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GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) – After a “long” and “contentious” road filled with multiple rejections from Gahanna’s planning commission and pushback from residents, Sheetz has officially opened in the city. 

The convenience store and gas station began welcoming customers at 495 Crescent Place, in southern Gahanna off Tech Center Drive, on Tuesday at 9 a.m. The new Sheetz location brings the brand to nearly 30 stores in the Columbus area, according to a news release. 

In July 2024, Gahanna’s planning commission gave the green light to a proposal by Skilken Gold, a Columbus-based real estate company, to build the Sheetz on an undeveloped 2.9-acre property. The approval came after the commission shut down two of the company’s previous attempts to bring a Sheetz to the city, including rejecting plans for a store between Johnstown Road and Morse Road in March 2023 and another at 230 Granville St. in April 2024. See NBC4's previous coverage in the video player above.

The first two proposals received immense criticism from residents on social media, who pointed to FBI statistics demonstrating how gas stations are high on the list of likely locations for violent crime and cited concerns about increased traffic. The Granville Street plan also specifically faced criticism about its proximity to Shull Park.

“Shull Park bustles with children coming to and leaving athletic games,” former Gahanna mayor Jim McGregor wrote on Facebook last year. “Bicycles, foot traffic and cars hurry about the grounds. Present adjacent business activities are busy at lunch and after work, but generally quiescent at other times. A fuel station draws a constant turbulence of traffic. This is incompatible with the safety of the children.”

However, there was little pushback online about the third proposal, which ultimately came to fruition, commission member Michael Tamarkin said after the panel approved the project. During the July 2024 meeting, Chairman James Mako thanked Sheetz for working through a “long” and “contentious” road to find a location for the gas station. 

To celebrate the grand opening in Gahanna, Sheetz is offering free self-serve coffee and soda all day Tuesday. The company also announced it will donate $2,500 to Gahanna Residents in Need, a food bank for the Gahanna-Jefferson School District, as well as $2,500 to Special Olympics of Ohio, according to a news release.

The new Sheetz in Gahanna offers a drive-thru for picking up its made-to-order food and drinks, as well as six fuel pumps covered by a canopy.  

Established in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in 1952, Sheetz operates over 800 locations throughout Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. All Sheetz stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- No. 1 Ohio State has won each of its last three games by multiple touchdowns, but its next opponent likes to pile up the points for itself.

The Buckeyes (4-0) play unranked Minnesota at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The game from Ohio Stadium will air on NBC4, and coach Ryan Day will address it at noon on Tuesday. You can watch Day live in the video player above.

The Golden Gophers (3-1) average 33.5 points on offense, enough to rank in the top 50 nationally. But that total is below than the Buckeyes' opponent from last week, Washington, which averages 43.2, and the Ohio State rolled to a 24-6 win on the road in the that game.

CJ Donaldson had touchdowns rushing and receiving against the Huskies, and Jeremiah Smith caught eight passes for 81 yards. Julian Sayin was 22-of-28 passing for 208 yards.

After playing Minnesota, Ohio State's next game is at No. 22 Illinois.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Sonic Temple music festival is still seven months away, but plenty of bands have already been announced for the lineup.

As of Tuesday, 26 bands have been announced, including one headliner.

My Chemical Romance was announced earlier this month as the first headliner for the four-day festival.

The festival is also expected to announce more bands this week.

The festival takes place from May 14 to 17 at Historic Crew Stadium. Tickets are on sale now, and the daily schedules of performances will be announced at a later date.

Bands announced for Sonic Temple (as of Sept. 30)

Listed in alphabetical order. Headliners in bold.

• Atreyu
• Attila
• Behemoth
• Bloodywood
• Brand of Sacrifice
• 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
• My Chemical Romance
• Nekrogoblikon
• Paleface Swiss
• The Plot in You
• Senses Fail
• Suffocation
• We Came as Romans

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A hospital employee was listed in serious condition after a stabbing in east Columbus Tuesday morning.

