Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - A family-owned and operated company known for its Buckeye chocolates and other sweet treats is expanding.

Anthony-Thomas Candy Company is adding on to its factory located at 1777 Arlingate Lane that is also set to create more jobs. According to a social media post, the company expansion includes adding 20,000 square feet while bringing several jobs to its headquarters, which is located off Interstate 270.

Anthony-Thomas Candy Company announces 20,000 square foot expansion to factory on Arlingate Lane. (Courtesy: Anthony-Thomas Candy Company) Target to anchor new shopping center in Powell

The expansion comes as the company thanked the community for its growth and increasing demand on social media. The candy company last expanded back in 1995 when it moved to the current 152,000-square-foot factory on Arlingate Lane, according to the company website.

Along with its factory, Anthony-Thomas Candy has 13 retail spots where its treats are sold, including Gahanna, Dublin, Grove City, Westerville, North High and more.

View a previous report from Twenty One Pilots' 2021 performances in Columbus in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Grammy award-winning band is coming back to Columbus for hometown performances.

Twenty One Pilots plan to visit Nationwide Arena for two separate shows as part of its "The Clancy World Tour." The tour is in support of duo Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun's upcoming album "Clancy," set to release May 17.

The band's return home during the tour is scheduled for Friday, Oct 4, and they'll stick around for a second concert on Saturday, Oct. 5. Columbus is one of only four cities on the tour that received two tour dates, with the others being Chicago, Los Angeles and London in the United Kingdom.

Twenty One Pilots' "The Clancy World Tour" promotional photo. (Courtesy Photo/Fueled By Ramen)

For Ohioans who want to see the local musical powerhouse sooner, Twenty One Pilots will also hold a concert on Sept. 28 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. An official artist presale for tickets will launch April 2 in the U.S., and all remaining tickets will go for general sale at 10 a.m. on April 5 on the band's website.

Twenty One Pilots, which originally formed in Columbus, has amassed over 33 billion streams and sold over 3 million tickets for performances, according to the Fueled By Ramen promotion team. The group's last performances in Columbus were in 2021.

The concert stops are part of what will make for a busy weekend in Columbus. The Ohio State Buckeyes' football season will be in full swing, with a game set against Iowa on Oct. 5. The Columbus Crew will also play against the Philadelphia Union on the same day.

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – A new bridal concept by the owner of Columbus’ Luxe Redux Bridal and La Jeune Mariee will sell wedding dresses at a deep discount, with everything in the store costing less than $1,000. 

The Ohio Bridal Outlet will open at the Destination Outlets, located at 8000 Factory Shops Blvd. between Columbus and Cincinnati. An overabundance of inventory at Founder and CEO of Luxe Brands Lindsay Fork’s other shops inspired her to start the outlet, she said. 

Buy a sub, fight Alzheimer’s at Jersey Mike’s

“We were sending perfectly good inventory out to donation or even potential landfills and I hated to see that,” Fork said. 

The concept boasts itself as having the "deepest [discounts] on designer bridal gowns in the Midwest” on its website. All gowns offered at the Ohio Bridal Outlet will cost $999 or less. The dresses are not used but have been tried on by other brides at Fork’s other stores. 

“None of our gowns have actually been worn or even really altered,” Fork said. “They’ve just been tried on as samples in a store.”

The outlet store will potentially carry any brands sold at Luxe Redux Bridal. 

“We could have anything from Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Watters and Watters, Made With Love, really it could be anything that’s retiring from Luxe Redux that’s moving to the outlet,” Fork said. 

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Along with wedding dresses, the store will carry accessories, veils, bridesmaid dresses and mother-of-the-bride dresses. The outlet will not take appointments and dresses will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. New inventory will drop every Friday, according to Fork.

“What you see is what you get, it could be here today, gone tomorrow,” Fork said. 

Fork said she is aiming to open the store in mid to late April.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- From the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium's two-day celebration to grand-scale egg hunts and Easter Bunny meet and greets, central Ohio communities are rounding out their Easter celebrations this weekend.

Colony Square Mall Easter Bunny Meet and Greet

3575 Maple Avenue through Saturday

• The Easter Bunny is stopping by for pictures at Colony Square Mall, at the head of Cinemark Corridor. Advanced reservations are encouraged and can be made here.

Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Egg Hunt

1826 Lattimer Drive from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday

• At the Far East Community Center, kids ages 12 and under are welcome to hunt for plastic eggs filled with treats.

