Ohio News

MANSFIELD, Ohio (WCMH) -- Mansfield Police are investigating after one person was found shot dead Saturday morning.

Police said officers responded at approximately 1:49 a.m. to a 911 call reporting a shooting on the 400 block of Spring Street. At the scene, officers found the 25-year-old victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police did not release any information as to what led to the shooting and are working to identify a suspect.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Mansfield Police Major Crimes Det. Rick Clapp at 419-755-9470.

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Ross County Sheriff's deputy received a letter of termination after he filed his intent to run for sheriff.

Former deputy Isaac Oberer said he submitted the necessary documents and signatures to the Ross County Board of Elections on March 18, the deadline to do so.

He received a letter of termination from Sheriff George Lavender two days later.

"I was getting off shift at 5 a.m. I just worked from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m., ready to go home. He came in. So, the sheriff wanted to meet with me. Basically, he said, 'Sorry, I hate to do this to you.' You had me take a seat. Then he cited off, one, basically stating that I was a candidate for this election coming up in 2024 and also a union contract violation that he said that I had violated," Oberer said.

The letter states, "failure to successfully complete your probationary period, including engaging in activity prohibited of a classified civil servant by Ohio Revised Code Section 124.57."

That section of Ohio Revised Code is titled "Prohibition against partisan political activity" and can be interpreted to mean employees and officers of the state, city, or county cannot seek elected office.

"I didn't think that it would be any sort of concern for me," Oberer said. "I've never failed to complete my job duties as outlined by the sheriff's office. It wasn't a performance issue on my end or anything of that nature. I hadn't gotten in trouble previously during this tenure or anything of my employment, so I could have retired from here and I could have continued to work in my community."

Oberer interpreted the reasoning for his firing to be due to his opposition to Lavender in the race for sheriff this fall.

"I did and I do have respect for the man, and I certainly did at that time as well," he said. "This kind... it was unexpected. It wasn't something that I thought that he was going to do."

Oberer plans to continue his effort to run for Ross County Sheriff. He will be eligible for the November ballot once his signatures are certified at the next board of elections meeting.

NBC4 reached out Lavender for comment but did not hear back. NBC4 has also requested employment and disciplinary records for Oberer within the Ross County Sheriff's Office.

A cold front with low pressure in northern Ohio will sag south across the southeast half of the state, triggering showers and a few storms toward evening, before moving east and weakening early tonight. Skies will remain partly to mostly cloudy, with afternoon readings reaching the mid-60s.

The frontal boundary will stall near the Ohio River tonight, before slowly lifting north as a warm front on Easter Sunday. The day will be a little behind the front in central Ohio, with readings in the upper 50s.

Clouds will stick around, with showers in southern Ohio early in the day, expanding slowly northeast into central Ohio in the evening ahead of the next wave of low pressure in the Midwest riding the boundary.

Rain and a few storms will continue Sunday night and Monday morning, briefly heavy, with small hail possible in a stronger cell. There should be a lull in the rain Monday afternoon, with readings in the mid-60s.

The main system will take shape in the central Plains by Tuesday and track northeast into the Upper Midwest. Several rounds of showers and a few potentially strong storms are likely through Tuesday evening, and some of the rain could be heavy, resulting in minor flooding.

Blustery and much cooler air will follow behind a cold front midweek, bringing some additional rain and even snow showers.

• Saturday: Mix clouds and sun, scattered evening showers/storms, breezy, mild. High 65
• Tonight: Evening showers, mostly cloudy. Low 45
• Easter: Rain south a.m., showers later. High 59
• Monday: Showers, storms. High 62 (53)
• Tuesday: Showers, storms. High 66 (54)
• Wednesday: Windy, cooler showers p.m. High 44 (37)
• Thursday: Snow showers a.m., brisk. High 43 (33)
• Friday: Mostly cloudy. High 49 (31

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The next of the nearly two dozen super loads will reach its destination Saturday in Hebron, but will cause traffic delays on certain central Ohio roadways.

The super load is making its way from a dock on the Ohio River near Manchester in Adams County to the Freepoint Eco-Systems recycling facility near Hebron. Many later shipments will go to Intel's Ohio One site in New Albany.

