Ohio News

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.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State is heading into its next ranked matchup undefeated and still as the No. 1 team in college football.

The Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0) kept its top spot in the new Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls going into Week 7 of the season. Ohio State ousted Minnesota on Saturday 42-3 in its only home game of October, keeping its perfect record and defensive dominance of not allowing double-digit points in any game this season.

Ohio State dominates Minnesota to move to 5-0

The next game on the docket is a big one as the Buckeyes travel to Champaign, Illinois for the first time in a decade to play the No. 17 ranked Fighting Illini at noon Saturday. Ohio State has won each of the last nine Illibuck matchups since 2008 and has not lost at Gies Memorial Stadium since 1991.

The Fighting Illini are now the fifth highest ranked team in the Big Ten ahead of former preseason No. 2 Penn State (3-2, 0-2), whose shock loss to UCLA 42-37 on Saturday sent the Nittany Lions nosediving out of the AP rankings entirely.

Preseason No. 1 Texas also suffered its second loss of the year, losing to unranked Florida 29-21. The Longhorns have gone from No. 1 to start the season to unranked heading into its showdown in Dallas against No. 6 Oklahoma.

2025 Associated Press rankings (Oct. 5, 2025) 1Ohio State (40)2Miami (21)3Oregon (5)4Ole Miss5Texas A&M6Oklahoma7Indiana8Alabama9Texas Tech10Georgia11LSU12Tennessee13Georgia Tech14Missouri15Michigan16Notre Dame17Illinois18BYU19Virginia20Vanderbilt21Arizona State22Iowa State23Memphis24South Florida25Florida State

Penn State and Texas are now out of the playoff picture completely. Using the current rankings, the No. 1 Buckeyes would be projected to play either No. 8 Alabama or No. 9 Texas Tech in a quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl.

CFP projection using AP rankings

Ohio State-Illinois will be one of three all-ranked matchups in Week 7. The others are Indiana-Oregon, and Alabama-Missouri.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus police are investigating a 4-year-old homicide in which a man was gunned down after allegedly thwarting a car robbery.

On Aug. 30, 2021, Marcus Payne was shot and killed near the intersection of Neil and Buttles avenues in the Victorian Village neighborhood, north of Downtown.

Payne, 27, and his brother reportedly approached and confronted individuals who they believed were breaking into the brother’s vehicle. Payne’s mother, Victoria Landrum, told NBC4 that they were shot at soon afterward.

Unsolved Ohio: Daughter seeks answers in father’s 2023 disappearance

“The car was broken into, but there were some guys in a car behind them, and they asked, ‘Did y’all break into my car?’ or whatever,” Landrum said. For a previous report on this story view the video player above.

As the brothers began to drive away, someone fired shots towards the brother’s vehicle and Payne was struck in the head. Payne’s brother took him to a hospital, where he remained for nearly two weeks before dying.

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for any information leading to the arrest and/or indictment of the person(s) responsible for this crime. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477 or visit www.stopcrime.org and submit your tip.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A Columbus man found guilty of forcing drug addicts into prostitution will serve the rest of his life in prison, but his attorneys have already begun the appeals process.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Ohio, 43-year-old Ricco Maye, accused of leading a drug and sex trafficking ring, was sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty on 14 total charges.

Maye, who faced charges of sex trafficking of children by force (two counts), nine counts of possession with intent to distribute, fraud or coercion, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, attempt and conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and tampering with a witness, immediately filed an appeal through defense counsel after the sentencing was announced.

Unsolved Ohio: Daughter seeks answers in father’s 2023 disappearance

During the course of the three-week trial in November 2024, testimony detailed that Maye “used individuals to buy and sell drugs, sell women for sex, and fraudulently apply online for COVID-19 relief funds. Proceeds from all the crimes went to the defendant.”

Beginning in at least 2018, Maye’s drug trafficking organization distributed narcotics to addicts in street-level quantities. He regularly purchased narcotics from supply sources both inside and outside of Ohio and used addicts to help sell the drugs in Columbus. In addition to cash, Maye would accept stolen goods, gift cards, Social Security numbers and other items as payment for the drug.