Eggs, Paws and Claws at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

4850 W Powell Rd. on Friday and Saturday

• Hop on over for the two-day "Eggs, Paws and Claws" event that will feature photos with the Easter Bunny, Eggbert and Shelley’s Rolling Shell-ebration, the Egg-Splore-N-Find, and more.

(Adobe Stock)

Fortress Obetz Egg Hunt

2015 Recreation Trail from 10:30 to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday

• Experience an afternoon full of fun inflatables, temporary tattoos, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and an Easter egg hunt with more than 40,000 eggs.

Jeffrey Meadow Egg Hunt

Behind Jeffrey Mansion at noon on Saturday

• From start to finish, this event only takes a few minutes. The hunt starts promptly at noon, with eggs filled with treats and surprises.

Polaris Fashion Place Easter Bunny Meet and Greet

1500 Polaris Parkway through April 8

• The Easter Bunny is visiting Polaris from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Guests can save time by purchasing their photo package in advance here.

(Adobe Stock)

Richland Carrousel Park Egg Hunt

75 N. Main St. at 10 a.m. on Saturday

• The hunt includes more than 2,000 filled eggs.

The Mall at Tuttle Crossing Easter Bunny Meet and Greey

5043 Tuttle Crossing Blvd. through Saturday

• Hop over for Easter Bunny pictures at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, in the lower level outside of Macy's. Advanced reservations are encouraged and can be made here.

Wyman Woods Park Egg Hunt

1520 Goodale Blvd. at 10 a.m. on Saturday

• More than 10,000 items hidden around the park in three separate age divisions.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A program connecting residents with free car repairs is receiving a half-million dollar boost as it enters its fourth year.

Project Taillight was launched by the city in 2020, providing free repairs on taillights, headlights, turn signals and other small issues to low-income Columbus residents. City Council voted Monday to invest $500,000 into the program's continuation.

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"When we were briefing with the city attorney's office last year, we saw the impact that we're making," Councilmember Emmanuel Remy said. "They said to really make an impact, if we increased it to half a million, we'd make a difference. So, that's exactly what we did."

City Attorney Zach Klein said the program has been a success, in part because it can remove a distraction for police.

"This started as an idea within my office about how we can eliminate unnecessary police interactions, and what better police interaction than a traffic stop that's really driven by poverty," Klein said. "These are folks who don't have operable taillights or headlights. So, the reason they're getting pulled over, it's a violation of law because they don't have the money to fix it."

The program has helped 302 residents since its launch in 2020, with a majority of participating residents being Black and female.

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"The reality is there's always going to be a need," Klein said. "There's always going to be the individual that's struggling to make ends meet."

Since its launch, the average cost for repairs under Project Taillight has been around $1,660. Now, the investment cap or max per vehicle has been set at $3,200.

"We know the costs are increasing," Remy said. "We're going to make sure that there's enough money there to take care of the needs of everybody."

To learn more about Project Taillight, email outreach@columbus.gov or call 614-702-7462.

Watch a previous NBC4 report on H.B. 68 in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As an Ohio law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors takes effect next month, a new survey has found a majority of voters oppose political candidates who often discuss restrictions on trans Americans.

About 53% of registered and likely 2024 voters said they oppose political candidates who speak frequently about restricting access to health care and participating in sports for trans youth, according to the poll by GLAAD, the world's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization. The survey also found 81% of 2024 voters, 83% of swing voters and 73% of Trump voters believe decisions about health care and mental health services for trans youth should be made by parents.

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"Voters are insisting that politicians focus instead on the real issues facing our nation, including inflation, abortion rights, and climate change," said GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. "Candidates, parties, strategists and reporters are on notice about the power of the LGBTQ vote and the issues that should be demanding attention."

GLAAD's survey comes as House Bill 68 will take effect in Ohio on April 23, prohibiting children's hospitals from providing treatment like gender-reassignment surgery and hormone therapy to trans minors. The Statehouse voted to override Gov. Mike DeWine's veto of the legislation, which also bans trans athletes' participation in women's sports.

DeWine rejected the bill after visiting several children's hospitals, arguing "parents should make these decisions and not the government." However, Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), the bill's primary sponsor, called gender-affirming care an "experiment" and has long argued "children are incapable of providing the informed consent necessary to make those very risky and life-changing decisions."

