Ohio News

GROVEPORT, Ohio (WCMH) – The Groveport Madison school board has been accused of holding secret committee meetings, inadequately recording meeting minutes and unlawfully entering into executive session – by members of its own board.

The school board – save for board members Kathleen Walsh and John Kershner – voted Wednesday night to appoint counsel in a lawsuit against the board for violations of Ohio’s Open Meetings Act. Walsh and Kershner filed the lawsuit in late March, claiming the board has violated laws about public bodies multiple times over the past year.

The board voted to appoint counsel without comment, then immediately entered an executive session to discuss the complaint with attorneys. Walsh and Kershner were not invited to the executive session. The board declined to comment to NBC4.

Walsh and Kershner’s complaint points to multiple instances dating back to July 2023 in which, they claim, the board’s actions flout state requirements for meetings of public bodies. Many center around proper record-keeping of board meetings.

At a July 19 meeting, the board entered into executive session without providing a reason to do so, in apparent violation of the Open Meetings Act. A board meeting in August confirmed the board knew what it had done was wrong, the complaint argued, as the board approved a motion to amend the July 19 agenda to add a reason to enter executive session.

“It’s a technical point, but in the interest of fidelity and transparency, Mr. Bower would like to correct it,” the August meeting agenda reads, referring to the board’s vice president, Seth Bower. “Legal Council informed the board this would clear the procedural defect from the July 19th board meeting.”

At the time the lawsuit was filed, according to exhibits attached to the complaint, July 19 meeting minutes on the board’s school district webpage reflected this change. The meeting minutes available via BoardDocs – which many districts use to post agendas and minutes – did not. The BoardDocs agenda has been updated with the amendment as of Thursday.

The complaint argues the meeting minute amendment amounts to two violations of the Open Meetings Act – failing to state a reason to enter executive session, and then amending the minutes to make them “intentionally inaccurate.” But it’s not the only time the board improperly entered executive session, the complaint alleges; the board did so in October without calling a vote.

The lawsuit points to broader issues with how minutes reflect what happened in the meetings. At a July 7 meeting, for instance, Walsh came with a prepared statement objecting to a contract for the district’s treasurer. She requested her written complaint be attached to the minutes, the lawsuit claims, but it wasn’t. 

The board meeting minutes only say that she read a statement “regarding the proposed contract.” 

“This is the board’s practice of not always including all of Walsh’s dissenting statements in the Board’s record,” the complaint reads.

Walsh voiced her concerns about the board's recordkeeping practices at the July 19 meeting. According to meeting minutes, Walsh raised concerns about minutes prepared for the three previous board meetings, saying they lacked specific details about board deliberations.

Board President LaToya Dowdell-Burger replied that the board meetings were video-recorded.

Walsh and Kershner also claim that the board’s policy committee met secretly in 2023, then in July of that year, the board moved to reclassify the committee as a “superintendent’s committee” that isn’t held to the same public meeting requirements. The complaint contends the board did so “to willfully evade the OMA and transparency.”

On BoardDocs, there are no policy committee meeting agendas available – nor any evidence of the meetings – in 2023, or in any year dating back to 2010. The first policy committee meeting posted to the district BoardDocs happened on Tuesday.

More recently, the lawsuit argues the board failed to give proper notice of a Feb. 16 meeting. The meeting, which typically occurs on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month, happened that Friday. The lawsuit claims the date on the website was not corrected until a resident told the board during public comment that he came to the meeting venue that Wednesday and found an empty building.

At that Feb. 16 meeting, which the lawsuit claims should have been rescheduled due to the lack of a proper 24-hour notice, the board voted on the renewal of the superintendent’s contract. But several terms of the contract had changed since the last public discussion, the lawsuit argues.

When Kershner asked about the changes, the lawsuit claims that Dowdell-Burger said that she had surveyed several board members beforehand. That amounts to private deliberation on the contract, the lawsuit argues, deliberation that should have occurred in public.

The school board has retained Columbus firm Organ Law. According to Organ Law’s letter to the district, which was included in meeting materials, the representation will include defense in the lawsuit and “the prosecution of potential claims” against Walsh and Kershner.

The five attorneys of the firm will charge the district hourly rates between $295 and $495, according to meeting materials.

For an earlier report on this story, view the video player above.

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – A suspect charged in a fatal shooting from March was originally arrested and accused of an unrelated robbery.

Columbus police arrested Darrelle Howell Tuesday afternoon after officers responded to the 1700 block of East Livingston Avenue, where a man was banging on an apartment door. The victim called police and identified the man as Howell, who the victim accused of robbing him on April 6.

According to an incident report, the victim told police Howell was in the foyer of the East Livingston Avenue apartment building, where he asked the victim for money. The victim told Howell he did not have any before Howell allegedly displayed a gun.

The victim reportedly handed over $40 before Howell left the building. Three days later, Howell returned and the victim called police.

Columbus woman dies after hit-skip on East Livingston Road

Howell, 33, is also believed to be involved in the murder of 56-year-old John Lang, who was found dead in an alley near the intersection of Meek Avenue and Jones Avenue in Franklinton. Howell was arraigned for Lang’s murder and issued a $2 million bond, as was a second suspect, Derrick Brown.

Brown, 55, was arrested Monday for his role in the murder, in which police say the two suspects robbed Lang while in a 2010 Mercury Mariner near an apartment at West Broad Street and Hawkes Avenue. The report states that Howell left the car and whispered something to Brown, who got in the car with Lang.