According to Columbus police, an employee of Mount Carmel East hospital on East Broad Street was stabbed at around 8:50 a.m. The victim was initially listed in serious condition, but has since been upgraded to stable.

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A spokesperson from Mount Carmel East confirmed that incident occurred between two employees and CPD told NBC4 that a woman stabbed a man inside a hospital kitchen.

The woman fled the building and was found by police hiding in the woods nearby. She was found holding a knife, but police said there is no danger to the public.

"We are aware of an incident involving two colleagues at Mount Carmel East. No patients were involved," Mount Carmel East said in a statement. "The situation has been contained, and Mount Carmel East is open and serving patients."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Former Ohio congressman Tim Ryan has reached a self-imposed deadline with no announcement on whether he will run for governor next year.

Ryan, 52, has been teasing a possible gubernatorial run for months, and had said he would announce his decision by Sept. 30. On Tuesday morning, Ryan's spokesperson Dennis Willard said he will push back his decision a few more days. See previous coverage of Ryan's possible run in the video player above.

"Tim Ryan is considering the enormity of how this election will impact our great state. He is going to take a few additional days to make his decision," Willard said. "Tim believes he is the strongest candidate to beat Vivek. He is excited about what he could do as governor to bring together all Ohioans and will have a decision soon."

Two of Ryan's campaign funds are still active but neither have filed reports this year. His name does not appear in the most up-to-date list of candidates, although it is plausible he would make an announcement before filing paperwork.

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Factors influencing Ryan's decision include time with his family, and support for Democrat Amy Acton, who announced her run in January. 

If Ryan entered the race, it would spur a more competitive Democratic primary in May. Acton, known for her work as state health director during the early days of COVID-19, is currently the leading Democratic candidate. Both Ryan and Acton have name recognition and would likely draw support.

Across the aisle, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy leads the race, and any Democratic candidate faces a steep monetary battle against his record-breaking fundraising. He was endorsed by the Ohio Republican Party in May, and also has President Donald Trump’s endorsement. In May, Ryan told NBC4 sister station WKBN that he believes he could beat Ramaswamy.

Ryan served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2003 to 2023, representing Ohio’s 13th and 17th districts. His term ended in 2022 after an unsuccessful Senate bid, which he lost to now-Vice President J.D. Vance. During his congressional term, he sponsored the CHIPS and Science Act, a bipartisan bill that provided billions for domestic semiconductor manufacturing, including Ohio’s Intel plant.

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If Ryan elects not to run, he will most likely continue his work as an advisor, public speaker and lobbyist. Ryan works with clean energy and technology companies or advocacy groups.

Ryan is the only rumored candidate who had not announced a decision. Republican Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel had been weighing a run, but announced on Sept. 19 that he would not pursue the state’s top seat.

Despite Ryan's personal deadline, candidates have until February to declare their ticket, with the question of Lt. Gov. selections upcoming. Independent Timothy Grady is the only declared candidate to have announced a Lt. Gov. pick, selecting Army Veteran Andrea Neutzling.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Katie Smith's list of accomplishments on the basketball court includes two WNBA championships, seven all-star selections and a WNBA Finals MVP award. She's had her Ohio State jersey number retired and is a member of numerous halls of fame.

But she'll never forget her first Olympic gold medal.

"I still think about growing up and the goal of being an Olympian and always watching the Summer Olympics and being a fan and then wondering how they got there," said Smith, a three-time Olympic gold medalist. "It is stuck in my mind how proud I am of my first one and all the ones who had a hand in it."

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Tuesday marks 25 years since Smith joined her U.S. teammates on the top step of the podium at the Sydney 2000 Olympics after defeating Australia 76-54. Alongside other greats of the sport, including Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes and Dawn Staley, the U.S. won its fourth Olympic title that year.

"We had a lot of vets that were in the '96 Olympics who really just set it on fire, like, were dominant and really put us back on the map and really started off this run that we've had as a dynasty with USA women's basketball," Smith said.

