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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Two people were hospitalized after being injured in a crash on the east side of Columbus overnight Sunday.

One killed in Lancaster after motorcycle crash

A police dispatcher said the crash occurred at 2:16 a.m. at the intersection of Rhoads and East Livingston Avenues in the Driving Park neighborhood. Medics transported two victims of the crash to Grant Medical Center.

One of the victims was hospitalized in critical condition while the other was listed in stable condition, per police dispatch. Columbus police is continuing to investigate the crash.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Five years after its removal, new conversations are emerging about the Christopher Columbus statue that once stood outside of city hall. 

City leaders announced the statue would be removed in 2020 after calls from the community saying he's a symbol of racism and not someone who should be glorified. But about two years ago, Reimagining Columbus was tasked with coming up with a 'generational vision' for how it might be reintroduced to the community. 

"Very happy to hear that people are actually wanting it to be put it back," resident Alicia Healy said. 

According to Dan Williamson, a member of the Reimagining Columbus project team, there has been one question that's fueled the project.

Columbus City Schools, NBC4 partner in Back to School Resource Fair

"Is there a way to bring this statue back in the right way?" Williamson said. "And what this project concluded is that there is a way. That's different from saying we have a plan to bring it back, because we don't. We have a vision to bring it back."

Reimagining Columbus unveiled an idea for a park that includes the statue without making it the centerpiece. Text about Columbus' history would surround it. 

"People can look up at it with respect," Williamson said. "People can look down at it. People can come to the space and avoid the statue altogether and never see it."

The vision includes an approximately 5-acre park designed around a circular community gathering space where festivals and concerts could be held. 

"It's pretty incredible," resident Michelle Brandt said. "I mean it's very ambitious, but I think it's an opportunity to show the rest of the country also what we can do with something that's maybe a little controversial and I think the park can serve a bigger purpose which is to bring communities together."

Throughout this process, Reimagining Leaders said there have been several community conversations. 

"What's most remarkable about it, particularly in this day and age and in the climate that we have today, you had people from different backgrounds and different points of view sitting across from a table from each other, actually talking and listening to each other," Williamson said. 

Williamson said this is a subject that people feel strongly about no matter which side they're on. 

"We think our heritage should be preserved," resident Joseph Healy said. "I mean, the statues represent great men. They might've had flaws. If you go back in history, every great leader had flaws."

However not everyone feels this way.

"There are other people who look at the statue and say why are we showing reverence to a person who caused the death of many indigenous people," Williamson said. 

There is currently not a site or budget identified for this project.

"If people see this and people are excited about it, then that could give it some momentum," Williamson said. 

Williamson said this step will give the city a chance to gauge community reaction and that feedback will guide what happens next. With Reimagining Columbus' work complete, the decision now rests with the city. 

"Whatever comes out of this, I believe this is a national model for how do you bring a community together and actually attract people from different backgrounds, different cultures and different points of view to get them to have uncomfortable conversations about uncomfortable topics," Williamson said. 

In this edition:

* MESAT1 Named a Finalist in Global Satellite Contest
* 2025 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Continues
* AMSAT Organizations Continue to Challenge AST SpaceMobile Use of Ham Radio Spectrum
* Registration Remains Open for AMSAT Symposium, Presentations Invited
* NASA Satellite May Be Destroyed On Purpose
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution
* ARISS News
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

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

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

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

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

MESAT1 Named a Finalist in Global Satellite Contest

MESAT1 (MO-122), Maine’s first research satellite developed by the University of Maine and with collaboration from AMSAT Engineering, was a finalist for the SmallSat “Rookie of the Year” Award, which is sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

The public was encouraged to cast their vote online to boost MESAT1 to victory as the top rookie small satellite mission. Voting was free and open to everyone through August 12. MESAT1 was among seven small satellites vying for the title.

MO-122 (Photo: University of Maine)

Launched into orbit on July 4, 2024, MESAT1 was developed to get students involved in space science. The cost-effective nanosatellite, which measures 11.8 inches, is outfitted with four multispectral cameras that were designed to capture climate-related Earth imagery for experiments designed by Maine K-12 students. An AMSAT-provided LTM-1 linear transponder provides services to amateur radio enthusiasts around the world. In October of 2024, at the request of University of Maine, AMSAT designated MESAT1 as MESAT1-OSCAR 122 (MO-122).

“Access to space data motivates and excites students to learn fundamental skills in mathematics and science and helps them see the importance of STEM careers,” said UMaine Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School Kody Varahramyan, who led the establishment of UMaine’s Space Initiative. “Being selected as a finalist for SmallSat Rookie of the Year is a national recognition of what Maine students and their faculty researchers can accomplish together.”

Finalists for the SmallSat award included teams from the University of Arizona, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and international missions from Senegal and Croatia. MESAT1 stands out as a mission that empowered K–12 students from Falmouth High School, Fryeburg Academy and Saco Middle School to contribute to space exploration.

The winner, announced during the 39th Annual Small Satellite Conference from Aug. 10-13 in Salt Lake City, was CroCube the first Croatian satellite. CroCube also operates as an amateur radio satellite with a CW beacon and a GFSK9k6 – AX.25 G3RUH telemetry beacon at 436.775 MHz.