Brown then allegedly robbed and shot Lang before police said Howell drove the vehicle near the 100 block of North Jones Ave. and dumped Lang’s body in the alley.

Howell is facing charges of aggravated robbery in addition to murder and abuse of a corpse. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 19 while Brown will appear in court on April 18.

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather

FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TONIGHT

Low pressure will track through the Ohio Valley, accompanied by showers and thunderstorms, some potentially strong to severe, with the threat of damaging winds and hail if there is sufficient afternoon heating.

Pockets of heavy rain could contribute to areas of flooding in low-lying areas through late tonight, with rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches.

A trailing cold front will cross the state early tonight, causing the rain to taper off to scattered showers.

Cooler and windy conditions will develop Friday behind the departing storm system, with a few lingering showers.

Sunny and mild weather is expected Saturday and much of Sunday. Showers could develop, with a possible storm, Sunday evening with a disturbance dropping southeast from the Great Lakes.

Early summer warmth will develop early next week, with another chance for showers on Tuesday.

Forecast

• Thursday: Showers, few storms. High 66
• Tonight: Showers, breezy. Low 47
• Friday: Showers, windy, cooler. High 51
• Saturday: Sunny, mild. High 63 (42)
• Sunday: Partly sunny, breezy, showers late. High 74 (48)
• Monday: Mostly sunny, warm. High 76 (55)
• Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, breezy, showers. High 77 (58)
• Wednesday: Partly sunny, few showers. High 78 (61)

LEWIS CENTER, Ohio (WCMH) -- A shop boasted as the state's "biggest coffeehouse," home to beans sourced from Yemen and a brew recipe dating back 500 years, has opened in central Ohio.

Named Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co., the Michigan-based brand is now welcoming patrons to the new shop at 8911 S. Old State Road in Lewis Center, near Polaris Fashion Place. The new location opened in March and marks the brand's second central Ohio shop after the first opened last year in Hilliard at 3221 Hilliard Rome Road.

Hummingbirds are migrating; when they will arrive in Ohio

Qamaria says its traditional coffee is brewed using "the world's first coffee recipe," given historians say monks in 14th-century Yemen were the first to cultivate coffee and brew the beverage the way coffee is known today. The brand also sources from farmers in Yemen who process the beans using century-old drying methods.

Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. is now welcoming patrons to the new shop at 8911 S. Old State Road in Lewis Center. (Courtesy Photo/Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co.)

"We are proud to source conflict-free Yemeni coffee. We work with farmers who have continued their prideful harvest of coffee beans despite the difficult circumstances," the company states on its site, referring to Yemen's civil war raging since 2014. "Once successfully transported, we carefully profile our beans to craft complimentary roast that pays homage to its Yemeni roots."

The shop is one of several new coffeehouses to open in Delaware County, including Coastline Coffee Company now brewing in a historic market building dating to 1883. Operated by mother and daughter Kym and Elizabeth Hampton, the building has served several tenants throughout the past 141 years, including a convenience store and an ice cream shop.

Man struck when car crashes into Fox in the Snow Cafe

National coffeehouse Caribou Coffee also opened a new central Ohio shop in Delaware, as part of the company’s plan to launch 60 locations across Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. The new coffeehouse will be the third operated by franchisee Mike Mariola Restaurants, who announced an agreement with Caribou in 2021 to open 60 shops in Ohio.

Along with cappuccinos, lattes and other hot and iced coffees, Qamaria is home to Yemeni teas and a selection of pastries. The Lewis Center shop has been open from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. to accommodate for Ramadan, and will soon be announcing new hours since the Islamic holiday has ended.

View a previous report from when Red Rabbit initially closed in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A ramen spot near Grandview Heights that closed in early March will soon reopen, with new leadership stepping in to keep it alive.

Last month, the previous owners of Red Rabbit Ramen -- a ghost kitchen cart operating at Echo Spirits Distilling Co. -- announced they were closing it due to a change in their family situation. They also put out a public request for volunteers to step in to take over as franchisees. Blaine Carr and Xavy Perez answered the call for the ramen vendor, also keeping it at the same spot with Echo Spirits on 985 W. 6th Ave.

"We were big, big fans [of Red Rabbit]," Perez said. "It was actually one of our staples for date nights, we would go often. When we saw the opportunity to take over, we just couldn't pass it up."

Columbus ‘Zone In Gallery’ helps show city’s proposed changes

The ramen shop was originally started by Mike and Terry Ramsey, who had to step away from running it -- but will remain co-owners -- after moving to Seattle, Washington. Before they left, the Ramseys made sure to show the couple taking over their beloved business the ropes.

"Before they left, we did a whole training week with them and got to hands-on experience before we even started what it would look like," Perez said. "They really wanted to make sure we were in this and they wanted to be as helpful and transparent as possible."

Carr and Perez praised Red Rabbit's food as a big reason for their taking over the location. One of the shop's biggest strengths is its options for people with alternate diets, according to Carr.

"She's vegan, so it was the only place in town that we could get a vegan broth," Carr said.

Red Rabbit Ramen will soon return under the leadership of Blaine Carr and Xavy Perez. (Courtesy Photo/Xavy Perez)

Perez praised the previous owner for experimenting with flavors and presentation, too.

"I know that Mike plays around with just how different cultures celebrate ramen in their own ways," Perez said. "That's kind of incorporated into how he crafts."