While the ACLU of Ohio announced Tuesday it filed a lawsuit to halt the law, Click said the complaint is "not surprising" and "par for the course," and argued H.B. 68 was written "to be bulletproof when it came to lawsuits."

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H.B. 68 is one of four anti-LGBTQ+ bills progressing in Ohio, among more than 725 proposed laws moving through statehouses across the nation. These bills are now galvanizing the LGBTQ+ community to participate in the 2024 election, GLAAD's survey said. The poll found 94% of LGBTQ+ registered voters are motivated as the presidential and key congressional campaigns approach and are definitely voting this November.

GLAAD also said 49% of LGBTQ+ voters reported experiencing real-world harassment or bullying caused by the current state of political discourse. In addition, 72% experience negative impacts to their mental health and emotional well-being caused by political discourse.

"GLAAD’s research shows that LGBTQ Americans are ready to exert their significant power to shape electoral politics, choose responsible leadership, and use their voices to advocate for equality," Ellis said. "Our new survey also shows that the majority of all voters reject harmful anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and candidates who spread it."

Other anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed at the Ohio Statehouse include House Bill 245, a "drag queen ban" bill that would prohibit "adult cabaret performances," defined as a show "harmful to juveniles" that features "entertainers who exhibit a gender identity that is different from the performers’ or entertainers’ gender assigned at birth."

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House Bill 183 would prohibit schools from allowing trans students to use a bathroom that doesn't correspond with the gender assigned to them at birth. The bill states institutions are required to set separate facilities based on a student's "biological sex," meaning "the sex listed on a person's official birth record."

House Bill 8 -- the "Parents' Bill of Rights" -- would require teachers to notify parents before teaching "sexuality content" and of any change in a student's mental, emotional or physical health. The legislation would also provide parents the opportunity to request excusal for their child from lessons, and parents whose concerns aren’t resolved after 30 days would be granted a hearing with the district’s board of education.

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – A person is in critical condition after driving a minibike into another vehicle Tuesday night in the northeast side of the city.

According to a release from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office a serious injury traffic crash took place at 9:45 p.m. near the intersection of Westerville Road and Parris Boulevard in the Huber Ridge area.

Deputies responded to the scene where a black 2012 Toyota Scion was turning east onto Parris Boulevard from a southbound lane on Westerville Road, also known as State Route 3. At the same time a black minibike heading northbound on SR 3 struck the Toyota.

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The Sheriff’s Office said the minibike was not street legal and had no lights. Witnesses told officials that the minibike was driving recklessly before it struck the other vehicle.

The driver of the Toyota, who returned to the crash scene, told deputies they never saw the minibike and thought they hit a deer. Westerville medics took the rider of the minibike to Grant Medical Center in critical condition.

An investigation into the crash remains ongoing and the FCSO asks anyone with additional information to call the Crash Investigation Unit at 614-525-6113.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio’s state board of education is facing a budget cliff – and says for it to survive the fall, it must either raise teacher licensing fees or receive immediate funding from the state.

At the board’s March meeting, members mulled over a proposed licensing fee increase, from $200 to upward of $300, to prevent a $3.5 million budget shortfall by next June. With Ohio’s teacher licenses already among the most expensive in the region, education professionals – and board members themselves – argue that a fee increase disproportionately impacts newer, lower-paid teachers and would discourage prospective teachers from becoming licensed in the state.

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The state school board is still navigating its new role as separate from the Department of Education and Workforce. Under the state’s two-year budget passed last June, the school board lost most of its powers – and a large portion of its funding. Instead of funding for staff salaries, travel expenses, IT costs and other board operation expenditures coming from the state, the vast majority of the school board’s money now comes from teacher licensing fees. 

“This is a problem 100% created by the state legislature and the governor when they changed the law taking away state funding from the state board of education while still giving the state board of education responsibility over licensure, teacher discipline, territory transfers and a number of other functions,” Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association, said in an interview.

Dan Tierney, spokesperson for Gov. Mike DeWine, said examining the school board’s budget is, at present, like “looking at a cake that’s half-baked.” The board is still in the middle of its budget analysis process, he said, meaning it would be premature to say whether the body is facing a budget crisis that requires state intervention.

“It went from a regulatory board to a licensure board. This was very clearly a change in scope of the agency,” Tierney said. “We would assume that as a result of the direction in the legislation, that the board would not have the same needs for staff."