MESAT1 was designed, built and tested by students and faculty at UMaine in partnership with the University of Southern Maine, the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, with support from NASA and the Maine Space Grant Consortium. The satellite’s development and integration for launch was led by Ali Abedi, who formerly served as associate vice president for research and a professor at UMaine.

This effort is part of the broader UMaine Space Initiative, which is working to develop a skilled space workforce and grow Maine’s presence in the space economy, including plans for a future Maine SpacePort Complex.

“This recognition puts Maine on the map as a state that not only builds satellites, but also builds opportunities — for students, teachers, researchers and entrepreneurs,” Varahramyan said.

[ANS thanks The University of Maine and smallsat.org for the above information]

Your 2025 AMSAT President’s Club Coin Is Waiting!
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight
Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.

Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/

2025 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Continues

The nomination period for the 2025 AMSAT Board of Directors Election ended on June 15, 2025. The following candidates have been duly nominated and their candidate statements can be found at link that follows:

Barry Baines, WD4ASW
Jerry Buxton, NØJY
Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
Douglas Tabor, N6UA

As four seats on the Board of Directors are up for election this year, the four candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be declared elected to the seats. The candidate receiving the next largest number of votes shall be declared the First Alternate. The voting period opened on July 15, 2025 and shall conclude on September 15, 2025. Results will be announced no later that September 30, 2025.

AMSAT members may review the candidate statements and cast their ballots at https://launch.amsat.org/2025-BoD-Election

[ANS thanks Douglas Tabor, N6UA, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information]

Need new satellite antennas?

Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.
When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/

AMSAT Organizations Continue to Challenge AST SpaceMobile Use of Ham Radio Spectrum

Facing more than 2,500 complaints from amateurs, AST SpaceMobile has responded by telling the FCC that it has designed its satellites to “mitigate interference” with amateur radio bands.

On August 5, the company replied to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, defending its plan to use the 430 to 440MHz radio bands outside the U.S. to track and control its proposed fleet of 248 satellites. The company says it’s proposing “very limited, non-routine” use of the 430 to 440MHz bands and only for launch and early orbit phases for its satellites or “emergency operations when other frequency bands are unavailable.”

AST SpaceMobile’s attempt to justify its use of the amateur radio band for its satellites has done little to assuage concerns from the ham radio community.

“AST is again economical with the truth,” an amateur radio operator in Germany named Mario Lorenz wrote to the FCC on August 8.

The amateur radio community says AST is already using those bands. On August 8, AMSAT-Deutschland sent a letter to the FCC that says amateur radio users have detected signals from AST’s satellites over the radio bands.

“The claim is therefore either a misrepresentation or a deliberate falsehood,” AMSAT-Deutschland wrote. In particular, AST’s BlueWalker-3 satellite was spotted using the radio band up until July 23 as the amateur radio community began campaigning against the spectrum use.

“It also raises questions about AST’s technical maturity,” the group added. “Other large-scale satellite operators — such as SpaceX, with over 6,000 Starlink satellites in orbit — appear to manage TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking, and Command) functions without resorting to use of the amateur UHF band.”

[ANS thanks PC Magazine for the above information. Read the full article at https://www.pcmag.com/news/ham-radio-users-explain-why-theyre-worried-about-ast-spacemobiles-satellite]

Registration Remains Open for AMSAT Symposium, Presentations Invited

Registrations & room reservations remain available for the 43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting to be held Thursday, October 16 to Sunday, October 19 at the Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North, 1515 North 44th Street Phoenix, AZ. Early Bird registration remains available until September 15 at https://launch.amsat.org/Events

Photo: Holiday Inn Suites Phoenix Airport North

Rooms for the 43rd AMSAT Annual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting have been going fast but more are now available. At an affordable price of $140 per night plus tax, these rooms will go fast. More information of room reservations can be found at: https://www.amsat.org/43rd-amsat-space-symposium-and-annual-general-meeting/

Proposals for Symposium papers and presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your paper or presentation as soon as possible, with final copy submitted by October 8 for inclusion in the Symposium Proceedings. Proposals for presentations at the Symposium do not require a paper. Presentations will be recorded and made available on AMSAT’s YouTube Channel and transcribed and published with its slides in the Proceedings. Proposals should be sent to Frank Karnauskas, N1UW via f.karnauskas [at] amsat.org

Liam Cheney (Photo: Footstep Aerospace)

Keynote speaker at the Symposium will be Liam Cheney, an aerospace consultant and founder of Footstep Aerospace by AG3, LLC. Mr. Cheney supports mission integration, strategy, and business development for the space industry. He holds a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, is a certified Project Management Professional, and a member of AMSAT.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

NASA Satellite That Scientists and Farmers Rely On May Be Destroyed On Purpose

The Trump administration has asked NASA employees to draw up plans to end at least two major satellite missions, according to current and former NASA staffers. If the plans are carried out, one of the missions would be permanently terminated, because the satellite would burn up in the atmosphere.

The data the two missions collect is widely used, including by scientists, oil and gas companies and farmers who need detailed information about carbon dioxide and crop health. They are the only two federal satellite missions that were designed and built specifically to monitor planet-warming greenhouse gases.

It is unclear why the Trump administration seeks to end the missions. The equipment in space is state of the art and is expected to function for many more years, according to scientists who worked on the missions. An official review by NASA in 2023 found that “the data are of exceptionally high quality” and recommended continuing the mission for at least three years.