Aside from Perez's experience as a hostess and server, neither her nor Carr had culinary experience prior to making the decision to take over Red Rabbit.

"I love food, I've kind of crafted different things and throwing down in the kitchen," Carr said. "I don't have official experience, but unofficially I'm strong."

72 homes planned for south of Delaware’s 270-acre Addison Farms development

There isn't currently a date set for Red Rabbit's reopening, but they said the hope is to be open before summer.

"We're eager to get started," Carr said. "We want to get cooking."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- From rapper Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday 2 World Tour" at the Schottenstein Center to murder-mystery comedy "Clue" at the Ohio Theatre, here are things to see and do this weekend in central Ohio.

'Clue'

Ohio Theatre through Sunday

• The murder-mystery comedy inspired by the Hasbro board game and adapted from the cult favorite film comes to Columbus for eight shows.

Sarah Hollis as Miss Scarlet, Alex Mandell as Mr. Green, Kathy Fitzgerald as Mrs. Peacock, Donna English as Mrs. White, Michael Kostroff as Professor Plum, and John Treacy Egan as Colonel Mustard. (Photo by Evan Zimmerman/MurphyMade)

Nicki Minaj | Pink Friday 2 World Tour

Schottenstein Center at 8 p.m. on Friday

• The Columbus concert will be the only one in Ohio but she will have other stops in the Midwest in Detroit and Chicago. The hip-hop star is the first woman to have 100 songs featured in the Billboard Hot 100 list, which includes three different No. 1 songs.

Nicki Minaj performs onstage during her Pink Friday 2 World Tour at Madison Square Garden on March 30 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

'Unextinct'

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Friday [Adults-only night] and Saturday

• Enter a world where 70 extinct and endangered species come to life using tech-driven theatrical illusions, allowing guests to learn about the importance of conservation and the role we all play in species survival.

Fury vs. Mojo

Nationwide Arena at 7 p.m. on Friday

• The Columbus Fury face the San Diego Mojo.

Blooms and Butterflies

Franklin Park Conservatory through July 7

• Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Blooms and Butterflies has returned featuring various butterflies from around the world inside the largest indoor biome at the conservatory.

Approximately 12,000 butterflies will be a part of the exhibition this year, with 700-800 butterflies arriving each week. (Courtesy Photo/Franklin Park Conservatory)

Top spring central Ohio events

• This spring in central Ohio is packed with highly anticipated festivals and shows, from the reimagined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey at the Schottenstein Center and Disney’s “The Lion King” at the Ohio Theatre to the Columbus Arts Festival.

View the player above for previous coverage.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A new report shows a “notable” decrease in distracted driving in Ohio since a law making it illegal for drivers to hold a cellphone in most instances was passed in April 2023.

Cambridge Mobile Telematics, the world’s largest telematics service provider, has been monitoring the impact of Ohio’s distracted driving law over the past year. Usage-based insurance programs use CMT’s data to offer discounts to drivers. This involves downloading an app that has CMT's technology in it, which analyzes sensor data from phones. CMT then tracks "phone motion events," which occur when a driver handles their phone with the screen on while the vehicle is moving over 9.3 mph.

CMT’s phone motion data analysis found an 8.6% decrease in distracted driving in Ohio since the distracted driving law took effect. An estimated 3,600 crashes, 2,000 injuries, 17 fatalities and $144 million in economic damages were prevented due to the reduction in distracted driving, according to CMT.

In the months leading up to the law’s enforcement, Ohio drivers spent an average of one minute and 42 seconds interacting with their phones for every hour of driving. In month two of the law, that figure dropped to one minute and 30 seconds of distraction. By the tenth month of the law’s implementation, drivers spent an average of one minute and 29 seconds interacting with their phones per hour, a 13-second drop, according to CMT’s analysis.

“That certainly is a big decrease,” said Matt Bruning, press secretary at the Ohio Department of Transportation.  “When you look at the actual data, it’s about a 13-second drop and you would think ‘okay, well, that doesn’t seem like a lot’ but you consider how far you can travel at highway speed in 13 seconds; a lot can happen in that 13 seconds. And so certainly making reductions like that is a sign that we’re going the right direction in Ohio.”

Over the past five years in the state, there have been over 57,000 distracted driving-related crashes. Of those, 56,000 crashes were due to a distraction from within the vehicle and over 16,000 resulted in a serious injury or fatality, according to Public Affairs Unit Sergeant with the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) Tyler Ross. 

Before the 2023 law was passed, law enforcement officials could not pull over a driver simply for using their phone, but would have to wait until they observed a “primary violation.” Examples of primary violations include disobeying a traffic signal and following too closely. 

“So now that this is a primary tool we can stop that vehicle just observing [phone usage]," Ross said.

If an officer witnesses a driver dialing a number, sending a text, scrolling on social media, watching videos or recording videos, they can pull the driver over. However, under this law drivers can still report an emergency, hold their phone to their ear on a call (as long as it takes a single swipe to start the call) or use their phone at a traffic light.

For a first offense, drivers will get two points on their license and a fine of up to $150. They can waive the fine and points after a first offense by taking a distracted driving course. Then, another offense within two years is three points and a fine of up to $250. Any offense after that, within two years, is four points, with fines of up to $500 and a possible 90-day license suspension. All fines double in work zones.