While the American basketball teams didn't stay in the Olympic village with other athletes, Smith made the most of the experience. She recalls being starstruck at her first Olympics, going through team processing upon arrival and walking in the Opening Ceremony.

In between games, Smith went to see other sports, including athletics and gymnastics.

"Australia is just an amazing place anyways," Smith said. "The people are amazing but the stadium is one of my memories, just going to track and field and watching the events. It was packed."

The gold medal game against Australia in front of nearly 15,000 fans is the memory that sticks out the most.

"The fans are not on your side," Smith said. "You're going to be outnumbered, but it was just a lot of fun. It was fun to have that competition."

While Smith went on to win gold in Athens and Beijing, she remembers what went through her mind getting her first medal in Sydney and hearing The Star-Spangled Banner being played.

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"It's just a lot of pride," Smith said. "You're thinking about your parents. They're driving you all around. Your coaches. Grade school. Ohio State. The state of Ohio. The United States. Literally everybody you've touched was a part of it."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A man indicted on a murder charge after a deadly shooting stemming from an alleged domestic incident will serve at least 14 years in prison.

According to court documents, 64-year-old Stewart Butler pleaded guilty to lessor charges in the homicide case of Marchell Freeman, who was shot and killed March 20, 2024 in east Columbus.

Police arrived in the 1700 block of East Sycamore Street in the Driving Park neighborhood at 11:28 p.m. and found Freeman, 60, suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead a short time later and Butler was detained at the scene.

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Butler was charged with murder with a firearm specification, and felonious assault after what police determined began as a domestic incident turned violent. For a previous report on this story, view the video player above.

An indictment was filed in late March of 2024 and one week ago Butler pleaded to a lessor charge, voluntary manslaughter. A Franklin County Court of Common Pleas judge sentenced Butler to serve at least 14 ½ years in prison, including the three-year firearm specification, with a maximum sentence of up to 19 years.

Butler, who after violating his original bond terms was ordered to home confinement in May during his court proceedings and trial, will receive 53 days of jail time credit.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The developers of Steelton Village, a mixed-use Columbus development being built around a repurposed South Side warehouse, have listed a neighboring commercial property for sale as they prepare to add residential units.

The commercial property, a 17,896-square-foot building at 2140 S. High St., is on the market for $1.7 million, according to a listing by John Mally of NAI Ohio Equities. The building was once a tire shop and sits near other upcoming businesses that are part of the Steelton development, including a brewery named Honest Friend and a City Winery location. Watch a previous NBC4 report on Steelton Village in the video player above.

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Mally's listing offers 11,400 square feet of space available for lease or owner occupancy, while 5,100 square feet are currently leased to a dispensary. Positioned along State Route 104 with visibility from the freeway, the building for sale is marketed as a flexible retail opportunity within a fast-developing corridor south of Downtown.

• The mural at Steelton Village. (Courtesy Photo/Josh Miller)
• A map rendering of Steelton Village. (Courtesy Photo/MKSK)
• Overlooking the four buildings making The Fort at Steelton Village. (NBC4/Feuerborn)
• Overlooking the four buildings making The Fort at Steelton Village. (NBC4/Feuerborn)

The listing is part of an effort by developers Justin McAllister and Kyle Katz to expand the Steelton development, which is anchored by The Fort -- a former 19th-century fire truck factory that now houses a range of businesses, from furniture makers and architects to coffee roasters and photographers.

Since launching redevelopment efforts in 2017, McAllister and Katz's team has worked to build a walkable mixed-use neighborhood in and around the former factory, with more than 1,000 residences planned for Steelton.

Mally's listing comes after preliminary plans were submitted to the city of Columbus earlier this summer detailing Steelton's new apartment buildings. The sprawling neighborhood will sit next to another building in the development known as The Stable, a 33,000-square-foot structure that includes a co-working space with 13 businesses and a brewery.