Maye  gave drugs to women for free, court records stated, and later manipulated their addiction by requiring them to earn drug money through prostitution. Maye then provided the means for the women to engage in prostitution – frequently obtaining hotel rooms, having the women driven to the hotels, providing phones and directing internet prostitution ads. Maye collected the prostitution proceeds, enforced specific rules on the women and punished the women through physical violence.

Ricco Lamonte Maye

Maye was also found guilty of providing fentanyl which resulted in an overdose death. In November 2018, Maye communicated with the victim in the hours before his death. The victim had been obtaining cocaine from Maye off and on for years and sought to obtain cocaine from him again in this instance but received a fatal dose of fentanyl instead.

The case against Maye also revealed that he used violence against victims as part of overseeing his drug trafficking organization, including “stomping victims out,” smacking them, punching them, breaking their bones and knocking out their teeth.

In addition to the trafficking charges, Maye and other defendants also filed for and received more than $30,000 in fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Maye kept all or a portion of the others’ benefits. 

Maye attempted to obstruct the ongoing investigation into his sex trafficking and other criminal activities and conspired to tamper with witnesses. Maye’s obstruction of justice included his directing the threatened murder of a potential government witness.

Teenager tried as adult in fatal carjacking of Alexa Stakely pleads not guilty

Three of Maye’s charges, distributing a controlled substance, which resulted in one man’s death, drug trafficking, and sex trafficking by force, come with a maximum sentence of life in prison. The other charges included sentences of an aggregate total of 184 years, all of which are to run concurrently with his life sentences.

The sentencing also included restitution payments of $575,596 to eight separate victims or their families.

Maye was one of 10 people charged in the conspiracy case. The full list includes:

NameAlso Known AsAgeCityRicco L. MayeRoscoe39ColumbusAirrika N. Anthony33ColumbusNicole L. GrovesNikki32ColumbusKevin E. Pearson58ColumbusJasmine R. WeatherJazmine, Jazmyne, Jaz23ColumbusJacob M. CapanJake28PickeringtonDanielle C. FergusonDani31ColumbusVincent N. MorrowV39ColumbusAshleigh A. DavisSnowflake28ChillicotheVictor BlakeSlim60Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus police said two people were killed Saturday night in separate crashes in the northern portion of the city.

The first crash occurred at 8:52 p.m. when an adult driving a car west on Morse Road towards Indianola Avenue hit a pedestrian. The adult pedestrian was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead at 9:25 p.m.

The second crash was at 9:33 p.m. on the northwest side of Columbus. A man was driving a motorcycle north on Sawmill Road near Hard Road as a Nissan going south on Sawmill Road was preparing to turn into a driveway.

Adult killed in Franklinton shooting

The vehicles collided into each other and the motorcyclist, identified as 38-year-old Justin Hawkins, was ejected. Hawkins was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead while receiving treatment. The driver of the Nissan remained at the scene.

Columbus police's accident investigation unit is investigating both crashes and anyone with additional information can call 614-645-4767.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is dead after a shooting early Sunday morning in a west Columbus neighborhood.

Two shot in South Linden neighborhood

A police dispatcher said that officers were called to the 100 block of Hayden Avenue in Franklinton just after 12:30 a.m. on reports of a shooting. An adult victim was found at the scene with a gunshot wound and taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital at 2:48 a.m. Columbus police is continuing to investigate.

POWELL, Ohio (WCMH) -- Maple Street Biscuit Co. in Powell has closed, along with 13 other locations across the nation, as parent company Cracker Barrel scales back the Southern-inspired breakfast chain.

The Powell restaurant, located at 9711 Sawmill Parkway, opened in February 2024 as the brand's third central Ohio location, after spots in Polaris and Worthington. Known for biscuit dishes like the "Squawking Goat" and the "Eggstreme Biscuits & Gravy," the restaurant chain had been expanding steadily, with other Ohio locations in Canton and Mason.

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Cracker Barrel confirmed the closure in a statement, thanking both customers and employees.

"We appreciate the continued patronage of the many guests who have dined with Maple Street at these 14 locations over recent years and thank our team members for their passionate dedication to Maple Street," the company said.

• (Courtesy Photo/Maple Street Biscuit Co.)
• (Courtesy Photo/Maple Street Biscuit Co.)