In the six-month period before the law was passed (October 2022 to March 2023), the OSHP wrote 3,630 violations related to distracted driving. In the same six-month period after the law was passed (October 2023 to March 2024), the OSHP wrote 8,650 distracted driving-related violations – a 119% increase. Data also suggests that distracted driving-related crashes were down approximately 19% compared to this time last year, according to Ross. 

Data from the OSHP shows that over the past five years, Cuyahoga County has led the state in the number of distracted driving crashes (5,321), followed by Franklin (4,450), Hamilton (4,446),  Montgomery (2,874) and Lucas (2,391). Combined, these five counties accounted for more than one in three distracted driving crashes in Ohio.

Male drivers also made up the majority of distracted drivers (56%). In fatal crashes, males were the distracted driver two-thirds of the time and nearly one in three distracted drivers were 15 to 24 years old, according to the OSHP. 

Ross called distracted driving just as “deadly and dangerous” as impaired driving. He said if anyone witnesses unsafe driving they can safely call #677 to get in touch with the OSHP. Beginning in April, which is National Distracted Driving Awareness month, the state will ramp up its “Phones Down. It’s The Law” campaign.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Columbus police are searching for the driver of a vehicle that struck and killed a woman in east Columbus late Wednesday night.

According to an incident report a woman was a crossing East Livingston Avenue while walking southbound between the Lilly Avenue and Berkeley Road intersections when a dark-colored vehicle approached from the west. The vehicle, traveling eastbound, struck the pedestrian at 11:21 p.m., then continued driving eastbound without stopping.

One dead after southeast Columbus fire destroys home

The pedestrian, later identified as 67-year-old Mildred Ann Kelley, suffered severe injuries, and was taken to Grant Medical Center. She was pronounced dead a short time later, at 11:57 p.m., at the hospital.

The Accident Investigation Unit responded to the scene and initiated an investigation which is ongoing.

The make or model of the vehicle that struck the woman remains unknown and police ask that anyone with information regarding the incident or the driver involved to call the AIU at 614-645-4767 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.

View a 2021 report on Ohio State University's sexual assault statistics over a four-year period in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Nestled in an office building on West 11th Avenue is one of Ohio State University’s only confidential resources for survivors of sexual assault.

Eliza Sabo is the Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio’s advocate on Ohio State’s campus. Their office – sharing building space with the academic misconduct committee and research and development office – is on Ohio State property, but she’s not employed by the university. That distinction matters, both to Sabo and the survivors who come to her; she does not have to report sexual assault to Ohio State’s Title IX office.

“It’s kind of a weird spot to be in, like on the margin, but it’s perfect because it means I can truly advocate for and serve survivors and co-survivors,” Sabo said.

For the past five years, aside from the university’s student counseling service and programs in the university hospital system, the SARNCO campus advocacy program is the only confidential resource for sexual violence survivors at Ohio State. And, unlike student counselors, Sabo isn’t limited to helping students; they’re available to faculty, staff, families of survivors and campus visitors. 

Their work, similarly, isn’t confined to the four walls of their office. While she spends a significant amount of time listening to survivors who come to her, Sabo regularly dons many hats.

Last week, they staffed a table at a suicide prevention event, informing students of SARNCO’s presence on campus and highlighting the impact that sexual violence has on mental health. Before that, a student organization invited Sabo to participate in a discussion about rape culture.

Sabo spends a lot of her time supporting survivors in their journeys to find justice, whether that be navigating the criminal system, civil system or Ohio State’s Title IX process. As a support person, she attends court hearings and Title IX hearings, and she tags along when survivors need to speak to their professors or academic deans about declining grades or difficulty with classwork.

Survivors often need logistical support, whether or not they’re pursuing legal or academic justice processes. That can include safety planning – developing a plan to avoid interactions with a perpetrator on campus, or leave an abuser – but it also means connecting survivors with resources to access to food, housing, and mental and physical health care. 

Crucially, it also means explaining the different justice options for survivors, and providing a nonjudgmental space for them to make decisions. With a university community reaching over 90,000, including faculty and staff, survivors of sexual violence at Ohio State present with varying needs depending on their role on campus.

"Every decision is a difficult decision after you've been assaulted," Sabos said.

Aside from academic concerns, Sabo said many undergraduate survivors ask about how to tell their parents and intimate partners about what happened to them – and how to seek support from friends without over-burdening them. Graduate students are also concerned about academics, especially students in professional programs that have limits on how long a person can take to complete their degree. 

And, in the year and change since she became the campus advocate, Sabo said she’s seen faculty who are assaulted on campus confront unique concerns about their reputation and prospects for tenure. At such a large university, the academic communities themselves are often tightly knit – and academia nationwide is a similarly “small world,” Sabo said.

“When I talk to faculty, their concern isn’t just about this campus community, but, ‘If I leave, if I report, if I seek justice for what happened to me, how will that impact me here at Ohio State? And if I were to leave to go to another university, how will that continue to impact me when I try to publish, when I try to apply?’” Sabo said.

Supporting those who support survivors

Sabo likes to emphasize that they’re not just there for survivors of sexual violence; they’re also there for the co-survivors – the people who know and love someone who was assaulted. 

According to the CDC, half of women and a third of men are sexually assaulted in their lifetimes. And a 2019 national survey on sexual assault on college campuses – in which Ohio State participated – found that nearly a quarter of transgender, nonbinary and genderqueer college students are assaulted while at college.