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Along with the 2140 S. High St. parcel, the listing boasts the Steelton development's properties as "an assembled 50-acre, walkable community."

In an interview with NBC4 in 2022, McAllister and Katz said the residential units will be connected to the village by a tunnel under South High Street. Katz emphasized the goal is to develop a walkable "community of vital energy" with residents who live, work, and play in Steelton Village. 

"We are a reflection of not the past, but rather what's coming next," Katz said. "What we want to do with Steelton is really design and build for that next Columbus, not for the one that exists today."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Two Republican lawmakers are looking to update Ohio education law, including the Parents' Bill of Rights that was enacted just months ago.

Reps. Gayle Manning (R-Avon) and Adam Bird (R-New Richmond) introduced House Bill 455 on Sept. 17, more than 500 pages of proposed education reforms. The bill would eliminate a number of programs and requirements for Ohio schools and would update laws to increase parental involvement in schools.

“House Bill 455 works to modernize Ohio’s education code by eliminating outdated educator requirements, reducing unnecessary regulations and ensuring teachers can devote more time and energy to delivering high-quality instruction to students,” a spokesperson for Manning said.

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The bill would update laws enacted under the Parents' Bill of Rights, which went into effect in April. It was a sweeping K-12 education bill that allows parents to opt their students out of “sexuality content” and requires educators to notify parents of changes in their students’ health.

The bill drew criticism for including gender identity as a required health update to parents. LGBTQ+ advocates called it "Ohio's 'Don't Say Gay' Bill" and worried it would "out" students and possibly create unsafe environments. A national crisis hotline reported a surge in calls from LGBTQ+ youth directly after the Parents' Bill of Rights was signed into law.

House Bill 455 still requires an alert to parents if their student wishes to identify differently than their sex assigned at birth. However, it adds an exception to not report changes if there is reasonable belief that telling a students' parents would harm the child. In those cases, educators must report changes to law enforcement or child protective services.

The bill would also remove "other mental health" changes from required reporting. The law would only require parents to be informed of mental health updates if their student exhibits suicidal ideation, or persisting symptoms of depression or "severe anxiety." See previous coverage of the Parents' Bill of Rights in the video player above.

House Bill 455 would also clarify rules governing "sexuality content." Under current law, sexuality content is defined as "any oral or written instruction, presentation, image, or description of sexual concepts or gender ideology provided in a classroom setting.” House Bill 455 would clarify that it refers to human sexuality content during planned instruction. It would also add visual instruction to the definition.

Currently, parents have the opportunity to review any instructional materials that involve sexuality content and can refuse to allow their student to participate. House Bill 455 would have parents review the content of the lessons, not the specific instructional materials.

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Bird was a cosponsor of the Parents' Bill of Rights, but Manning was one of just three House Republicans to vote against enacting the legislation. She had previously voted in favor of the bill in 2023 but did not approve it in its final form, which had folded in amendments from the Senate.

H.B. 455 would also eliminate more than 20 provisions in Ohio's education law, including many reporting requirements. If enacted, public districts would no longer have to annually report their compliance with various state mandates. Charter school sponsors would no longer have to report their annual expenditures to the state.

The eliminations are wide-ranging. One would eliminate the requirement for the Department of Education and Workforce to employ a full-time physical education coordinator. Another would remove the Tutor Ohio Kids Program, a remedial program that offered tutoring to students in participating charter and public schools. Still another change would no longer require online schools to disenroll and report students to the state if they miss state assessments two years in a row.

House Bill 455 incorporates a number of unaffiliated changes too. For instance, the bill would require the state Board of Education to automatically revoke any license if the licensee was convicted of domestic violence.

The bill has not been referred to committee, but General Assembly meetings resume from summer recess this week, so it could see further action soon.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Multiple laws are going into effect in Ohio on Tuesday, addressing topics from age verification for pornography to income taxes and artificial intelligence in schools. 

