Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The next in a series of super loads traveling across Ohio roadways was scheduled to depart southern Ohio on Wednesday morning.

Two super loads have been delivered to Freepoint Eco-Systems near Hebron, with this being the third of its kind making the trip to the recycling facility. The shipments travel from a dock in Manchester, in Adams County along the Ohio River. Future shipments will go to Intel's Ohio One plant under construction in New Albany.

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This load was expected to depart Wednesday morning, travelling along the following route:

• 8:15 a.m.: approximate departure onto eastbound U.S. 52
• Cross over and travel the wrong way in the U.S. 52 westbound lanes just before the junction of State Route 239 and U.S. 52.
• Travel north on the State Route 239 southbound ramp toward State Route 73/State Route 852

On future days, the load will proceed north on U.S. 23 from the Portsmouth area to Chillicothe and then use State Route 104 and local roads to reach the Columbus area near Rickenbacker International Airport.

By the weekend, central Ohio motorists could expect to see traffic delays. On Saturday, the super load is scheduled to travel through Canal Winchester. A notice on 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.

Ohio State Highway Patrol and Columbus police will provide traffic control and support services for the transportation project. Other local law enforcement is aware of the travel schedule and will monitor and assist as needed.

The super load is scheduled to arrive at its destination Saturday.

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. 

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“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