The reality, Sabo said, is that everyone knows someone who has experienced sexual violence. It’s important to acknowledge the toll that sexual violence takes on co-survivors, they said. 

Sometimes, co-survivors come in groups – Sabo said she once had half a sorority come to her to ask for guidance on how to support their sister. Other times, parents of out-of-state students call Sabo for help navigating their own feelings and pain while helping their child from states away.

“People come to me and say, ‘How can I help this person? Because I don’t know if I’m doing a good job, I don’t know if I’m saying the right things, I want to help them,’” Sabo said. “By the time we’re done talking, we have talked about that. But I usually start with, ‘How are you doing? This is a lot of stress on you, right? Have you ever heard of vicarious trauma?’”

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, there are resources available.

• SARNCO 24-hour sexual assault helpline: 844-644-6435
• SARNCO aftercare advocacy: 614-788-4739
• SARNCO OSU campus advocacy: 614-688-2518
• SARNCO online chatline
• Ohio Domestic Violence Network: 614-781-9651

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – A man is dead after a fire in southeast Columbus has destroyed a home early Thursday morning.

According to a battalion chief at the scene, a two-story home in the Glenbrook neighborhood sustained extensive damage and a man was missing after a fire began just before 4 a.m. in the 3400 block of Marlin Drive.

Two former Circleville police chiefs to resign with nearly $70,000 payout after allegations

Firefighters arrived and were battling the blaze in defensive mode, trying to get the flames contained before spreading. At the time they were unsure if anyone was in the home. Crews learned soon afterward that a woman and her father lived in the home.

The woman was not at home at the time of the fire, but her father was unaccounted for. The man’s car was in the driveway and authorities believed he may have been inside. Crews were able to contain the fire, which caused the main floor and part of the back of the home to collapse.

As of 5:15 crews were still unable to locate anyone inside the home as they searched the bedroom and began efforts on the main floor where the home had collapsed. At 5:30 a.m. the man was located and pronounced dead at the scene.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation as crews aim to maintain control of the fire and sift through major damage inside the home.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Unique vending machines across Columbus are offering free products that can reduce drug overdose deaths and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. 

The preventative vending machines, with six locations across the city, are filled with fentanyl test strips, naloxone nasal spray, condoms and pregnancy tests. All items in the machines are free of charge.

Columbus Public Health purchased the vending machines through a grant, and The Columbus and Franklin County Addiction Plan developed partnerships with local institutions to house the machines.

Columbus Public Health will provide supplies for the machines for the first year, and possibly the second year if funding is available. After that, it’s up to each location to stock the machines themselves, according to Columbus Public Health spokesperson Kelli Newman. The department utilized overdose and infectious diseases data to identify locations where the machines could have the greatest positive impact on residents.

• A harm reduction vending machine at the Franklin County Municipal Court (Photo Courtesy/Franklin County Municipal Court).
• A harm reduction vending machine at the Franklin County Municipal Court (Photo Courtesy/Franklin County Municipal Court).

“These harm reduction items are for anyone who needs and wants them,” Newman said. “Anyone can sign up at our vending machine partner locations and answer a simple five-question demographic survey which gives them a unique ID code to use for the vending machine.”

The machines ask for users' gender, age, ethnicity, zip code and if they have ever overdosed. The demographic information collected is confidential and does not include any personal identifying details. 

“These vending machines remove barriers by providing a confidential and non-stigmatizing way to get the supplies that people need when they need them,” Newman said. ”The items also have education on the packages to help provide more education and link people to medical care.”

With limited supplies and funding, Newman said the health department limits the amount of items allowed per person through their ID code. Each person is allowed one package of four condoms per week, one package of five fentanyl test strips per week, one naloxone kit twice a month and one pregnancy test once a month.

“The placement of the harm reduction vending machines in high incident zip codes will help decrease overdose deaths and infectious diseases, and improve infant mortality rates by identifying pregnancies early,” Newman said.

The most recent machine was placed in the Franklin County Municipal Court in March. Newman said Columbus Public Health is in the process of confirming a seventh location for a vending machine, which has yet to be announced.

Locations with harm reduction vending machines include:

• Equitas Health – 750 E. Long St.
• Huckleberry House – 1720 Kenmore Rd.
• Community Medical Services – 1380 Dublin Rd.
• SAFER Station – 368 W. Park Ave.
• Central Outreach Wellness Center – 2680 W. Broad St.
• Franklin County Municipal Court – 3375 S. High St., 6th Floor

As of March 15, the six vending machines have dispensed 1,884 condoms, 1,805 fentanyl test strips, 501 pregnancy tests and 691 naloxone kits. 

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Rain, storms, windy, high 70
• Tonight: Sct'd rain, windy, low 47
• Friday: Rain showers, windy, high 53
• Saturday: More sunshine, breezy, high 64
• Sunday: Partly sunny, isolated shower, high 74
• Monday: Partly cloudy, isolated shower, high 76

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Thursday!

We start the day with widespread rain across the region, leading to a very soggy morning commute. Rain will continue most of the day, with just a little bit of breaking during the early to mid-afternoon timeframe. The more breaking and more dry time we get, the greater the severe threat for later, but latest model trends indicate only a small amount of dry air filtering in, which would limit that severe threat. Regardless, it is a day to be weather aware, as the Storm Prediction Center does have our area under a 2-3 out of 5 risk for strong to severe storms.

