, all in a family which lives in the same household, and all unvaccinated. The family lives in the part of Columbus which is part of the New Albany Plain Local Schools district, according to Roberts.

“I want to remind people that measles is not a mild disease. One of our cases was hospitalized," Roberts said.

Even though the current cases are in the same household, Roberts said it's still considered an outbreak. The area's last outbreak was in 2022 when there were 85 cases -- 84 unvaccinated.

“I think the one comparison that's obvious is that the first few cases were all unvaccinated. And it really shows the value of having your children vaccinated so that you don't have to go through this as a family but also you don't have to put others who you could be exposing through this," she said. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- About a dozen families are one step closer to owning a home.

Columbus City Council started the process of approving $1.1 million for Habitat for Humanity-Mid-Ohio, which will be used to build family homes across the city for families who are struggling to afford the cost of living.

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The majority of this funding comes from the federal level in the form of grants specifically for state and local governments to create affordable housing for low-income households.

Columbus is planning in advance with the goal to start building 11 to 12 more homes in the next year and a half.

"For a lot of folks, affordable housing immediately means rental, but it's equally important in the City of Columbus that we invest in affordable homeownership as well," Columbus Housing Strategies Deputy Director Erin Prosser said. 

That’s what the partnership between Columbus and Habitat for Humanity focuses on, using city and federal dollars to support families trying to buy homes.

"These dollars that come through the city of Columbus help fund that gap between what it costs to build a home or what it appraises for and what we sell it for to make it affordable. These dollars are critical," Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio President and CEO Brandi Al-Issa said. 

While the federal government is shut down right now, this $1.1 million is from previous years and is not affected.

"These are dollars from both our 2022 and 2023 allocations. So we're continuing to deploy those dollars into projects as we have those resources available. It does make the affordable housing bond dollars that we have to support these projects all the more important as we understand what that future landscape looks like with our federal funding," Prosser said.

Fried green tomatoes, hoe cakes among Southern comfort offerings coming to Grove City

This money will be used to build 11-12 homes, with construction expected to start in about a year and a half as Habitat works to expand how many families it helps.

"Last year, we received almost 300 applications for Habitat homes. To give you perspective, last year we built 15 homes. So there is a big gap between what the demand is to be a homeowner at an affordable price and what we're able to actually build. We want to grow that number," Al-Issa said. 

In a statement, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said, "Every family should have the chance to build a future in Columbus. My proposed investment of $1.1 million in federal HOME funds will build 12 homes in multiple neighborhoods, bringing opportunity and stability to areas that have historically seen underinvestment. I’m grateful to Habitat for Humanity—MidOhio for partnering to provide this opportunity to working families."

This funding was on a first reading on Monday, which means it will come before city council one more time before a vote is taken.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus nonprofit Make A Day launched a new initiative Monday to help more people in Franklin County get their criminal records expunged, making it easier for them to access housing and employment.

Expungement clinics are common in central Ohio, but the Move the Box initiative makes expungement even more accessible to people who may not have a mailing address or reliable contact information.

Monday’s pop-up event was all about finding solutions.

Make A Day Executive Director Christy Hayes said expunging a criminal record can provide many opportunities for people, but sometimes they can’t even start the process.

“Things like lost IDs, inability to get an ID, not having a mailing address, not having a phone, not having an email. We're crossing off all the barriers so they can actually complete an expungement application here in the community today,” Hayes said.

Make A Day has a P.O. box that community members can send their mail to, ensuring that when their expungement hearing is scheduled, the court has somewhere to send the notice.

Attendees who didn’t have good contact information were set up with a library card so they could use the internet to create an email address and receive messages.

“Not having contact information is what we heard from the Self-help Center is one of the biggest barriers to getting our unhoused population through the expungement process,” Hayes said.

Franklin County Municipal Court Judge Jim O’Grady said many previous crimes can be expunged. He said he sees a lot of theft, disorderly conduct and trespassing expunges in his courtroom.

“For me, it's a very informal process. As long as there isn't anything that legally prevents me from expunging someone's record, then I almost always do. I would say probably 99% of the time I expunge it,” O’Grady said.

But people do need to show up to the court hearing to finish the process. Those without a mailing address could miss this information and people without reliable transportation may not make it downtown. Make a Day helps with these barriers and more.

“We pair them with a case manager and then give them their mail so that we make sure that they are actually able to get to their appointments. That includes transportation, it includes a meal, it includes getting them a shower if they need to,” Hayes said.

One woman at Monday’s event was able to start the expungement process and she said she doesn’t want a mistake from her past to impact her future. She’ll have a hearing within 90 days.

“I started the process and can now have that taken off my record now. I’m just really excited that they're able to do things like this for people to help them,” she said. “So I’m just happy for the second chances, pretty much.”

Make A Day’s expungement initiative will now be included in the pop-up events they organize every other month.

The next one is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 8, at Standard Live in the Short North.

Learn more about Make A Day and its new initiative at clicking here.

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.

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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.