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Although the school board lost most of its powers, it gained some responsibilities that Superintendent Paul Craft told board members is racking up expenditure costs. Included in the state budget, for instance, was the mandate that certain unlicensed school personnel be enrolled in the state’s criminal background check system. The school board is on the hook for an expected $600,000 in increased costs associated with that new requirement.

The board has eliminated $300,000 in estimated expenditures, according to board meeting materials, including by consolidating board meetings into one day and axing three staff positions it couldn’t afford to fill. But its predictions are even worse than before; in January, Craft estimated a $2 million budget shortfall by June 2025. Now, the board is expecting to be $3.5 million in the red.

The school board claims that upward of $6 million of its expenditures are nonnegotiable. It plans to ask the legislature for $10 million, or else it will need to raise teacher licensing fees. 

“We shouldn’t look at this situation and assume the state board has done everything they need to do to transition,” Tierney said. 

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With licenses needing to be renewed every five years, an additional $100 or so may not seem like a significant amount, DiMauro said, but many teachers hold multiple licenses. And any increase will most strongly impact those at the bottom of the pay scale – the minimum salary for public school teachers is $35,000 -- and new teachers more generally, as they face additional up-front costs for exams and provisional licenses.

Increasing teacher licensing fees would only add to the larger “tax on teachers,” Gregory Mild, a professional educator at Columbus City Schools, told the school board. He pointed to an analysis from the Learning Policy Institute that found that in 2023, Ohio teachers spent an average of $480 on classroom supplies. Most teachers are also responsible for the costs of their continuing education, which can run thousands of dollars every five years.

“Ohio’s legislators must be held accountable to foot the bill for the operations of the State Board of Education related to professional conduct investigations, teacher evaluation, territory transfers, and all other board functions required by Ohio Revised Code,” Mild said. “Licensure fees should never be viewed as a possible funding source for anything other than the operations directly related to the Office of Licensure.”

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Gradual clearing, breezy, high 52
• Tonight: Clearing clouds, low 32
• Thursday: More sunshine, breezy, high 53
• Friday: Iso. sprinkle, few clouds, high 61
• Saturday: Sct'd rain showers, high 63
• Sunday: Partly sunny, showers later, high 60

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Wednesday!

After a wet and windy Tuesday, we've got some improvements arriving today. Expect gradual clearing of the clouds as we head through the day, with breezy, but not gusty conditions. Highs will be a bit cooler, topping out in the lower 50s.

Then for Thursday, expect more sunshine, with a continued breeze, and highs in the low to middle 50s.

Friday looks to be one of our nicer days, with partly cloudy skies, and only an isolated sprinkle chance. Highs warm to the lower 60s during the afternoon.

Then this weekend, we are looking at scattered shower activity throughout Saturday. We're not talking real heavy rain, but it will be a day to keep the umbrella handy. Highs stick in the low to middle 60s.

For Sunday, we are looking at mainly dry conditions for most of the area, during the daytime hours. Our next system moves in Sunday evening, and brings more rain going overnight and into Monday. Highs Sunday top out near 60.

-McKenna

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Record jackpots in both the Mega Millions and Powerball lotteries have close to $2 billion up for grabs this week.

Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing is worth a jackpot estimated at $1.13 billion.

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Tuesday's winning Mega Millions numbers are 07, 11, 22, 29, and 38; the Mega Ball is 04 and the Megaplier is 2X.

All jackpot winners in both lotteries have the option of receiving a lesser, one-time payment or receiving the full jackpot through annual payments over the next 30 years. Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot is worth a one-time payment of $537.5 million.

Tuesday's jackpot is the sixth time the Mega Millions top prize has surpassed $1 billion, and the third time in the last two years.

The top 10 Mega Millions jackpots are:

1. $1.602 billion -- Aug. 8, 2023
2. $1.537 billion -- Oct. 23, 2018
3. $1.348 billion -- Jan. 13, 2023
4. $1.337 billion -- July 29, 2022
5. $1.100 billion (estimated) -- March 26, 2024
6. $1.050 billion -- Jan. 22, 2021
7. $656 million -- March 30, 2012
8. $648 million -- Dec. 17, 2013
9. $543 million -- July 24, 2018
10. $536 million -- July 8, 2016

Odds of winning the jackpot by matching five numbers from 1 to 70 and a gold Mega Ball from 1 to 25 is 1 in 302,575,350; the odds of winning any prize is 1 in 37. The odds don't change as they are not based on the number of tickets sold, but on the chances of picking the right combination of numbers.