Timeframe for this will primarily be from about 2 PM to 9 PM. Damaging wind gusts will be the primary threat, but we do also have a low-end tornado threat. All things we will be watching, and a good day to periodically check the forecast throughout the day.

For Friday, rain continues. It will be a lighter rain, but a fairly steady rain through much of the morning, and early afternoon. We'll also still be windy, with gusts 40-45 MPH. Highs drop back to the lower 50s.

We'll be much nicer this weekend, with highs in the mid 60s for Saturday under mainly sunny skies, and just a bit of a breeze. A great day for the Ohio State spring game!

Then for Sunday, expect highs in the middle 70s, partly sunny skies, and just an isolated afternoon shower chance.

-McKenna

Watch a previous report on Dotson's guilty plea in the video player above.

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Pickaway County man could spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to the killing of two people in October 2023.

Marty Ray Dotson Jr., 44, of Orient, was sentenced Wednesday to 26 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to a murder and a voluntary manslaughter charge in January. Dotson was given 15 years to life for the murder charge and 11 to 16 1/2 years for the manslaughter charge, to be served concurrently.

On Oct. 23, 2023, Pickaway County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a body found around 10:50 p.m. at Whispering Pines Mobile Home Park on U.S. Route 62, according to the sheriff's office. At the scene, deputies found Craig Dewitt, 58, and Cory Moore, 22, dead in a bedroom.

An autopsy revealed both Dewitt and Moore suffered multiple stab wounds, the sheriff's office said.

Dotson was originally charged with four counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, two counts of abuse of a corpse and one count of kidnapping.

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- The former Circleville chief of police and former acting chief will be receiving thousands of dollars to voluntarily retire and resign.

Former Circleville Police Chief Shawn Baer and former Acting Police Chief Douglas Davis will voluntarily step down from their positions, per ordinances passed on Wednesday, April 10 at a special council meeting.

Sam Randazzo, recently charged in Ohio’s biggest corruption case, found dead

This comes after a month of allegations including harassment and intimidation, leading to both being placed on administrative leave with pay for their alleged misconduct. Those agreements state that both of the internal investigations have not been completed but will end, without findings, as soon as all parties sign it.

After an executive session, NBC4 was directed to the city’s employment counsel, Benjamin Albrecht. He refused to go on camera and instead gave a printed statement, which reads:

"The City of Circleville has voted to authorize the Mayor to execute Separation Agreements with Chief Gary Shawn Baer and Deputy Chief Douglas Davis of the Circleville Police Department. The decision to enter into Separation Agreements with Chief Baer and Deputy Chief Davis was made to avoid further disruption in the City's Police Department and minimize future legal costs incurred by the City. The City looks forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Circleville. The City shall have no further comment."

Benjamin Albrecht

While Albrecht would not go on camera, one councilmember did speak up and said he is disgusted.

"I'm sad. I feel like there's no justice," Councilmember Zack Brooks said. "I voted no. I don't think that we should have done that. I think that, you know, I think our citizens would much rather see us investigate these matters than give them a payout and move on."

Family still looking for answers 10 years after woman’s disappearance

Brooks has spoken out alongside the former public safety director who was hired and fired in one week, he said because he tried to hold the police department accountable.

Now, Brooks said he is the one trying to get some accountability.

"We really do need new leadership in the department," Brooks said. "We need to clean it up as quick as possible. But I am disgusted that we're just going to give them a slap on the wrist and let them get away with $70,000 a piece."

Some Circleville residents came out to the meeting hoping to make their voices heard.

"Nobody will listen. They do as they please. I don't know what else to say," Circleville resident Diana Draise said.

Brooks said he plans to continue pushing for answers and hopes someone on the state level gets involved.

"We need to have new leadership," Brooks said. "There's no denying that. So at least the best thing out of this is that we'll start to look for new leadership and hopefully have a quick turnaround."

The separation agreement states that both Baer and Davis will not seek re-employment with the city.

Brooks shared that the voluntary retirement for both men will happen on April 11 and he believes the signing of these agreements is being finalized on April 10.

Family still looking for answers 10 years after woman’s disappearance

NBC4 was hoping to speak with additional city councilmembers, the mayor or the law director on camera. However, they directed us to the city attorney who again gave us that written statement copied above.

The full separation agreements that are being executed with Chief Baer and Deputy Chief Davis can be found here: 

Doug Davis Deputy Chief Separation and Release Agreement ordDownload Doug Davis Exhibit A Agreement Separation and ReleaseDownload Gary Shawn Baer Exhibit A Agreement Separation and ReleaseDownload Gary Shawn Baer Police Chief Separation and Release agreemt ordDownload Immediate New Release for Shawn Bear and Doug Davis 4-10-2024Download

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio’s former public utilities chairman, recently indicted as part of the state’s biggest corruption case in its history, was found dead Tuesday, and a day later some of the state’s top officials provided statements.

“I just really feel sad for the family,” Speaker of the Ohio House Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said. “It’s a really difficult situation, that’s what I will say about that.”

Restrictions on student smartphones, Delta 8 highlighted in Ohio governor’s State of the State address

“It’s a tragedy obviously, whenever someone takes their life,” Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said. “Beyond that I don’t think it’s really appropriate for me to comment.”

Sam Randazzo was the chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) as a multi-million-dollar bribery scheme to bail out FirstEnergy played out. He was indicted on both state and federal charges in connection to the case and pleaded not guilty. He was most recently indicted on the state charges back in February.