In June, Gov. Mike DeWine signed a $60 billion two-year budget, in which lawmakers folded in a variety of changes to state law. On Tuesday, those policy changes are set to take effect, including the seven notable updates listed below. 

Age verification for adult websites 

Pornography websites and any online platform that hosts a “significant” amount of content that is “obscene or harmful to juveniles” are now required to verify their visitors are adults. This means to access such sites, Ohio users must upload a copy of their government-issued photo ID or other age-verifying documents, such as proof of a mortgage or employment.

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Purveyors of online pornography are required to “immediately” delete such documents after the verification is complete, unless a user maintains an account or subscription. Those who have a profile must go through age verification every two years. If a user does not renew their account within two years, the law requires the site to delete all age-verifying documents.

To ensure Ohio users’ ages are verified, adult websites are responsible for using technology to monitor the location of their visitors. Platforms that do not comply could face a civil lawsuit by the Ohio attorney general, who holds the sole authority to enforce the statute. 

Increased driver’s ed requirements 

While the state’s previous rules allowed legal adults – including 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds – to bypass driver’s ed and earn their license by simply passing the road test, the new law requires the training for everyone under 21. 

Ohioans under 21 must now complete a “Class D” course, which was previously only required of those under 18 and includes a minimum of 24 hours of classroom instruction, eight hours of behind-the-wheel training, and 50 hours of in-car supervised practice, including 10 hours at night.

The new law does not, however, require residents under 21 to hold a temporary permit for a specific period before taking the road test, as can be seen with the six-month rule for those under 18. 

Gender identity 

As of Tuesday, the state officially only recognizes two sexes, male and female, and has declared that these sexes are “not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”

Dublin schools unveils redistricting plans for next school year

The new law codifies gender identity as an individual’s “internal and subjective” sense of self that is “disconnected from biological reality” and cannot be recognized as a replacement for sex. It further specifies that the state recognizes women as individuals who belong, at conception, to the sex that produces egg cells, while men belong to the sex that produces sperm cells.

Flat income tax rate 

Thanks to the budget, Ohio is phasing out its graduated tax system with multiple brackets and adopting a new flat income tax rate. A 2.75% flat rate will take effect in tax year 2026. In tax year 2025, the highest tax bracket -- consisting of those making more than $100,000 -- will see an immediate reduction, dropping from 3.5% to 3.125%. 

Expanded abortion reporting 

State law has long required physicians to report certain information about abortions to the Ohio Department of Health. This data is collected through confidential forms given to patients, which include questions about their medical history and demographic information. The data from the forms is compiled into publicly released annual reports, which detail abortion statistics in the state for the previous calendar year.

The budget expands the scope of abortion information that is collected and published, most notably by creating a public, electronic dashboard that will release data from these forms each month. This will supplement the annual report rather than replace it. NBC4 reached out to the health department to learn when it will publish the first monthly dashboard but has not yet received an answer. 

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The guidelines also create statistical categories that will be included in the monthly and annual reports. New information includes the number of abortions performed on minors at each facility, as well as the number of Ohioans and out-of-state residents who had abortions after 12 weeks of gestation.

Other changes 

Some law changes technically take effect on Tuesday, but residents will likely not notice any changes just yet, as the provisions have given state agencies later deadlines to comply.

For example, the budget requires the Department of Education and Workforce to develop a model policy addressing the appropriate use of artificial intelligence by students and staff for educational purposes by Dec. 31. Each school district must adopt its own policies no later than July 1, 2026. Districts may choose to adopt the department’s model policy or develop their own. Any self-developed policy must be submitted to the state for approval.

The statute also requires every government agency in the state, including counties, cities, school districts and townships, to implement a cybersecurity program that safeguards their computer systems. The law states each program must “be consistent with generally accepted best practices for cybersecurity.” Counties and cities must have a program in place by Jan. 1 and all other entities by July 1.

DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) – Dublin City Schools unveiled three redistricting options on Monday, looking for a way to ease the burden on schools nearing capacity.