The closures come amid broader challenges for Cracker Barrel, which acquired Maple Street in 2019. The Tennessee-based company has faced recent scrutiny after a rebranding effort failed to resonate with longtime customers. The company attempted to modernize its brand to attract a younger demographic, a move that was met with significant pushback.

Before the Powell location opened last year, Jay Quart, Maple Street's vice president of brand and culinary strategy, said the community demand in Columbus played a key role in the chain's expansion.

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"Columbus has been so welcoming to Maple Street," Quart said at the time. "It'll be an honor to grow our ability to serve more breakfast, brunch and lunch to our newest friends and neighbors."

Maple Street operated more than 60 restaurants across 10 states at the time of Powell opening. The Polaris and Worthington locations remain open.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Two people were shot Saturday night in South Linden.

The shooting happened at about 8:50 p.m. in the 1200 block of East 23rd Avenue.

Map shows approximate location

One person has critical injuries and the second person has serious injuries, according to a police dispatcher. There was no information about a suspect.

No other details were immediately available.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio State Buckeyes are back home to take on Minnesota after a road trip out west.

The Buckeyes will look to remain undefeated as they go against a 3-1 Golden Gophers team. The Buckeyes defeated Washington 24-6 on the road last week to move to 4-0 on the season. Minnesota is coming off a 31-28 win over Rutgers.

The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. on NBC4.

Follow along below for live updates.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- He isn’t just the mascot. He’s the face of Ohio State pride. During the homecoming game against Minnesota in October 1965, Brutus Buckeye made his debut.

“Picture yourself in front of over 100,000 fans in a huge, heavy costume running this heavy flag down a football field with the entire football team chasing you,” said Emily Williams, 2001-2003 Brutus Buckeye.

To celebrate his 60th birthday, many Brutus alumni were featured in the homecoming parade on Friday night. While they were all Brutus at different times, the dozens of people who have been able to call themselves the mascot were reunited and shared their own experiences.

“It's such an incredible honor to be Brutus. You're really kind of the face or an ambassador for the university,” said Jamie Cleverley, 1996-1999 Brutus Buckeye.

What to know about Ohio State’s game against Minnesota on NBC4

Cleverley grew up in Columbus so he’s been surrounded by Ohio State pride all his life. He said he was in high school leading the student section at a basketball game when an Ohio State red coat approached him and suggested he’d made a good fit. He decided to try out and got the part.

“It was huge. I'm still getting chills right now thinking about it. My first game standing with 100,000 fans around and you're ready to run that flag out. It is almost just overwhelming in a wonderful way feeling like I'm a part of this. This is something that I have watched. I've seen my whole life as a kid and now I'm here,” he said.

The role took him to a Rose Bowl, two Sugar Bowls and a win against Michigan. While he only got to be Brutus for a few years, Cleverley said he will have the lessons learned forever.

“Brutus always has to be on and you've got to be ready for whatever situation gets tossed your way. That's a really great life lesson to be prepared for what comes at you and to try and respond in a positive way,” Cleverley said.

Brutus is a he but there have been four times in Ohio State history where he was a she. That includes Emily Williams. 

“Four women have had the honor to do this and so we have set the stage and that opportunity for other women to try out and be confident that you can do this,” she said.

Williams had experience beforehand as her high school mascot and dreamed of being such an iconic mascot. “I love making people laugh, getting them excited, and entertaining,” she said.

A highlight of her experience was being at the 2002 BCS national championship game in Tempe, Arizona, where the Buckeyes beat Miami in dramatic fashion.

“All the fans are going wild but you had no idea underneath that head I was yelling and screaming and cheering on as well,” Williams said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A woman accused of stabbing a co-worker at an east Columbus hospital is facing an assault charge and received a bond amount in court on Saturday morning.

According to court documents, Makaela Wilson, 25, had her arraignment hearing postponed twice in Franklin County Municipal Court but appeared on Saturday. She is facing a charge of felonious assault after a confrontation occurred at Mount Carmel East hospital on East Broad Street.

Police arrest person suspected in multiple north Columbus stabbings

The stabbing occurred Tuesday morning at 8:50 a.m. when a hospital spokesperson confirmed that two employees were involved in an incident and Columbus police told NBC4 that a man had been stabbed inside a hospital kitchen.