Both missions, known as the Orbiting Carbon Observatories, measure carbon dioxide and plant growth around the globe. They use identical measurement devices, but one device is attached to a stand-alone satellite while the other is attached to the International Space Station. The standalone satellite would burn up in the atmosphere if NASA pursued plans to terminate the mission.

Presidential budget proposals are wish lists that often bear little resemblance to final congressional budgets. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory missions have already received funding from Congress through the end of the 2025 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Draft budgets that Congress is currently considering for next year keep NASA funding basically flat. But it’s not clear whether these specific missions will receive funding again, or if Congress will pass a budget before current funding expires on Sept. 30.

Last week, NASA announced it will consider proposals from private companies and universities that are willing to take on the cost of maintaining the device that is attached to the International Space Station, as well as another device that measures ozone in the atmosphere.

The missions are called Orbiting Carbon Observatories because they were originally designed to measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But soon after they launched, scientists realized that they were also accidentally measuring plant growth on Earth.

Basically, when plants are growing, photosynthesis is happening in their cells. And that photosynthesis gives off a very specific wavelength of light. The OCO instruments in space measure that light all over the planet.

“NASA and others have turned this happy accident into an incredibly valuable set of maps of plant photosynthesis around the world,” explains Scott Denning, a longtime climate scientist at Colorado State University who worked on the OCO missions and is now retired. “Lo and behold, we also get these lovely, high resolution maps of plant growth,” he says. “And that’s useful to farmers, useful to rangeland and grazing and drought monitoring and forest mapping and all kinds of things, in addition to the CO2 measurements.”

The cost of maintaining the two OCO satellite missions up in space is a small fraction of the amount of money taxpayers already spent to design and launch the instruments. The two missions cost about $750 million to design, build and launch, according to David Crisp, a retired NASA scientist.

By comparison, maintaining both OCO missions in orbit costs about $15 million per year, Crisp says. That money covers the cost of downloading the data, maintaining a network of calibration sensors on the ground and making sure the stand-alone satellite isn’t hit by space debris, according to Crisp.

“Just from an economic standpoint, it makes no economic sense to terminate NASA missions that are returning incredibly valuable data,” Crisp says.

[ANS thanks National Public Radio for the above information. Read the complete article at https://www.npr.org/2025/08/04/nx-s1-5453731/nasa-carbon-dioxide-satellite-mission-threatened]

Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!

25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for August 15

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/.

With HamTV becoming active on ISS, orbital elements are now updated twice daily in http://www.amsat.org/tle/ at 00:18 and 12:18 UTC. The intention is to have high quality TLE available to accurately calculate doppler shift for the 2.935 GHz downlink. Observations comparing these TLE to those that were caclulated based ephemerides and TLE produced by Johnson Space Center the last time HAMTV was active are desired, write jfitzgerald [at] amsat.org

Assignments to some of the Tevel2 satellites have been updated to match object numbers.

The following satellites have been removed from this week’s distribution:
CSIM NORAD Cat ID 43793 Decayed from orbit on or about 09 August 2025

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information]

AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available

Yes, These are the Real Thing!
Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a Fox-Plus Satellite
Includes First Class Postage (Sorry – U.S. Addresses Only)
Order Today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain

ARISS NEWS

Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.

COMPLETED
N. Sultanov International Aerospace School, Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, direct via RC4P
The ISS callsign was RSØISS
The crewmember was Sergey Ryzhikov
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful for Mon 2025-08-11 07:51 UTC
Congratulations to the N. Sultanov International Aerospace School students, Sergey, mentor RV3DR, and ground station RC4P!

UPCOMING
Youngsters On The Air, Jambville, France, Direct via FX5YOTA
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Mike Fincke KE5AIT
The ARISS mentor is F6ICS
Contact is go for: Tue 2025-08-19 09:18:53 UTC 82 deg
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MARkTcR6Njo

NixderStelar (formerly Gemini-1), Lima, Peru, telebridge via VK4KHZ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Zena Cardman KJ5CMN
The ARISS mentor is VE6JBJ
Contact is go for: Wed 2025-08-20 14:08:05 UTC 81 deg

The crossband repeater continues to be ACTIVE (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

The packet system is also ACTIVE (145.825 MHz up & down).

As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. Next expected outage: Ham TV (2395.00 MHz down) will power down on Monday 18 August at 14:15 UTC and power up on Wednesday 20 August at approximately 12:35 UTC.