The district wants to change the boundaries of the district's three high schools: Dublin Coffman, Dublin Jerome, and Dublin Scioto. The district said Dublin Jerome is growing at a faster rate than the two other schools, and the new districts would better distribute that growth.

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Each draft plan takes into account how many students would be moved, travel distance, and how many middle schools would be split.

In the first draft plan, approximately 1,161 students would be transferred between the district’s three high schools: Dublin Coffman, Dublin Jerome, and Dublin Scioto. The district described this plan as a “middle-ground balance” regarding student movement.

101 DCS OH Option I HS Zones Plot 250925Download

The second plan redistricts the most students – approximately 1,500 – but offers what the district said is the “best overall balance in utilization,” putting each school at between 90-95% capacity, leaving the district room to grow.

102 DCS OH Option II HS Zones Plot 250925Download

According to the district, the third plan is the least disruptive regarding student movement, affecting about only 800 students. However, the district suspects this plan would be the most off-balance in the future, with Jerome seeing larger growth while Coffman’s facility utilization falls.

103 DCS OH Option III HS Zones Plot 250925Download

Students currently in grades 9-11 will have the choice to stay at the same school they are currently attending, but will need to have their own transportation.

"I understand that this process can be a catalyst for intense emotion and real anxiety," Dublin City Schools Superintendent Dr. John Marchhausen said. "I genuinely wish there was a process for changing boundaries that everyone could agree on. But unfortunately, that isn't the case."

The response during the presentation ran the gamut, from disapproval to excitement.

"I'm very happy that I am going to stay in Coffman," Dublin seventh-grader Shana Char said. "I want to go into my brother's footsteps."

There were also questions.

"I'd be curious at how they came up with the three that they came up with," parent Nathan Esala said. "I don't feel like all the criteria are being met on the first glance."

The criteria driving the proposals include diversity, future growth, and proximity.

"This is a big decision for our community," Marschhausen said. "We haven't redistricted since 2006 with the opening of Jerome High School, and we've added thousands of students in that time, so we know that this is something that creates stress and anxiety."

Residents interested in supplying feedback to the proposals can submit their comments via an online survey until Oct. 24 or through the district’s online form.

The board is set to hold two public meetings – on Oct. 13 and Oct. 29 – before presenting a final draft plan to the school board on Nov. 10. The board has scheduled a one-hour public participation portion for the Oct. 29 meeting only; there is no public participation scheduled for the Oct. 13 meeting.

School leadership said the redistricting is the district's attempt to avoid asking taxpayers for more money. Any new boundaries approved would become effective next school year.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WMCH) — A central Ohio artist is upset since her work is appearing for sale in places without her permission.

“This is one of my top 10 selling stickers, certified silly goose, and that one is on there as well," said Natalie Pariano, owner of NatterDoodle, an art studio and shop in Columbus' Clintonville neighborhood.

"I just felt demoralized and exhausted," she said. "It's so tedious to have to go through and report every single design of yours that has been lifted and then copied and then have to report it to Temu and sort of beg, for lack of a better term, for it to be taken down."

Pariano creates all kinds of fun, colorful designs. She said more than 40 of them have recently shown up on cheaper, lower quality stickers on Temu, the online retailer. Sellers have been taking pictures of her work, leaving her logo on, making the stickers, and trying to sell them on Temu, according to Pariano.

“It can feel really tiring, and there's not a lot of support from Temu on it," she said. "You have to make an account, which I don't want to have an account on Temu because I don't support Temu, and then go through and individually report every single listing, which could take days."

Pariano said this has happened with her work before and the products have eventually been taken down. But this time it involves more of her designs and she said at last check, they are still up.

“It can feel pretty like David and Goliath, like trying to fight for something like this and trying to get my art taken down," Pariano said.

Katrina Geddes, a professor of intellectual property law at the Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, said situations like this are common for small creators. She said many don't have the resources for a lawsuit, but suggested reaching out to the companies or taking so social media. 