On Friday, the super load arrived at Rickenbacker Parkway. On Saturday, it is scheduled to travel the following route:

• Travel north on Rickenbacker Parkway north to Alum Creek Drive
• Travel north on Alum Creek Drive to Rohr Road
• Travel east on Rohr Road to Commerce Center Drive
• Travel north on Commerce Center Drive to Green Pointe Drive south
• Travel east on Green Point Drive south to Saltzgaber Road
• Travel south on Saltzgaber Road to State Route 317
• Travel north in the southbound lanes on State Route 317 past Groveport to Bixby Road east
• Travel east on Bixby Road to U.S. 33
• Travel east in the Westbound lanes of U.S. 33 to the Gender Road southbound to U.S.33 westbound ramp in Canal Winchester
• Travel the wrong way on the Gender Road southbound to U.S. 33 Westbound ramp
• Take State Route 674/Gender Road north to Brice Road
• Take Brice Road north to the intersection with Tussing Road/State Route 204 in Columbus
• Travel east on Tussing Road/State Route 204 east to State Route 310
• Travel north on State Route 310 to U.S. 40 in Etna
• Travel east on U.S. 40 to State Route 79 in Hebron
• Travel the wrong way on the State Route 79 southbound off ramp to U.S. 40
• Travel north in the southbound lanes on State Route 79 to local roads

A notice on Canal Winchester's website indicated there will be highway closures on Saturday. The city's website said when the load reaches U.S. 33 at Bixby Road, the highway will be briefly closed in both directions. The eastbound part of the highway will be quickly reopened, with the westbound portion remaining closed as the load moves.

There's no shortage of scenic drives to take in the United States. According to the National Scenic Byway Foundation, there are 184 designated byway routes with beautiful vistas, as well as historic and cultural sites across the country. That means, no matter where you are in the U.S., a stunning drive isn't too far away.

Some drives have reached celebrity status, one of the most well known being Historic Route 66, which stretches from downtown Chicago to Santa Monica Pier in California. For nearly 100 years, travelers have been hitting the 2,448-mile road that has more than 250 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Other famous drives include the Pacific Coast Highway in California, which hugs 650 miles of the state's coast; the Natchez Trace Parkway, a historic 444-mile route from Tennessee to Alabama and Mississippi; and the highest fully paved road in North America, Colorado's Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, which sits at a cool 14,264 feet at its peak.

Of course, there are plenty more drives that may not be as famous but are just as alluring. The Highland Scenic Highway in West Virginia gives riders a picturesque view through the Monongahela National Forest. Make a pit stop in the Cranberry Glades for an unusual site: bogs full of carnivorous plants. Further north, the Kancamagus Scenic Byway in New Hampshire is a particularly beautiful drive as the leaves turn in the fall and won't take you too long to drive—it's on the shorter side at only 34.5 miles long.

For those looking to take to the open road, Stacker compiled a list of the best scenic drives in Ohio using data from Tripadvisor as of March 2024. Note that Tripadvisor ranks attractions using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a drive with a 5/5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4/5.

Once you locate the closest scenic drive near you, gather your favorite passengers, turn on an epic playlist, and take in the beauty that Ohio has to offer.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and are not of the specific drives listed.

1 / 2 Canva

- Rating: 4/5 (9 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

2 / 2 Canva

- Rating: 4/5 (48 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Sheeka Sanahori, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 46 states.

• Today: Showers & storms, high 65
• Tonight: Spotty showers, low 45
• Sunday: Chance of rain, high 60 (51)
• Monday: Showers & storms, high 65 (54)
• Tuesday: Rain showers, high 66 (36)
• Wednesday: Chance rain showers, high 45 (32)

Showers and thunderstorms will be moving periodically through central Ohio. The best chance for rain will be the mid morning to early afternoon hours. There is a marginal risk for severe weather this morning with the primary threat being for large hail. That risk is on the lower on the scale. Temperatures will top off in the mid 60s.

Overnight there will be the chance for a few spotty showers, but most of central Ohio will see mostly cloudy skies and calmer wind speeds. Lows will drop into the mid 40s. Waking up Easter Sunday morning there will be light sprinkles.

During the day Easter conditions will stay mainly dry. Rain chances pick up again late in the afternoon and lasting through the evening and overnight hours. Highs will only reach the low 60s. Sunday night going into Monday will bring another round of showers and storms with a marginal risk for severe weather. Again, the biggest threat will be for large hail, but it is still on the lower end of that risk scale.

Plenty of shower and storm activity is expected over the next several days. By the time all is said and done around 1.5"-2" of rain is expected to fall. Once this system finally leaves by Wednesday, a mass of colder air will move in and some of those last rain showers have the potential to fall with a few snow flakes mixed in with them.

LOGAN COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) – About two weeks after a deadly tornado tore through parts of the Indian Lake community in Logan County, Indian Lake State Park reopened on Friday.

"It's a sense of just that one step of recovery," said Hiedie Whitman, Park Manager of Indian Lake State Park.