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]

AMSAT Ambassador Activities

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

August 16-17, 2025
Huntsville Hamfest 2025
Von Braun Center South Hall
700 Monroe St. SW
Huntsville, AL 35801
https://hamfest.org/
N8DEU, WD4ASW, KE4AL, W4FCL

August 21-24, 2025
Northeast HamXposition (HamX) & New England ARRL Convention
Best Western Royal Plaza & Trade Center
181 Boston Post Road W
Marlborough, MA 01752
http://www.HamX.org
W1EME, WD4ASW, WB1FJ

September 6, 2025
Greater Louisville Hamfest
Paroquet Springs Conference Centre
395 Paroquet Springs Drive
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
https://louisvillehamfest.wixsite.com/louisvillehamfest
W4FCL

October 11, 2025
North Star Radio Convention
Hennepin Technical College
9000 Brooklyn Boulevard
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
https://northstarradio.org/
ADØHJ

October 16, 17, 18, 19, 2025
AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting and 43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting
Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North
1515 North 44th Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85008
Details at https://www.amsat.org/2025-symposium/

[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ AMSAT-Deutschland will host the Bochum Space Days event from September 19 to 21, 2025. In cooperation with the Bochum Observatory, AMSAT-Deutschland e.V. is offering a varied and informative program aimed at AMSAT members and all space enthusiasts. The focus is on current developments and future prospects for national and international amateur radio satellites and other space projects. Lectures, presentations and exciting discussions will provide participants with valuable insights into the latest technologies, missions and research projects in space travel. See https://amsat-dl.org/en/save-the-date-bochum-space-days-2025/ for details. (ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.)

+ If you happen to read Japanese, the latest JAMSAT Newsletter No.318 includes JAMSAT’s next Transponder Board Project “Blueberry JAM,” as well as an invitation to HamFair2025 in Tokyo next weekend. See it at https://bit.ly/43kOW7v (ANS thanks Mikio Mouri, JA3GEP, JAMSAT Newsletter Editor, for the above information.)

+ The September 2025 issue of QST Magazine contains a review of the Halibut Electronics EggNOGS Antenna. The reviewer recommends this low-cost “eggbeater” antenna array primarily for receiving in unattended operations, such as weather satellite and SatNOGS ground stations. However, the kit has options for low power uplink transmissions, as well. The detailed review appears on pages 45-49 of the magazine, or see https://electronics.halibut.com/ for the manufacturer’s website. (ANS thanks QST Magazine for the above information.)

+ NASA Astronaut James A. Lovell (Captain, USN, Ret.), veteran of the Gemini VII, Gemini XII, and Apollo 8 missions before becoming the Mission Commander for the nearly disastrous Apollo 13 mission to the Moon, died August 7 at the age of 97. Lovell joined NASA in 1962 as part of its second group of astronauts. He was selected as backup commander to Neil Armstrong for the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission, and would have been the fifth human to walk on the moon, had it not been for the Apollo 13 “problem.” (ANS thanks NASA for the above information.)

+ SpaceX is now offering Starship flights to Mars, with Italy signing up as the first customer to send payloads. However, there is no announced start date for providing the service. (ANS thank The Orbital Index for the above information.)

+ Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have found strong evidence of a giant planet orbiting a star in the stellar system closest to our own Sun. At just four light-years away from Earth, the Alpha Centauri triple star system has long been a compelling target in the search for worlds beyond our solar system. If confirmed, the planet would be the closest to Earth that orbits in the habitable zone of a Sun-like star. However, because the planet candidate is a gas giant, scientists say it would not support life as we know it. (ANS thanks the European Space Agency for the above information.)

+ A newly released report states that in 2023, LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory at CalTech, detected the most massive black hole merger yet, in which rapidly spinning black holes with masses of roughly 100 M☉ and 140 M☉ (M☉= 1 solar mass) merged to form a 225 M☉ black hole. Notice that 100 + 140 = 240 M☉, but the final object weighs a meager 225 Suns, meaning that 15 M☉ were converted directly into gravitational energy in this event, totaling 3 x 1048 Joules —- more energy than the combined stellar output of every star in the visible universe in that moment! (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.)

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

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

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM
mjohns [at] amsat.org

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

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus City Schools students are getting ready to head back to the classroom. To make sure families are prepared, the district held its Back to School Resource Fair in partnership with NBC4 on Saturday.

“We are ready to welcome back all of our students on Monday, Aug. 25,” Angela Chapman, superintendent of Columbus City Schools, said.

The Fort Hayes campus was flooded with families.

“I’ve got two children in middle school and this looks like an amazing event. Supplies being given away. I mean, so many people have come out,” Reggie Rice, a CCS parent, said.

Families were provided with bus route information, health screenings and learned about after-school programs. Students also got to stock up on free school supplies from NBC4’s Stuff the Backpack campaign.

“It’s the greatest showing of love and support from our community,” Chapman said.

Central Ohio ramen chain opening its third location

This event marked the last stop on NBC4's Stuff the Backpack campaign. This year, the station helped out more than 22,000 students in 20 school districts thanks to our partner, United Way of Central Ohio, along with our sponsors, business donors and viewers.

“They care about the community and I feel like Columbus City Schools is doing a pretty good job of helping people out,” said Timothy Williams, a district parent.

Chapman said the goal is to equip students with the supplies and knowledge they need beforehand so that they can go into the school year with excitement.

“I’m happy because I can see my friends,” Kingston Williams, 3rd grade student, said.

If your school district would like to become one of our Stuff the Backpack districts next year please email NBC4stuffthebackpack@wcmh.com.

LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) -- Police are investigating a two-vehicle crash involving a motorcyclist in Fairfield County.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says a 44-year old man was driving a 2015 Dodge Ram southbound on State Route 674 around 2:10 p.m., Aug. 9 while Johnny Hackney, 73, was traveling on a 2014 Harley Davidson motorcyle northbound near County Road 41.

The man tried to turn eastbound into a private drive causing Hackney to stike the pickup.