“What I think is particularly tragic is that the lives and livelihoods of individuals and families have been destroyed because of this corruption,” Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said.

Randazzo died by “suspected suicide,” he is the second player in this scheme to reportedly take his own life.

“I was shocked, like everybody else, and saddened,” Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Don’t want to see anybody go like that.”

Two other players in the case were indicted on state charges alongside Randazzo.

“I don’t think it effects our case,” Yost said. “Our case will move forward, we are not dismissing any charges, we are not dismissing any defendants.”

Before his death, Randazzo’s assets were frozen, Yost said he thinks that will remain the case.

“Both the federal and state prosecutors are doing their jobs," Yost said. Tragic outcome but no body bears responsibility for his actions except him."

72 homes planned for south of Delaware’s 270-acre Addison Farms development

Yost did decline to comment on whether future indictments are likely but did say Randazzo’s death will not impact any investigations. Despite the convictions, and lives lost, parts of House Bill 6, the legislation at the center of the scandal, still stands. There has been a bipartisan effort to fully repeal HB6 in the Statehouse for more than one year. The bill has had zero hearings.

“The culture of corruption here has tentacles that are very long in the halls of the statehouse and state government,” Russo said.

Stephens said he thinks the state needs to move forward, and work on legislation to improve “baseload power” in order to ensure both the lights stay on for everyday Ohioans, and companies that want to locate here have the infrastructure to do so.

“[House Bill 6] was passed five and a half years ago, I guess five years ago, you know, after it has been reviewed and vetted, and we've had other energy bills,” Stephens said. “I think that's just so far in the past that we need to look at what we are doing dealing with today and five years from now is much more important.”

While Stephens said he thinks the state needs to move forward, Huffman and Russo said a repeal is a possibility.

“I never think that we should say because something happened five years ago or 20 years ago, that we should say we're not going to talk about it anymore. It's the Ohio revised code, it's been revised,” Huffman said. “So, you know, I think we always continue to look at these things and, and that certainly would be on the table.”

Columbus ‘Zone In Gallery’ helps show city’s proposed changes

And Russo said not only does she support a repeal, but also thinks there is a need for new anti-corruptions laws.

“It's difficult to move forward when we're still learning things about this corruption scandal and when people are still paying for this corruption scandal,” Russo said. “We have an environment that is ripe for another corruption scandal in the future.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Despite ten years having passed since a Columbus woman was last seen, a central Ohio family is not giving up hope in their search for her.

April 10 marks a decade since Jayme Bowen went missing. She was 22 years old at the time.

City crews remove locks honoring murder victims from Downtown Columbus bridge

“She was here and then she’s gone and nothing," said Sue Samples, Jayme's aunt. 

Sample said the past ten years feel more like 25 or 30 because the family is always thinking about Jayme.

“She was a social butterfly, she would leave the house and call back in to see if anybody called her before she even got down the front steps, so for her to just vanish and never make contact with nobody, not Jayme," Sample said.

Jayme was last seen in the Merion Village area around Stewart Avenue and Washington Avenue, not far from Parsons Avenue, according to her family members. 

They said she was planning on walking from one relative's home to another. She has "George III" tattooed on her neck, according to the attorney general's missing persons web page. 

“She was like my best friend. She was like my shadow. And I just miss her, bad," said Nancy Bowen, Jayme's mother.

Over the years, the family has held balloon releases and other gatherings hoping to keep the community aware of their loved one. 

Despite a decade passing, they want people to continue to keep an eye out.

“If they do know something I would appreciate it if they’d step up, call anonymously, I don't care what you do just please say something," Samples said.

Jayme also has two sons. The family hopes after ten long years, someone will help bring them closure.

“I need that because the not knowing literally makes you crazy," Bowen said. "I do want to keep her memory out there and still keep their eyes open and pay attention. I know it's been forever but I still feel she’s out there somewhere."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Columbus Division of Police at 614-645-4545.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said it has uncovered a shoplifting ring behind a string of thefts across central Ohio over the last three months.

Now, detectives are asking for the public’s help in shutting down the ring for good.

One suspect, Mark Long, is behind bars and faces 21 charges related to the thefts.

72 homes planned for south of Delaware’s 270-acre Addison Farms development

Detectives said small, local convenience stores gave Long a “shoplifting list” which he took to large stores like Target and Sephora. Long then allegedly stole those items on the list, usually including perfumes, electronics and more.

Surveillance video below shows two members who detectives are involved in the shoplifting ring in action.

Long then took those items back to the smaller convenience stores to sell at a discount, the sheriff’s office said.

Detectives said these kinds of thefts eventually affect consumers.

Hummingbirds are migrating; when they will arrive in Ohio

"So if you're looking to get an item, what used to cost $19 may be $22 now because we have almost $30,000 of associated retail crime just with one individual," Franklin County Sheriff's Det. Caleb Loposser said. "That cost is effectively pushed on to the consumer down the road."

Sheriff’s detectives haven’t named the small convenience stores and are looking for three people of interest and a suspect vehicle, a red Hyundai Tucson, pictured below.

• 
• 
• 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus hasn’t made rules about where people can live or where they can build a business in 70 years, and city leaders say it’s time for that to change and they want the community to be involved.

The “Zone In Gallery” at 141 N. Front Street in Downtown Columbus is officially open. This is an interactive experience where residents can learn about the city’s proposed zoning changes and how it will impact them.