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No one matched the five numbers and the Powerball in Monday's latest drawing, pushing Wednesday's Powerball drawing to an estimated $865 million jackpot.

Monday's winning Powerball numbers are 07, 11, 19, 53, and 68; the Powerball is 23 and the Power Play multiplier is 2X.

Buy a sub, fight Alzheimer’s at Jersey Mike’s

Wednesday's estimated jackpot puts it fifth on the game's all-time jackpots. The one-time payout is worth an estimated $416.1 million.

The top 10 Powerball jackpots in the game's history are:

1. $2.04 billion – Nov. 7, 2022
2. $1.765 billion – Oct. 11, 2023
3. $1.586 billion – Jan. 13, 2016
4. $1.08 billion – July 19, 2023
5. $865 million (estimated) -- March 27, 2024
6. $842.4 million – Jan. 1, 2024
7. $768.4 million – March 27, 2019
8. $758.7 million – Aug. 23, 2017
9. $754.6 million – Feb. 6, 2023
10. $731.1 million – Jan. 20, 2021

Players must match five balls numbered 1 to 69 plus a Powerball numbered between 1 through 26 in order to win the jackpot.

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, and those odds never change because they are not calculated based on the number of tickets sold, but rather the odds of picking the five white ball numbers as well as the Powerball. The odds of winning any prize in the drawing is 1 in 24.9.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus community members came together to raise concerns about property taxes in the city.

On Tuesday, members of the community made their voices heard at a forum hosted by a group of non-profits, the Livingston Partnership. The group includes APDS, Gertrude Wood Community Foundation, Rickenbacker Woods Foundation and Livingston Area Merchants Association. 

Buy a sub, fight Alzheimer’s at Jersey Mike’s

"It's really important because we have a lot of residents that really don't understand the process," Gertrude Wood Community Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Jordan said. "Don't understand the process for tax levies, don't understand where the money goes and they are really concerned about their property taxes going up."

Many shared their frustrations and anger. Some said they feel they are being pushed out of their homes as they see the impact of recently passed levies and property tax hikes.

Members from the county auditor’s office, Columbus City Schools and Columbus Metropolitan Library addressed the crowd and answered questions. Some Columbus residents shared that their property taxes more than doubled.

"People have lost their houses because they can't afford to pay their property taxes," Columbus resident June Upchurch said.

Some people came as a voice for the community, hoping to bring the answers to questions back to others. 

"When they got the tax bill, they start screaming like, how am I going to do this, I can't afford this. I've got a fixed income," Family Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Frederick LaMarr said. 

The Franklin County Treasurer emphasized the resources available and how people need to reach out if they are struggling.

"We are 100% serious about finding what is necessary to help you stay in your home," Franklin County Treasurer Cheryl Brooks said. 

Columbus Metropolitan Library representatives spoke about how the money will help libraries serve the growing population. 

Columbus City Schools spoke about what the money in its levy will be used for as well as efforts to increase transparency.

"Transformation is not free and it's not okay that we continue to just piece together public education because it is public education. At the end of the day it's our job to advocate for our students," Columbus Board of Education President Christina Vera said. 

Vera added that in the next year, there will be itemized budgets for each school building posted on its websites to increase transparency. 

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Many plan to continue asking questions to make sure they know where the money is going.

"I just don't understand why the taxes have gone up triple for everyone over here. It's not fair and I'm upset," Columbus resident Paula Palmer said. 

For those hoping to bring their home value down, the deadline for the board of revisions is April 1. More information can be found here. 

Resources for support can be found here. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The lines could get long Wednesday at central Ohio Jersey Mike’s sub shops, and the Alzheimer’s Association is celebrating that.

It marks the restaurant chain’s annual Day of Giving, a national effort to raise money for worthy causes.

The 31 Jersey Mike’s in central Ohio have pledged this year to give all proceeds to the local Alzheimer’s Association.

Any money spent for anything at one of the restaurants will go directly to the Central Ohio Alzheimer’s Association, which could amount to the association’s biggest single donation ever.

The effort is being spearheaded by a local Jersey Mike’s franchisee who has a personal connection to Alzheimer’s.