Hackney was transported to a Columbus hospital, where he was later pronouced dead.

Friday shooting victim identified as 15-year-old

The crash remains under investigation.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — For the second-straight year, the Block O honor goes to a member of the linebacker room. 

Ohio State football legacy Sonny Styles will wear the coveted jersey this season, following in linebacker Cody Simon's footsteps.

Raised in Pickerington, Ohio, Sonny Styles was a star basketball and football player at Pickerington Central High School. He followed the path of his father, former Buckeye All-American Lorenzo Styles Sr, and chose to play for Ohio State. After two seasons at the safety position, Styles mirrored his father again and moved to the linebacker position for 2024. He was the Buckeyes' second-leading tackler on last year's national championship team.

Starting over on the Ohio State defensive line

“Sonny is the ultimate pro,” linebackers coach James Lauriniatis said earlier this month. “He’s very intentional. From the day we decided to make the switch [to linebacker], he’s done nothing but work at it. He’s the leader of the entire team.”

Ohio State's "Block O" is inspired by defensive end Bill Willis who is remembered for toughness, accountability, and the highest of character -- all values that the current-day Buckeyes strive for every day. And nobody better exemplifies those traits than Styles, which is why Day and his staff chose him to represent the No. 0 jersey this year.

Styles is also one of four team captains for the Buckeyes this season. He is joined by junior safety Caleb Downs, junior offensive lineman Austin Siereveld and junior wide receiver Brandon Inniss. 

Downs is considered, by many, to be the best defensive player in college football this season. He was the Big Ten’s Woodson/Tatum Defensive Back of the Year and a unanimous first team All-American while totaling 82 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions.

Siereveld was a key player on last year's national championship offensive line. Somewhat of an unsung hero on last year's team, he stepped up when two starters went down with injuries on the offensive line and became a stabilizing figure. 

Inniss becomes a team captain without having a single start at wide receiver yet in his career. That says so much about who he is and what his leadership means to this team. He is primed for a breakout season at the receiver spot and will continue to impact on special teams. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) —  There are three position groups that don’t return any starters: quarterback, running back and defensive line. When the Buckeyes open up against Texas, all four lineman will be making their first Ohio State start.

Kayden McDonald has a great chance to anchor the interior of the line and he’s ready to take advantage of this special opportunity. Kayden has changed his body this offseason by altering his diet and spending day after day with Mickey Marotti, director of football sport performance at Ohio State.

“It started with fixing my diet, putting the right stuff in my body, taking care of myself, taking my vitamins, conditioning every day, hitting the sled every day,” McDonald said.

He’s only down eight pounds, from 330 to 322, this offseason, but he looks completely different and more powerful.

NCAA announces punishment in Michigan sign-stealing scheme

At defensive end, there’s talk Kenyatta Jackson could turn himself into a first round draft pick. Jackson went the other way compared to Kayden, putting on ten pounds in the offseason, and he looks like he’s ready to go. The coaching staff is also turning to him to lead, something very new to Kenyatta at Ohio State.  

“To be honest, I did not want to be the leader of this room at first in the winter. You know, it was tough. It was tough. I haven't told anybody this but there were days where Coach Mick and the coaches would be hard on the defensive line and it was tough. I went home and shed tears, like real talk, but I stayed with it. I stuck with it, Coach J, Coach Mick helped me along with it, and I'm in this position now,” Jackson, who is set to start week one against Texas, said.

Beau Atkinson is another intriguing defensive end. He transferred in from North Carolina after spring ball in late April. This camp is his first time working with Larry Johnson and he can tell it is different.

“His drill work is just awesome. I'm sure you all have watched it, but his drills are kind of different than what a lot of D-line units do. And so just the intensity throughout all of our drills, I think that's all been super helpful,” Atkinson said.

With three years of college experience, Atkinson has two years of eligibility.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Police have identified the victim in a Friday afternoon shooting as 15-yaer-old Anthony Johnson.

Columbus Police said they responded to the 600 block of Raleigh Drive in the west Columbus Georgian Heights neighborhood on reports of a shooting around 3:45 p.m. Friday. Upon arrival, they found Johnson suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital and pronounced dead at 4:40 p.m.

Police said they arrested 19-year-old Jordan Austin for the murder. According to court records, Austin was arrested on Saturday without incident. He will be arraigned on Monday at 9 a.m.

Police said they continue to investigate what lead up to the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call Columbus Police at (614) 645-6420, or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A central Ohio-based ramen chain is preparing to open its third location.

Kyushu Ramen will open at 784 Bethel Road in the Olentangy Square retail center, according to city permits. Although the restaurant has not announced an opening date, signage boasting its branding has been installed at the location. 

The ramen brand opened its first location in Grandview Heights at 1280 W. Fifth Ave. in 2022, and its second in Lewis Center at 6418 Pullman Drive in 2023. 

Kyushu Ramen serves a variety of “homemade, hand-crafted” Japanese ramen noodles, according to its website. Some options on the menu include Kyushu Classic Tonkatsu with pork or chicken, soft-boiled egg, mushroom and bamboo shoot, along with Veggies Ramen, featuring tofu, bean sprout, mushroom and corn. 