A criminal complaint reports that Wilson was seen on security video fleeing the hospital with a large kitchen knife in her hand and then attempting to conceal it under her shirt. Officers found Wilson in a nearby wooded area, along with the knife on the ground close by.

The victim, who was reportedly bleeding from multiple lacerations to his head, neck, face and torso, was hospitalized in critical condition but later upgraded to stable condition.

Wilson was detained and treated for minor injuries. She declined to speak with detectives and is being held at Franklin County Jail. She received a $1 million bond and has her preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 10.

MARION, Ohio (WCMH) — A years-long investigation concluded after a Marion County man pleaded no contest to rape charges dating back nearly 30 years.

According to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, 52-year-old Michael Stith, of Prospect, Ohio, pleaded no contest on five of 10 counts of rape. The allegations date as far back as 1997, and Stith has been accused of targeting and raping four minors under the age of 13 in and around the city of Marion.

Teenager tried as adult in fatal carjacking of Alexa Stakely pleads not guilty Michael Stith (Courtesy Marion County Prosecutor's Office

Court records state that Stith is accused of sexually assaulting two juveniles between 1997 and 1999 and a motion was filed to dismiss those charges based on statute of limitations. That motion was denied, and Stith was remanded to jail throughout the course of the trial.

A sentencing hearing for Stith is scheduled for Nov. 14, when he faces up to 50 years to life in prison.

You can watch a special edition of NBC4 Sports Extra, taking you behind-the-scenes of Big Ten Saturday night, in the player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- While fans watch Ohio State take on Minnesota on NBC4 Saturday night, there's an army of production personnel behind the scenes making sure the broadcast goes smoothly.

The majority of that army arrived in Columbus on Thursday, making the parking lot right outside Ohio Stadium its home this weekend, taking two full days to prepare to bring viewers the best sights and sounds from the game.

Between two production trucks and an RV that serves as a green room, dozens of staff members spend hours preparing for the contest. At the helm of the entire production is Kregg Van Meter, who is the director of operations for the network's Big Ten telecasts. His job is to oversee all the logistics, from coordinating with school officials to booking all the flights for the crew.

What to know about Ohio State’s game against Minnesota on NBC4

"We have a crew of about 140 people. And about 110 of those we travel week to week to week. I tell people all the time this is the modern day equivalent of growing up and joining the circus," Van Meter said.

It's NBC's third season broadcasting Big Ten football in primetime. And Saturday marks the network's second trip to the Horseshoe since Big Ten Saturday Night started. And Van Meter has the preparations down to a science.

"We get here on a Thursday all the gear comes out. All the cameras come out. You set your stage. You take two days to do that," Van Meter said. "You do your show and then you rip it all down in two hours once the game is over. And you move on to the next city."

About 5,000 feet of cable is used in the production, much of it used to connect a total of 25 cameras from the field to the broadcast compound.

While a producer and director are tasked with selecting the best sights and sounds, the voice fans hear the most will be from Noah Eagle, who's been calling Big Ten games for NBC since the network acquired the rights to Saturday night games in 2023.

And Eagle understands well the importance of Buckeye football to the Columbus market and surrounding areas.

"What makes it unique to me is that even in a city that has professional sports and is a major city and has all these other things going on, they're still the number one show in town," Eagle said. "And you feel it every time you go. You feel how passionate the fanbase is. And it stretches wide. Obviously beyond Columbus but just certainly within Columbus, walking around you feel that. And you understand that."

Watch David DeGuzman's extended interview with Noah Eagle in the player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A recent study claims Columbus is one of the best cities in the country for people with disabilities.

WalletHub compared 182 cities – including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state – across 33 indicators of “disability-friendliness.” Metrics included the employment rate for people with disabilities, the number of disability-accessible restaurants and the cost of doctor’s visits. 

The study sourced data from a variety of government agencies, nonprofit organizations and private companies.

Columbus ranked as the fourth-best city for people with disabilities, offering the lowest cost for in-home care of all cities analyzed, and "strong state-level support through CDC funding and Employment First policies," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo told NBC4.