Tyler Washington was a teenager, and his mother in her 40s, when she started showing signs of Alzheimer’s.

“I’m involved because of my mom,” he said. “My mom was our world. She was everything to us.

“At that age, you’re going through college, you’re going through trying to be an adult, and so to layer on the fact that you don’t know what’s going on in your family or you’re worried about, you know, how your mom is doing was a trying time and hours for our entire family.”

Now a father himself and the owner of three Jersey Mike’s franchises, Washington is turning his anxiety into action. He helped convince the other central Ohio franchisees to this year earmark the proceeds from the Day of Giving for the Alzheimer’s Association, and not just the profits.

“Oh no, it’s sales, doesn’t matter – chip, cookie, sub catering, you name it – whatever you order is going to be donated to them,” franchisee and area developer Steve Minnich said.

Washington, his three siblings, and his father already support the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

“Yeah, it’s a family affair,” he said. “We grew up as a tight-knit family. We grew up in a small family business, so everything we do is very together, and we fight together, and we’re doing that for our mom together.”

It’s possible business will more than double for the Day of Giving.  Washington said the Jersey Mike’s teams will be ready and they hope you show up hungry.

“It's one day, but boy, it's going to mean a lot, and we think from a, from a monetary standpoint, this is going to be an awesome event,” he said. “We hope to raise a ton of money. We also help to educate, to outreach, to advocate and to get people to understand what the Alzheimer's Association of Central Ohio does, and what they can do for everybody around. So, monetarily, we're excited for a huge contribution. We're also excited to, you know, get people to understand our cause and what we can maybe help them with.”

While Wednesday’s sales will be going to the association, the month of March is a charitable effort at Jersey Mike’s. Any day this month, you can round up the price of your order or make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Nationwide, the company will help more than 200 separate charities on Wednesday.

To find your nearest Jersey Mike’s location, click here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The number of U.S. measles cases in the first three months of 2024 has already equaled all of the cases for 2023.

This is sparking a health alert from local, state, and federal health agencies.

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Health officials in the Dayton area are warning of exposure to the disease for those who visited Round One Bowling at the Mall at Fairfield Common on March 16.

While the warning is coming from Greene County, local health officials said it should serve as a warning for all to get vaccinated against the virus.

Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts said the uptick is, in part, due to international travel, but mainly due to a lack of vaccinations.

She said measles symptoms start with a cough, runny nose, and fever before progressing into a rash of tiny red spots. Roberts advises that everyone have an updated MMR vaccine to prevent the disease.

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“I think from my perspective, from this alert that the CDC issued, is really to remind health care providers as well as parents eligible for the MMR vaccine that we are seeing an alarming number of measles cases compared to last year and the year prior,” she said.

Roberts said that most of the cases, like an outbreak in the region in 2022, were unvaccinated and children. She said many were eligible for the vaccine, meaning they were one year old and could have received at least one shot.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man wanted in connection with a May 2018 fatal shooting in Columbus was arrested Tuesday by police and the U.S. Marshal’s Office.

Wayne E. Romaine II, 31, of Washington Court House, was arrested Tuesday at a home on the 1700 block of Little Avenue in Columbus.

Romaine was indicted by a grand jury on March 22 on two charges of murder with a firearm specification and one count each of discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises, having weapons while under disability, and tampering with evidence.

Romaine is the suspect in a fatal shooting that happened on May 19, 2018. Details of that shooting were not released by the U.S. Marshal’s Office.

Romaine was in custody at the Franklin County Jail as of Tuesday evening.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Eating for a good cause – that's what people are doing Tuesday at Texas Roadhouse restaurants across the state.

20 locations are holding a fundraiser for the people impacted by the tornadoes that devastated the Indian Lake Community this month.

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Employees said they’ve had a wait since they opened. 100% of the profits made here and the other locations will go to the tornado relief fund.

The storms happened on March 14. Three people died and many more are left without a home or business.

Employees said their phones have been ringing all day with people interested. Dine-in and take-out orders are included.

“Some people think, you know, I only have maybe 30, 40 dollars and donating that to the fund might not be the greatest impact. But if you're just able to come in and eat, you have to do it no extra like work. We do everything else for you. We take all those percentages and donate it right back to them,” said Shelby Jones, the store marketer at Texas Roadhouse on Hilliard Rome Road. “So just making it easy and making everybody feel like the community feel like they get to contribute and you know, helping the community as a whole.”