• (Courtesy Photo/Kyushu Ramen Bar)
• (Courtesy Photo/Kyushu Ramen Bar)
• (Courtesy Photo/Kyushu Ramen Bar)
• (Courtesy Photo/Kyushu Ramen Bar)

“Our goal is to bring the most authentic and flavorful ramen noodle to central Ohio," the eatery’s website states.

Along with ramen, the restaurant serves starters, including honey walnut shrimp, pan fried gyoza and edamame. Rice bowls and stir-fried noodles are also on the menu, offering a variety of meat and vegetable combinations.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A northwest Columbus man has been arrested after six cybertips involving videos of sexual abuse of a minor were investigated last month.

According to court records, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received six tips, each linked to a common Dropbox user ID and email address, along with three IP addresses for a residence near Dublin.

Detectives investigated the material, discovered in March, and found files containing over 1,000 images and videos, including one involving an adult male sodomizing a 9-year-old boy.

On July 23, Google responded to a subpoena for subscriber information for the email account listed in the cybertips. On July 29, Charter Communications responded to a subpoena for IP addresses subscriber information. The results listed a phone number and address for Steven Sulainis.

That same day, Dropbox returned search warrant content that identified Sulainis in multiple videos of himself reportedly using drugs.

Court documents stated Sulainis’ vehicle was parked in front of his condominium or parking garage space at his address in the Tuttle West neighborhood, and on Aug. 12, a residential search warrant was signed by a Franklin County judge.

On Wednesday, Sulainis, 63, confirmed his email address, phone number, and Dropbox account to sheriff's deputies. The information matched that reported from the cybertips. Sulainis was interviewed, and after he was read a description of one of the files uncovered by authorities, he broke off the interview.

Sulainis, charged with two counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, was taken to the Franklin County Jail. He was issued a $500,000 bond in Municipal Court on Thursday and next scheduled to appear in court Aug. 22 for a preliminary hearing.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Two short-lived tornadoes touched down in northern Ohio late Tuesday and early Wednesday, associated with a cluster of strong thunderstorms that moved northeast across Ohio.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland reported that a tornado briefly touched down northeast of Middlefield, in Geauga County, for a couple of minutes at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday evening, with maximum winds of 85 mph (EF0), traveling one-quarter of a mile.

The Weather Service reported the storm damaged three buildings and two outbuildings, and injured three livestock. Roofing material was blown several hundred yards across a road. No injuries were reported.

The Cleveland NWS confirmed a second tornado occurred at 2:05 a.m. on Wednesday at New London, in Huron County, north of U.S. 224. The storm was a little stronger, reaching EF1 intensity (85 mph), while on the ground for one-third of a mile.

The storm caused damage at the New London Recreation area, knocking over fencing and snapping a large tree. The residential sections of New London received some roof damage to three homes, as uprooted trees landed on a few homes and power lines, "snapping three utility poles" and knocking down "severe panel fences," according to the NWS storm survey. No injuries were reported.

Stormy night

Thunderstorms put on a dazzling light show moving into the Columbus area just before midnight on Tuesday, accompanied by booming thunder and downpours. Powerful straight-line winds toppled trees in Delaware shortly after midnight, where rainfall approached 2 inches in less than an hour, ending the early August dry spell.

Storm damage in Delaware from a storm shortly after midnight. (Courtesy/Amy Royster)

The two August tornadoes this week brought the preliminary total in Ohio this year to 28. The average for an entire year is 22. Tornado season normally peaks in spring and early summer, with only sporadic severe storms possible during the late summer and autumn.

In 2024, a state record 74 tornadoes were recorded in Ohio. So far in 2025, 20 of the 28 confirmed tornadoes were rated EF0 (65-85 mph), and seven reached EF1 intensity (86-100 mph). The strongest tornado was an EF2 storm in Paulding County on Apr. 2 that traveled 4.5 miles, packing 120 mph winds.

Cold air funnel in Richland County

A "cold air" funnel cloud was sighted Wednesday afternoon with a rain shower near Crestview High School in Richland County north of Mansfield.

These sightings have been quite common this summer due to a very moist lower atmosphere. Low-level winds converging in a narrow zone acquire spin beneath a rain shower or storm that is not rotating, and these funnel clouds are very unlikely to touch down.

MASON, Ohio (WCMH) – Kings Island has announced it will soon close a long-standing, fan-favorite ride to “make way for future development.”

After over 14 years of operation, Boo Blasters on Boo Hill will embark on its last rides on Sept. 1, before Kings Island shutters the attraction. The amusement park announced the move on social media earlier this week, calling the closure of the monster-themed ride “the end of an era.”

“Since 2010, the young and young-at-heart have created cherished memories working together to blast whimsical ghosts, ghouls and goblins back to the underworld on this classic indoor attraction,” Kings Island wrote.

Boo Blasters on Boo Hill allows riders to travel through a monster-infested castle and shoot at illuminated targets with a laser gun to collect points. The family-friendly ride features a moving car that can seat up to five people, according to Kings Island’s website.

Boo Blasters on Boo Hill is one of several attractions that has been located within the large building in the amusement park’s Planet Snoopy area. When Kings Island opened in 1972, the building housed a boat ride called The Enchanted Voyage, which took guests through the various worlds of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, including those of Scooby Doo and The Flintstones. 