"On the quality-of-life side, Columbus performs especially well in education and housing accessibility, ranking 14th for both the number of special-education teachers and the share of accessible homes listed on the market," Lupo said. "However, the city could improve in areas such as accessible dining options and overall walkability, which are important for day-to-day independence."

Taking the No. 1 spot was Minneapolis, largely due to its availability of affordable, quality medical care, according to WalletHub. Additionally, the city has the fifth-most wheelchair-accessible trails in the nation and the 11th-most homes listed for sale that are wheelchair accessible.

Source: WalletHub

Rounding out the top five was St. Louis (No. 2), Scottsdale, Arizona (No. 3) and St. Paul, Minnesota (No. 5). The worst cities for those with disabilities were Juneau, Alaska; South Burlington, Vermont; Gulfport, Mississippi; Pearl City, Hawaii; and Jackson, Mississippi. 

WalletHub’s full study can be found here.

HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) — The Norwich Township Fire Department (NTFD) is encouraging residents to do visual inspections of their electric meters following what they learned during the investigation of a recent house fire.

The fire happened at Vernon Kennedy's home on Aug. 25.

“That just looks like a fire pit you’d have outside. You feel like if you just tap that with another log or hammer that would just kind of crumble," Kennedy said as he looked up at burnt rafters.

There was fire, smoke, or water damage throughout the entire home. It was gutted and is in the process of being repaired.

“As the days go on it gets a little easier. The day of and the first few weeks afterwards it just made you want to cry," he said.

The fire started in the area of the electrical meter on the outside of the home, according to investigators. It spread into the attic and other parts of the home. Daryl Miller, NTFD's Fire Marshal, said during the investigation, other neighbors told him they'd previously noticed arcing and sparks at their boxes and gotten those problems fixed.

“This is a unique situation to where multiple people have reported hazards around their residence," he said.

Miller said freezing and thawing of soil or things like tree roots can get in the way of underground cable, causing the cable to pull on the electrical box. Now he's urging residents to do a visual-only inspection of their meters. If any issues are noticed, Miller said call the power company and an electrician.

“We’re looking for the meter pulling away from the wall surface and it’ll be very obvious and we’re also looking for a separation in the service cable PVC that's here as well," he said. "This hazard is not a hazard that is just isolated to this community but this is a hazard that could happen anywhere."

No one was hurt during the fire at Kennedy's home and the fire department was able to get all the family's pets out safely. 

“If this can serve as any sort of public awareness or something then great, then hopefully nobody else has to go through this," Kennedy said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A house fire in September led to a Columbus Humane investigation and three dogs in search of a new home. 

It’s a case that shines a light on how, in many cases, people who break the law when it comes to animals avoid consequences. 

Agents respond to an abandonment call but can’t track down the owners. That means they can't press charges. But even if the animals won’t get justice, they get a happy ending. 

Two of the three dogs in this case have been adopted, and NBC4 got to meet the one still at the shelter. 

“Shane is a one-year-old bulldog mixed with something wiry. He is the cutest dog I think any of us have ever seen here,” Columbus Humane Chief Advancement Officer Brittany Williams said. “Every time he goes out for a walk, he takes this little toy with him, these little comfort plushies that he has.”

In early September, the home where Shane and two other dogs lived with their previous family burned down. 

“This person in their neighborhood witnessed a house fire, witnessed the people vacate the home and abandon three dogs there in the home,” Williams said. 

Humane agents responded and tried to find the owners. 

“That involves leaving notices on that property, following up the 24 hours and then 48 hours following that,” Williams said. 

Still no response, so agents legally could take the dogs. And while they could not press abandonment charges on the owners -- since they couldn’t be found -- they could start the search for new homes. 

“They're also very thin when we got them, so needed to make sure that they were healthy and ready to be adopted,” Williams said. 

The other two dogs in this case have been adopted, so it’s just Shane, a fan favorite in the shelter, waiting for his forever home. 

“Shane is the sweetest dog. He is potty-trained. He's very young. So he has such a great life left to live,” Williams said. 

A few months ago, NBC4 showed a dog named Prince. Children’s services were involved in his case and contacted Humane agents when they saw him. 

100 days after he was surrendered, Prince is still waiting for his forever home.