“People want to support small businesses and when they see that a small business is being ripped off they’re much more likely to support them and buy their products so I think it goes a long way," Geddes said.

Pariano has told her followers what's going on.

“I always believe when you know better you do better and so my faith is in shoppers," she said.

NBC4 reached out to Temu. A spokesperson for the company got back to NBC4. They are looking into this and NBC4 will update this story as soon as more information is available.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio’s attorney general announced the arrests of more than 100 people statewide as part of a human trafficking crackdown.

Attorney General Dave Yost called it “Operation Next Door,” which included the arrests of dozens of people from central Ohio.

The operation included more than 100 law enforcement agencies that made 135 arrests; 103 of those arrests were people charged with engaging in prostitution or solicitation. Yost said they made 32 felony arrests and executed nine human trafficking-related search warrants. 

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“There need to be consequences,” Yost said. “Human trafficking is just as much a serious offense as those other things and, in some ways, is among the most serious offenses we ever have in our society, because it breaks this. It's not just a violation of the body; it's a violation of personhood. It breaks the soul, and it deserves to be prosecuted.”

Yost said the six-day long sting operation’s name highlighted the issue being in plain sight.

“Operation Next Door happens everywhere,” he said. “Human trafficking is everywhere. It's not a city/country kind of thing. It's not a poor/rich kind of thing. It's not an ethnic kind of thing. It's your neighbors, it's your coworkers. It's the delivery guy. It is the people at the hotel for your business trip. It is not okay.”

Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and his internet crimes against children task force played a big role in the sting.

“Last week was a busy week,” Baldwin said.

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Baldwin said deputies arrested a 77-year-old man on a charge of pandering sexually oriented material to a minor; the suspect claimed to be a federal defense attorney. The task force also arrested four Columbus residents for allegedly seeking sex with minors.

“If you're a person that wants to engage in child porn, human trafficking, bring all we can to hunt you down and prosecute you, and hopefully you go to jail and learn your lesson,” Baldwin said.

Hillard, Dublin and Grove City police also teamed up for the operation. 

“This is not just a big city issue; this is in the suburbs, this is everywhere,” Hilliard Chief of Police Mike Woods said. “We went to a hotel and again, you would be surprised to know where that hotel was. But the hotel is not the issue. It's the people that go there to traffic and engage in illegal sex activities. We're going to be there.”

Yost said his message to the community is if you think you see human trafficking, don’t let it go unreported.

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“If something doesn't seem right, if your sixth sense is going off, if you don't, if you don't think something's right, give us a call,” he said. “Let us sort it out.”

Yost said law enforcement is offering services to dozens of human trafficking survivors.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- It's getting more expensive for people to buy homes in Ohio, according to a report by the real estate school Hondros College.   

According to a new report, Ohio’s first-time homebuyers are being increasingly pushed out of the market. Anna Teye-Kasongo with the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio said this is having a significant impact on people looking for a home.  

“We know, just looking at the data within the past five years, Columbus is growing,” Teye-Kasongo said. “Central Ohio is one of the leading markets that are growing nationally. Therefore, we are expecting that home prices are going to continue to rise.”

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The report by Hondros College states that home prices have risen 40% since 2019. Ohio's median sale price jumped from just over $168,000 in 2019 to $224,000 in 2020, according to RealAdvisor.

“The number one thing, feedback, I get from prospective homebuyers is I can buy a home now, I can buy a home in the next five years,” Teye-Kasongo said. “It's no longer possible for me, and it has been a challenge to really build up morale.” 

Experts said that within the past year, home prices have increased twice as much as the household income in the state; however, there are local mechanisms and tools to help make buying a home possible - like modernizing the zoning code, passing an affordable housing bond introduced by Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, and more.   

“We have many partners on the ground, especially in Columbus, especially in central Ohio, who are looking at the down payment assistance as an opportunity to get people into that first home,” Teye-Kasongo said.  

For more information or options for first-time homebuyers, click here.

Joel on the second mamoth march.