The Enchanted Voyage was converted into The Smurf’s Enchanted Voyage in 1984, then was replaced by Phantom Theater in 1992, marking the first ghost-inspired ride at the location. In 2003, the ride transformed into Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle, before rebranding as Boo Blasters on Boo Hill in 2010. 

While Kings Island said the closure will create space for new development, it has not yet announced what may take place of the iconic ride.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Inprem Food Pantry continues its fight to stay open after winning in eviction court last week, but faces a new challenge after receiving a new eviction notice on its door. 

Inprem Food Pantry on the north side of Columbus thought its fight to stay open was over after winning in eviction court last week. But now, it's back in a legal battle after a new eviction notice showed up on its door Thursday.

Inprem Holistic Community Resource Center CEO, Alex Eric Abrokwa-Clottey, said he found the three-day notice to leave the premises when he arrived at work Thursday. However, the notice reads it was posted on the premises on August 12th, making Friday the third day. 

"It's very frustrating," Abrokwa-Clottey said. "And, you know, it breaks the heart of anybody that wants to do good. Being attacked in this manner."

Abrokwa-Clottey said this eviction battle has been going on for months. 

"It's unfortunate, really," Abrokwa-Clottey said. "I mean, we've been here, we've been in this facility for over 12 years, and we've never had such a problem with the previous owners. These new owners just bought this property in May, and they just don't want us serving the community."

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According to Abrokwa-Clottey, his landlord has cited concerns over the pantry's drive-thru system, claiming it's a traffic nuisance for other tenants.

"It's not a matter of we not paying rent or we violating any of the policies because nothing has been brought to our attention in terms of don't do this, don't do that," Abrokwa-Clottey. "We've never had any complaints from him, but the drive-thru, which we've been doing this for over seven years."

NBC4 reached out to the landlord's attorney for comment, but has yet to hear back. 

"We can't leave," Abrokwa-Clottey. "We don't know where to go."

Abrokwa-Clottey said he wants to know what they're being evicted for if the previous allegations didn't hold up in court last week. 

"It's not just a business that is generating income," Abrokwa-Clottey said. "We are taking care of the needy. And these families, for over ten years, have depended on us at this place."

But Abrokwa-Clottey said they have no plans of leaving because the community needs them. 

"In 2025, we have over 11,000 unduplicated families that are coming here to receive help," Abrokwa-Clottey said. "So how do you tell 11,000 families don't come back?"

Inprem Food Pantry has notified Legal Aid, which represented it in last week's eviction hearing. Abrokwa-Clottey said he's hopeful they'll help them navigate the legal process as they wait for their next court date.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio National Guard gave NBC4 a rare front-row seat to see their work from above after we were invited on a Black Hawk helicopter training flight.

According to leaders, it's important to show the Buckeye State who they are and what they do as they're here to serve the community. 

"Our primary mission is right here within the state of Ohio, 17,000 plus Army National Guardsmen and Airmen that are ready and available so that when that worst day happens in our communities, we are going to be there," Ohio National Guard Col. Jon Stewart said. 

The Ohio National Guard has a dual mission - to serve Ohio and the nation. The orientation flight gave a firsthand look at aviation operations in action. It took off from Rickenbacker International Airport, soaring up State Route 315, flying right past Ohio Stadium. 

"What we're doing is so important because we never know what the future is going to hold," Ohio National Guard Black Hawk Pilot Denver Meek said. "So I think, you know, ensuring that we have trained and ready units to respond to disasters or to state or federal missions, whether here in Ohio or America or overseas, is just critically important to the future of our nation and state and communities."

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The Ohio National Guard has had Black Hawk helicopters since the late 1980s. Colonel Jon Stewart said they're the most up-to-date aircraft in the Army's inventory, and they aren't just for the battlefield.

"With the helicopter, we can now extract people from rooftops, which you see many times in hurricanes, which obviously we don't have here in Ohio," Col. Stewart said. "But these Blackhawks have supported hurricane relief not only in Puerto Rico, in Florida, in Texas, and many other locations."

Black Hawks have been deployed for disaster relief, search and rescue, and medical evacuations in Ohio and across the country.

"We can have a hoist hooked up to some of these aircraft and use that to basically have that ability, like in flooded terrain and things of that nature, to go down and rescue individuals who are stranded," Meek said. 

As you can imagine, operating one of these helicopters requires extensive and rigorous training. 

"Pilots have to be in the air on a very regular basis to sustain proficiency," Col. Stewart said. "You can't just sit and wait a few months and get back in and go again. So they are constantly flying, constantly in the air, so that when needed, we can call and respond." 

According to crews, training like this keeps their skills sharp, ensuring they're ready to answer the call no matter where it comes from. While their goal is to serve and protect citizens, they want to make it clear they're a part of the very communities we live in. 

"Those of us that you see in uniform, most of us are only in this uniform two days a month," Col. Stewart said. "The rest of the time we're wearing civilian clothes. We're shopping at the stores. We're driving on the streets, and then we come and do great things like fly Black Hawk helicopters."

Ohio Army National Guard aviation regiments routinely conduct training and operational support missions, providing transport of personnel, cargo, and medical assets for the U.S. military. Since 2001, Ohio aviation units have served in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. 