Columbus Humane is raising money to support its animal cruelty investigation work. They have a Defend Your Friend 5k next weekend to support the effort. Read more about it or sign up here.

"Columbus Humane is overwhelmingly funded by charitable contributions. Even our cruelty investigations work," Williams said. "So the way that you can help support Shane and other pets like him is by supporting Columbus Humane and supporting our cruelty investigations work."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A man was charged after explosive devices were found by Columbus police during a Friday morning traffic stop.

Officers pulled over a vehicle near East Welch Avenue when they located suspected improvised explosive devices inside, according to the Columbus Division of Police.

Columbus Fire Department's Arson and Bomb Squad responded and confirmed the devices were homemade explosives consisting of fireworks parts and black powder, according to an affidavit.

Police arrest person suspected in multiple north Columbus stabbings

CFD Arson planned to execute search warrants at several locations, police said.

Jovan T. Linville, 29, was charged with unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance, according to court records.

Linville is scheduled to appear in court Saturday morning.

No other details were immediately available.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Hundreds of veterans gathered at the Greater Columbus Convention Center on Friday for the annual Central Ohio Stand Down event.

“That responsibility, support for our veteran community is up to us,” said Dan Willis, executive director of Central Ohio Stand Down.

For many veterans, the challenges don’t end when they come home. That’s why dozens of volunteers came to lend a helping hand.

“I decided to come out today to look around and visit with some of the vets that I know,” U.S. Marine Wilbert Diggs Sr. said.

Volunteers handed out meals, groceries and clothing for the upcoming colder months.

“It's not just items that they can take home, but they get information that improves the quality of life. We find that a lot of our veterans don't even know what questions to ask for the solutions that they need,” Willis said.

That included information about VA benefits, legal aid and health screenings.

“I just came out to show my appreciation and thank everybody, you know, for giving because we gave. So now they’re giving us a little bit of thank you and we really appreciate that,” Diggs said.

The event has grown each year, which means the number of volunteers needed has too. Organizations all over central Ohio got involved like the Mid-Ohio Food Collective and the Blue Star Mothers of America.

“My son is a veteran. My husband's a veteran. I've been a Blue Star mom since 2009 and it's a passion,” said Deb Waltz, a member of the Buckeye Military Moms branch of Blue Star Mothers of America.

Learn how to get involved in next year’s Central Ohio Stand Down here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - An annual festival celebrating coffee and other caffeinated beverages is returning to central Ohio.

The Columbus Coffee Festival is back Saturday and Sunday for its 10th year at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. The event will showcase more than 40 coffee roasters and tea vendors from a variety of businesses.

Resch’s Bakery begins welcoming customers in Gahanna

Attendees will receive a coffee mug they can take home with them and are able to try out samples from the different vendors on site. Tickets are on sale, starting at $20. Anyone wanting to attend must purchase their tickets to reserve a timeframe at the festival.

Along with coffee, the festival will also feature food trucks, live music, craft vendors and more. The festival is also a family-friendly event. Children 12 and under are free to attend.

For more information on the Columbus Coffee Festival and how to get your tickets, visit the event's website.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A person with measles visited two public places near New Albany while infected, according to Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health.

Health officials said the person visited the New Albany Early Learning Center at 5101 Swickard Woods Boulevard between 10:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. on Sept. 25. The person also visited Target at 6030 North Hamilton Road between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the same day.

Officials noted the time windows include two hours after the person left because the disease can remain in the air for two hours.

The New Albany-Plain Local School District has also notified families and staff about potential exposure, according to officials.

Anyone who visited those locations between those times and has not been fully vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine may have been exposed. Health officials urge anyone who may have been exposed to watch for symptoms and visit a doctor if sick. It could take one to three weeks after exposure to show symptoms.

Anyone with measles symptoms is asked to notify their provider's office before showing up. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and water eyes. A rash can typically appear three to five days after symptoms begin.

Currently, there are three confirmed measles cases in central Ohio, and all are among unvaccinated individuals who traveled internationally.

Health officials are working to identify if there are additional exposures and urged anyone with children 12 months or older to vaccinate their children immediately.

Columbus Public Health offers the vaccines for anyone of eligible age with no appointments needed. Learn more on the CPH website. MMR vaccines are also available at health care providers.