Staff with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and volunteers worked together to clean up the park. Whitman knows many of the park's neighbors around the lake still face unknowns and a lot of work. She said her thoughts are with the whole community.

"It's going to be a long road, one day at a time, but this community is resilient, they will come through this, we will, together," Whitman said.

Rick Stanley is one of the neighbors still figuring out exactly what to do next. His Lakeview neighborhood which he's called home for about 50 years was one of the hardest hit. Some homes which were destroyed have been torn apart and taken away.

"Everything you see that people built is gone. Looks better, cleaning up, but it's never going to be the same," he said.

He also described the park re-opening as a step toward getting back to normal.

“Let people come out and enjoy themselves, that's what Indian Lake is about, is enjoyment, fishing, camping. You might as well get back to normal. We’re never going to be normal but you might as well try and get back to normal," he said.

Fox Island is the only part of Indian Lake State Park which is still closed. A shelter house was destroyed and several large trees came down during the storm.

“It’s an escape for people that are local. It's an escape for people that are out of town. But I think it will be a new sense for the locals just come, unwind their thoughts some, and be able to reflect, this is their home," Whitman said about the park.

The park and surrounding area are expecting big crowds for the solar eclipse. Whitman reminded visitors to be respectful of neighbors who are still dealing with an incredibly difficult situation.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- April Fools' Day is all fun and games until it's not anymore.

The Better Business Bureau is warning people about potential scams on the pranking holiday.

“Trust your gut. If it's too good to be true, it probably is,” said Jessica Hamlin, the Communications Director for the Better Business Bureau.

Hamlin said if those who aren’t careful could be left feeling like a fool because scammers often seize the holiday as an opportunity.

Hamlin said the trick can be a phone call or an email. She said people often fall victim when they are in a hurry and not doing research. She said they can even show up in a form that looks familiar.

“I personally have seen a lot of fun April Fools pranks coming from a lot of the brands that I follow and enjoy,” Hamlin said. “It's very easy to impersonate that account, and basically it means information has been hacked and now your information is compromised.”

The BBB’s best advice: don’t click on emails from unknown senders, don’t disclose personal information and don’t feel pressured to move quickly. Hamlin also said to vet before buying.

“So, it's a good idea to go to a resource like BBB.org to look at those reviews where every single review has been vetted and confirmed to come from a real, true person that has interacted with that company,” Hamlin said.

Hamlin said it's also best to purchase using something traceable like a credit card instead of cash or Venmo. She said that way, if something does happen, people can get their money back and find out who the real fool is.

High pressure building in the from the west brought lots of sunshine. Temperatures edged up through the 50s, with a westerly breeze.

Clouds will thicken tonight as a weak system tracks eastward along a warm front. A few light showers are possible after midnight, but the better chances for rain come toward morning, with a rumble of thunder possible.

A cold front will sag south across Ohio on Saturday, with a few additional showers popping up later in the day, though most of the time will be dry in the afternoon. Skies will remain mostly cloudy, with afternoon readings reaching the mid-60s.

Clouds will stick around on Easter Sunday, as the front stalls over southern Ohio, before lifting north at night, accompanied by widespread rain and rumbles of thunder. Some of the rain could be heavy at time.

After a few waves of low pressure ripple b over the weekend, the main storm system will take shape in the central Plains early next week and track northeast into the Ohio Valley. Rounds of showers and storms are likely through Tuesday evening, which could result in minor flooding.

Blustery and cooler weather will follow behind a cold front midweek. The weather will improve the latter half of the week, with cool to seasonable conditions.

• Friday: Partly sunny, mild. High 60
• Tonight: Mostly cloudy, showers after midnight. Low 45
• Saturday: Showers, isolated thunder, breezy, mild. High 65 
• Easter: Mostly cloudy, spotty rain, heavier at night. High 59 (44)
• Monday: Showers, storms. High 65 (51)
• Tuesday: Showers, storms. High 66 (45)
• Wednesday: Rain/snow showers, windy, colder. High 47 (38)
• Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 48 (32)
• Friday: Partly cloudy. High 52 (33)

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is dead and four others are hospitalized after a crash occurred in Westerville Friday afternoon.

• (NBC4 Photo/Kyle Beachy)
• (NBC4 Photo/Kyle Beachy)
• (NBC4 Photo/Kyle Beachy)

At least two cars crashed at Polaris Parkway and North Cleveland Avenue, about two miles from Polaris Fashion Place, according to a Westerville Police spokesperson. Dispatchers said emergency crews took three children to Nationwide Children's Hospital and one adult to Riverside Methodist Hospital, but they are expected to survive. A fifth person was pronounced dead at St. Ann's Hospital.