Jones said visitors should check the mobile app before coming, to see wait times and add their name to the list. The fundraiser is going on until 10 p.m. Tuesday night.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A former high school girls’ basketball coach at a school in Westerville has been charged with allegedly having sex with a player on his team.

According to online court records, Jason P. Dawson, 35, is charged with two counts of sexual battery of a minor and one count of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, all felonies.

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According to court records, Dawson was a teacher and coach at Worthington Christian School in Westerville when he met the victim during her sophomore year. The victim told police that her relationship with Dawson turned sexual in January 2021 when she was 16 years old and ended in September 2023. The victim said she and Dawson engaged in sexual activity approximately 100 times, court records state.

The victim told police that Dawson recorded the two having intercourse multiple times, and would then send the videos to her. According to court records, police found three of those videos on the victim’s cell phone.

Dawson was the girls’ basketball coach at Worthington Christian School for three seasons until 2023, when he left for a job in North Carolina.

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Dawson was arrested by Cornelius, North Carolina, police on Monday. He is currently being held in Mecklenburg County Jail where he is awaiting extradition back to Franklin County.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As search and rescue efforts continue following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the Baltimore community is top of mind for some in central Ohio.

“It was kind of utterly shocking, I’ve been over that bridge a bazillion times," Matthew Raskin said.

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Raskin is a senior at The Ohio State University (OSU) and is from just north of the city of Baltimore. He said his parents and friends both used the bridge often and that his heart goes out to the families of those who crews are still looking for.

"I can't imagine what they’re going through, especially since boats go in and out of that every day, that one happened to drift off course and hit while they were on it is just absolutely terrible," Raskin said. "Going over that bridge you get marvelous views of the city, it’s one of the best ways to look at the city and to see that gone it's really a tragedy." 

Nathan Dunmoyer, a commander of the Columbus Division of Fire's Dive and Rescue Team (DART), first heard about what happened early Tuesday morning.

“I start wondering about when I hear they’re putting divers in the water, I'm wondering like what they’re running into, the hazards of everything, like what different obstacles they’re going to be facing," Dunmover said.

He said while Columbus has nothing like the port, it's still a situation the division can learn from.

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While rescue crews will be studying this, so will engineers. Eric Steinberg, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education at Ohio University's Russ College of Engineering and Technology, said the situation will be a topic of discussions in structural design courses. He also said the situation will be studied for years and could cause changes to future design codes.

"It's very very very rare. As designers we always try to think about everything that can possibly happen. But things change over time," Steinberg said. "It's unfortunate, our infrastructure is of course getting up in age and it's hard to keep up with the demands from traffic and just age, so we struggle with that on a regular basis as engineers."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – In January, Better Call 4 told you about a Pataskala couple who claimed someone hacked into their bank account and withdrew large sums of money. But when Eric and Brenda Nickolas turned to their bank for help, they were blamed for it instead.

“Refund what was stolen from our account and we’ll call it a day,” Eric Nickolas said. “I don’t want to profit from this, and we certainly didn’t, as they allege.”

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It was just days after July 4, 2023, while in Florida, that Nickolas noticed some unusual activity in his Chase Bank account.

“I was perusing my bank account online, on the phone, and I noticed that approximately $24,000 was missing,” he said. The money was withdrawn through four separate transactions. “$4,300, $7,900, $6,900, and $4,200, and I asked my wife, ‘Have you moved money out of our home equity line of credit,'” Nickolas said.

His wife Brenda said she didn’t.

“We didn’t move any money around,” Nickolas said. “In fact, we’ve been doing nothing but attacking the balance and paying it down for the last seven, eight months.”

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Suspecting they had been hacked, the Nickolases immediately went to the nearest Chase branch in Bradenton, Florida, then another branch two days later, and even began working with the local sheriff’s department.

“They’re very sympathetic when you’re talking to them, but, pretty much the bottom line is they said once money is wired out, they can’t do anything about it,” Nickolas said.

But the Nickolases said they continued to reach out to the bank, day after day, week after week.

“Hour-wise, at least 24 hours of sitting in offices with them, being on the phone, being on hold, being told nothing’s happening and we’re going to deny your claim,” he said.

And that was the final word from Chase. The Nickolases’ fraud claim was denied twice because, according to Chase’s investigation, the transactions were approved from Brenda’s personal device.