More towers, less parking: The zoning code changes that could reshape Columbus for ‘generations’

Mayor Andrew Ginther said the gallery tells a story of where the City of Columbus was 70 years ago when the zoning code was made, where the city could go, and where city leaders want it to go.

“If we want it to be dynamic and inclusive and to make sure that regardless of what you do for a living in our community, that you can afford to live here,” Ginther said. “So I think this crisis has really, I think, created the awareness in the community that we have to do something different and we have to change.”

People can talk directly with city planners to learn more about the plans. The gallery includes interactive maps to show you where changes could happen. It also details the proposal to bring up the housing supply – both market rate and affordable housing – as well as adding more density and height.

“Sprawl is not a strategy, and we've been sprawling for several decades. It's now time for us to be really purposeful,” Ginther said.

He said if the city continued on its current path, only 6,000 homes would be built in the next 10 years. The new plans would project 88,000 homes being built in that same period.

Columbus leaders propose changes to city’s zoning code

This is around 44 percent of the needs to meet the growing demand. Ginther said they also hope to draw in the rest of the region to help tackle the housing supply crisis.

Members of the housing coalition, who work directly with those most impacted, had their first look at the gallery Wednesday.

“I love the presentation here,” said Bob Bitzenhofer, the board chair for the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio. “All of the graphics, the maps, everything, is has been fantastic. I think most of all that the commitment to date and the commitment going forward for public input and public engagement in really making this a code that the residents of the city of Columbus are, you know, shaping so that we're getting, you know, the residents are getting the code that they want.”

Bitzenhofer said he believes people will find this gallery an interesting way to learn about the future of the city. Ginther said it is critical to hear from the public before making decisions.

Restrictions on student smartphones, Delta 8 highlighted in Ohio governor’s State of the State address

“It is really important for people to offer feedback over the next 60 days. I like to say the time for study analysis research has come to an end. It's time for us to act. This is a decade of action. We're going to act, but we want the community to be engaged and be part of this process as well,” Ginther said.

The gallery will be open six days a week at least until the beginning of June. At least two people from the city planners office will be there at all times. The city said walk-ins are welcome but appointments are encouraged. 

Columbus City Council is expected to vote on the zoning proposal in the summer.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As NBC4 celebrates its 75th anniversary since launching on air, the station is paying tribute to a remarkable broadcast pioneer in Ohio who paved the way for modern journalists.

Ann B. Walker, who turned 100 last November, was the first woman in management in Columbus television history and the community service director at NBC4. She previously worked at WKVO Radio and the Ohio Sentinel before going on air. During her time with NBC4, she conducted groundbreaking interviews with Martin Luther King Jr., senators, congressmen and President Jimmy Carter, whom she eventually worked for as a public affairs advisor at the White House.

Ann B. Walker. (NBC4 File Photo)

After all of her years in broadcasting and public service, local producer and journalist Ron Bryant made her the subject of a documentary detailing her life, told from her perspective.

Watch part one of "Queen Mother" in the video player below:

Walker earned the name "Queen Mother" for the village of Mozano, Ghana, and Bryant used that same title for his documentary honoring Walker's life.

"The beauty of it is she is the queen mother, and that's why we named it that," Bryant said. "We knew that we had something that was going to be beneficial, that was going to be something that could be representative of the entire community. And everybody that came along afterwards, as I said before. So we knew that this was going to shine."

Ann B. Walker as the queen mother for Mozano, Ghana. (Courtesy Photo/Ron Bryant)

Walker recalled the prophetic words shared by a previous woman with the same position in Mozano, which led to her receiving it from the king of Ghana.

"In 1923, the queen mother said 'One day, this village will have a queen mother that comes from across the water' ... They began looking for one, and my name kept popping up," Walker said.

Watch part two of "Queen Mother" in the video player below:

Bryant also captured Walker's message to the young people of today, and what helped her in her life's work and service.

"You've got to know who you are within yourself," Walker said. "Don't let others judge you, don't let others set your standards."

The documentary maker also gathered impressions of Walker from community leaders like Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, who referred to her as a "legend."

"For me, that is someone who walked around this building -- city hall -- with power, 40 years ago, 50 years ago, when no one else looked like her," Harding said.

Watch part three of "Queen Mother" in the video player below:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One of the legendary American rock bands will finally be coming back to Columbus after multiple delays for its farewell tour.

Aerosmith announced it has a new date for its concert in central Ohio with special guests The Black Crowes for its "Peace Out" farewell tour. The show will be at the Schottenstein Center on Jan. 13, 2025.

How are Brillo pad makers involved in a nearly complete bike trail through Ohio?

The original concert date was Jan. 23, 2024 but a September concert where lead vocalist Steven Tyler suffered vocal cord damage forced numerous shows to be postponed.

This is the first time since 2012 Aerosmith will perform in Columbus. Tickets for the concert go on sale on Friday, April 12 at 10 a.m. Anyone who purchased tickets for the previously scheduled show will have those tickets honored. Those with previous tickets will receive more information at a later date.

Aerosmith will have two other Ohio shows prior to its stop in Columbus when the band goes to Cleveland on Sept. 29 followed by a Cincinnati concert on Oct. 17.

Formed in 1970, the Boston-based rock group is the best selling American rock band of all time with four Grammy Awards and a 2001 induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The band is also part of a select group of performers to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show when they headlined the Super Bowl XXV halftime show in 2001 with NSYNC, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.