Cleveland Avenue between Polaris and Altair parkways will be closed for an extended period of time while police investigate.

View a previous report from when Ohio voters established the right to an abortion in the November 2023 general election in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio abortion providers are challenging the state's 24-hour waiting requirement for abortions as violating the constitutional right to abortion care.

In a lawsuit filed against Attorney General Dave Yost on Friday, a coalition of abortion clinics, backed by the ACLU and ACLU of Ohio, argue a suite of abortion restrictions unnecessarily burden people seeking abortions, in many cases delaying their care. The providers are asking the Franklin County court to pause the 24-hour waiting requirement between first seeing a provider and undergoing an abortion, the required review of state-provided fetal development brochures, and the required testing for fetal cardiac activity, among other restrictions.

The suit contends that such restrictions violate the recently-enshrined constitutional right to abortion passed by voters in November. The constitutional amendment prohibits bans on abortion before fetal viability, and any restrictions thereafter must serve to promote the health and safety of the pregnant person -- as accepted by the medical community.

But, as Dr. Adarsh Krishen, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, said in an interview in early March, many of Ohio's abortion restrictions go beyond what the medical community accepts as necessary, including ultrasounds to confirm gestational age, restrictions on abortion pill prescriptions and the 24-hour, two-appointment waiting requirement. They also diverge from most other regulations on health care in the state.

“This filing is just the first step toward making the will of Ohioans a reality after they overwhelmingly voted in support of Issue 1," Krishen said in a statement. "Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio is committed to ensuring Ohioans can access high-quality, patient-centered reproductive health care including abortion. That means we must also reduce the barriers that prevent people from accessing care."

Read the complaint and motion for preliminary injunction below.

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- Construction has kicked off on a multimillion dollar project aimed at improving pedestrian and biking pathways throughout a Westerville office district.

Contractors are installing the first phase, which includes concrete sidewalks on Brooksedge Drive between Schrock Road and Greencrest Drive within Westerville's Brooksedge Corporate Center. This phase, costing about $575,000, will also feature sidewalk installation along Greencrest Drive, in addition to complete curb and gutter replacement.

Westerville officials said through traffic will be maintained, but single lane closures can be expected during work hours, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The project's second phase, costing about $2.94 million, will be completed in 2025, with sidewalk installation along Brooksedge Boulevard, Park Meadow Road and Heatherdown Drive. Further pathways will also be constructed on Brooksedge Plaza Boulevard and Greencrest Drive. Curb and gutter repairs are included in this phase, too.

Named the "Brooksedge Mobility Plan," the project by Westerville officials aims to improve pedestrian and bicycle facilities throughout the Brooksedge Corporate Center, which is home to businesses like Eagle Equipment, Vector Security, Archive Data Solutions, M Engineering and Goldfish Swim School.

Along with the Brooksedge project, Westerville is continuously repairing or replacing deficient sidewalk panels throughout the city at no direct cost to property owners. The program implemented in 2021 allows hazardous panels to be recorded by public complaint and then addressed during the following construction season as part of the city's "Street Rehabilitation Project."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Habaneros Mexican Grill may move into the Clintonville building that once housed Old Bag of Nails.

The location is at 4416 N. High St., according to an application filed with the city's building and zoning department. The graphics permit application shows plans for two Habaneros signs on the building.

The Mexican restaurant has three other central Ohio locations, on Main Street, on Fishinger Boulevard in Hilliard, and on Yard Street in Grandview Heights.

Mexican street tacos, tortas, tamales, specialty tequila and more are among the staples on Habaneros' menu. The restaurant's "Taco Tuesday" features $1 pastor tacos and $6.99 lime flavored margaritas.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus-based pizzeria known for its “edge to edge” pizzas is expanding to Texas with up to 20 new restaurants. 

Founded in Columbus in 1963, Donatos Pizza will be making its debut in the Lone Star State in 2024, according to the company. Four different franchise groups “strategically positioned” throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area will bring the company’s pizzas, subs, salads and wings to Texans for the first time, initially opening up to 20 restaurants. 

Donatos also stated numerous locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth region are available for potential franchise partners and that there is the possibility for over 50 locations to come to the area. 

“Bringing Donatos to Dallas-Fort Worth is a historic milestone for us as we begin this exciting journey to expand the brand into Texas,” said Kevin King, President of Donatos Pizza. “We are looking to have yet another successful year in 2024, and this growth into Texas is just the beginning.”

Donatos Pizza has over 460 locations across 29 states, with 179 traditional restaurants located in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Florida and Oklahoma. Donatos’ products are also served in 287 non-traditional locations, including Red Robins, sports and entertainment venues and REEF kitchens.