“We’ve gotten nothing but, ’Well it was through some fault of hers because her phone was hacked’ and we just don’t know how,” Nicolas said. “We’ll both take a polygraph exam if that’s what it takes to say, ‘We didn’t do this.’”

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A Chase representative told Better Call 4 exactly what the Nickolases were told. So, Better Call 4 took it a step further, reaching out to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), who directed us to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which, in a statement, said:

“We encourage any consumers who may have a concern about or complaint against one of the institutions we regulate to contact the Customer Assistance Group…”

“The OCC expects the banks it regulates to ensure that any issues that may result in consumer harm are remediated and resolved in a timely manner.”

FDIC statement

“I hope they come through, but I’m not holding my breath,” Nicolas said.

Thankfully, a few months later, it appears they did come through. Nickolas sent a message to Better Call 4 in early March, which said, in part:

"Thanks to you for providing the information about the FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller, which we contacted and completed the application process to investigate the Chase matter. As a result of the FDIC prompting and inquiry to Chase, we have received restitution from them."

Need help? Contact ‘Better Call 4’

Better Call 4 followed up with Nickolas, who confirmed that he and Brenda are no longer on the hook for the nearly $24,000, but are still being held responsible for the interest – which is about $750.

Better Call 4 also reached out to Chase, but did not hear back.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A power struggle in the State Teachers Retirement System had a full audience in Ohio's Tenth District Court of Appeals Tuesday, as retired educators lined the room while an ousted board member fought for his chair back.

The battle over Wade Steen's seat on the State Teachers Retirement System board could have an added side-effect of defining Gov. Mike DeWine's constitutional authority. After the governor appointed Steen to the board, he removed him from the position in May 2023. With no clear answer on why he was ousted, Steen quickly sued in the district court for usurpation of office.

The district court's magistrate judge already issued an opinion that Steen should be reinstated to the board, and said DeWine lacked the authority to make such a move. However, the governor's office was quick to note that the magistrate's recommendation was not a final decision in the case, and needed approval from the district court's panel of judges.

During the Tuesday battle in court, Steen focused on the teachers affected by the board's decisions.

"They do the hard work. They sacrifice for our kids and this has never been about me," Steen told NBC4. "It's been about their pension fund. And I was removed without reason, without cause, and so we are just trying to correct that error."

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Retired teachers have previously accused DeWine of trying to protect the investment staff on the board with Steen's removal. As the group has denied cost of living increases in the retirees' pensions for years, the managers of the $90 billion fund received $10 million in performance bonuses. In the same year, the team reported investment losses of over $5 billion.

Steen's attorney, Norman Abood, recognized the potential effects on DeWine's power.

"This is a due process state," Abood said. "We are not here to discuss why the governor did what he did, the question is 'does he have the power to do it?'"

The attorney for Brian Parera, who now holds Steen's seat on the board, said nothing in the law protects the governor's original appointee. Rather, it only protects his pick for a replacement.

One of the judges in the case called that argument absurd.

"That subsequent appointee, based on the language of the statute, says that subsequent appointee shall hold the seat for the remainder of the term. That's what the statute says," said Judge David J. Leland. "So the original appointee can have the governor looking over his shoulder but the subsequent appointee cannot. That's what you are arguing."

Retired teachers in attendance clapped in agreement, and accused DeWine of trying to block reform.

"We know that there is something fishy going on and we want to save our retirement," a teacher told NBC4. "And I want to save it for the young teachers who are active out there who did what we did. I'm going to do this and put in the time, but by golly I hope I get a retirement out of it."

The governor's office declined to comment on Tuesday's proceedings, but has said in the past that the law in this case is on the governor's side.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A North Carolina man is facing charges that he stole more than $35,000 from a Columbus Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

According to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Guy A. Andonian, of North Carolina, was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of grand theft, and one count each of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and telecommunications fraud, allegedly engaging in a check writing scheme that resulted in the theft of $35,007.30 from the post’s charitable accounts.

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Between October 2017 and September 2019, while Andonian was living in Ohio and serving as quartermaster for VFW Post 4044, checks with notes like “help veterans in need” in the memo line were issued from the post’s charitable accounts. Those checks were then cashed by co-conspirators in Union County, with roughly half the money being given to Andonian, Yost said in a statement.

An arrest warrant for Andonian was issued in North Carolina. Yost did not say if Andonian had been arrested.