Solar activity has been at low levels with mostly weak C-class flares observed from Regions 4172 and 4180.  The largest flare of the period was a C6.8/Sf at 15/1037 UTC from Region 4172.  There are 12 regions on the disk with most being simple in magnetic complexity.  Region 4172 remained the largest region on the disk and continued to decay with its magnetic field decreasing in complexity. All...

GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) -- Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools and Gahanna Police team up with a new initiative to help children who have experienced a traumatic event involving law enforcement.

A new initiative between Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools and Gahanna Police will help provide subtle and confidential support to kids who have experienced a stressful or traumatic event involving law enforcement.

It’s called Handle With Care.

If a student is dealing with something outside of school, that can sometimes lead to behavioral or emotional challenges in school. The Handle With Care initiative provides educators with more tools to help children during a difficult time.

Schools may be notified if a student experiences a car crash, domestic violence, the arrest of a loved one, or any other kind of police-involved incident.

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“It’s going to let us send a confidential notice to a lead at the school that that student may go to, letting them know that that student has experienced something,” said Crystal Jones, a Gahanna school resource officer. “It’s no details, it just says handle with care.”

Officer Jones first heard about Handle With Care at a juvenile conference last year, and she knew it would be great for the police department and the school district.

She said a traumatic or stressful event can make a child act differently at school.

“Maybe they're falling asleep in class, maybe they're tardy, maybe they haven't finished their homework assignment for that day. Maybe they're acting out towards other students,” said Jones.

Teachers and school leaders will not have any specifics on the incident; they’ll just know a student should be “handled with care.”

Gahanna-Jefferson Schools superintendent, Dr. Tracey Deagle, said training for Handle With Care finished up the week before the school year began.

“We have our counselors trained as well as our building administrators to ensure that we are protecting our youth,” said Dr. Deagle. “We're not calling them out. We're not sharing anything confidential. We’re just supporting.”

Dr. Deagle said the student won’t be treated differently or pulled aside. Handle With Care just allows staff to be informed so they can give a child some leniency with deadlines or disruptive behavior.

It’s subtle but supportive.

“It's letting them be, but knowing that if they come down to the office fearful or in tears, that we understand a little bit more of the why,” said Dr. Deagle.

Gahanna is the second Franklin County community to implement the statewide initiative, but Officer Jones said other areas across Ohio are in the process of developing Handle With Care programs. It’s something people may see at their local school district in the near future.

Learn more about Handle With Care here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Historic Grandview Café hosts a two-day celebration to honor its 100th birthday.

Starting on Friday, the Historic Grandview Café will kick off its centennial celebration with a plethora of activities. According to the café's website, the party includes games, giveaways, and live music. The party will span from the café down to the Homefield Sports Bar.

Those attending Friday night can enjoy drink samplings starting at 6 p.m. while awaiting the live music to begin at 7 p.m. Saturday is full of activities starting at 11 a.m., and the itinerary highlights the multiple giveaways attendees can enter.

Prizes range from $25 to $100 gift cards, tickets to concerts at KEMBA Live!, and even tickets to the OSU vs Texas game. A full itinerary for both days can be viewed on the café's website.

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Grandview Café first opened in 1925 and prides itself on the history that lives on in its restaurant. On its website, the café describes vintage artifacts such as wood-washed floors and sturdy leather suitcases lining the bar as a reason why the restaurant is so special.

Managers of the café say the Summer of 100 celebration is a 'thank you' to the patrons.

"We're a cornerstone of the community. People are able to come here, whether it's for football games or to celebrate an anniversary, or just to meet friends for drinks. We love being that place for all of our guests, and the community for us is the same. I mean, it's a family," says James Ball, the director of operations at the Grandview Café.

Managers also said that the key to the Grandview Café's longevity was its adaptability and changing menu. Reservations are not necessary to attend the event, and walk-ins are welcome.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — It's back to school season in central Ohio and as educators prepare for the beginning of the school year, they're also training for emergency situations.

Teachers at the Arts and College Preparatory Academy (ACPA) went through an active shooter training on Friday morning.

“The fact we have to do this is really hard but our number one job is to protect our kids and to protect our students," said Sarah Bostelman, director of operations at ACPA.

During one of the scenarios at ACPA, a deputy with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) played the role of an active shooter in the hall and fired a track and field starter pistol. As part of the exercise, teachers were in their classrooms at the time. Bostelman said it's a sad reality educators need to go through these types of drills.

“It is incredibly important to change the way you are preparing for these events so you’re not a sitting duck just like they say in the training," she said. 

The program from the FCSO is called CRASE. It stands for Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events. Deputy Michael Fetherolf has led it for about 10 years.

“Latest statistics are 57% of all of our active attacks end before police get there. So for me, that means it doesn't matter how much I train, I really need to be out in my community teaching people how to respond to reduce that risk for them," he said. "It's going to be over before I get there more than half the time so I really need to make sure my community members are the best equipped we can be."

During the training, the group was also taught how to use tourniquets and other methods of stopping bleeding.

“You never want it. We’re going to train for worst case scenario that day that if it were to ever happen -- we never want it to -- but we’re going to be the best prepared we can be for if it were to happen," Fetherolf said.

Fetherolf said much of what was taught can be useful in other places as well. CRASE is also offered to colleges, businesses, hospitals, and places of worship. More information about it can be found here.