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Downtown Columbus hotel accused of violating ADA, not being wheelchair-accessible

News Channel 4 - Thu, 02/29/2024 - 08:30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Downtown hotel is being accused of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by not being wheelchair-accessible. 

A man with physical disabilities is suing the Westin Great Southern Columbus for several architectural features he said render much of the building inaccessible to wheelchair users. In his federal complaint, filed Feb. 13, the man said he encountered several ADA violations while visiting the hotel in November, including in the front entrance, multiple restrooms and the accessible room he booked for his stay.

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The man, Spencer Neal, is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair. He comes to Columbus frequently to visit friends and said in his complaint that he chose the Westin, located on the corner of South High and East Main streets, because of its proximity to friends’ residences and its price.

But Neal encountered several “architectural barriers” he claimed impeded his full access to places including the fitness area, bar and dining area, multiple restrooms and his accessible room. The complaint does not detail specific inaccessible features but asks for full discovery in the case.

“Mr. Neal suffered a loss of his civil rights and his rights as a person with physical disabilities to full and equal access to public facilities, and further suffered from physical personal injury, shame, humiliation, embarrassment, anger, chagrin, disappointment and worry,” his complaint reads.

The building the Westin occupies was originally named the Great Southern Hotel and Theatre and is listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Opened in 1896, the theatre – currently run by the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts – is the oldest operating theatre in Central Ohio and one of the oldest in the state.

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As a place of public accommodation, the hotel is subject to federal and state accessibility requirements, regardless of its age or historic character. Neal’s complaint contends that the hotel not only violates federal and state disability accommodations laws, but falsely advertises itself as accessible. Neal seeks damages for his November stay and court-ordered renovation of the hotel to fix inaccessible features.

The Westin Great Southern hotel is operated by Marriott International. Marriott International did not respond to a request for comment. The owner of the building, a corporation called MHF WC VI, has until March 8 to respond to the complaint.

Read the full complaint below.

westinDownload
Categories: Ohio News

Leap Day deals: discounts from Chipotle, Dunkin', Marco's Pizza, UDF and more

News Channel 4 - Thu, 02/29/2024 - 08:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Restaurants, gas stations and stores are offering Leap Day deals on Feb. 29, like 29 cents off United Dairy Farmers gas, free Chipotle guacamole, $2 Dunkin' coffee, discounted glazed dozen from Krispy Kreme and more.

BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse
  • Customers can get a Pizookie for just $2.29 on Feb. 29 when they make a $10 minimum purchase while dining in.
Burger King
  • Through March 1, customers can get a free Whopper or Impossible Whopper from Burger King with a $3 or more purchase in the BK app.
  • Also, Royal Perks members can earn four times the Crowns on up to three eligible transactions made at participating restaurants.
Chipotle
  • Chipotle is celebrating Leap Day on Feb. 29 with a free guac offer for Chipotle Rewards members who use code EXTRA24 at checkout on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com 
Chipotle announced that on "Extra Day," Feb. 29, guac will not be extra for fans who use code EXTRA24 on digital orders placed exclusively on the Chipotle app or Chipotle.com. (Courtesy Photo/Chipotle) Dunkin'
  • Dunkin' Rewards members can celebrate Leap Day with a $2 Medium Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee when ordering in the Dunkin' mobile app or scanning their Dunkin' Rewards ID upon checkout on Feb. 29.
  • Plus, Rewards members will earn 4X points on all Dunkin’ Rewards orders on Leap Day.
Dunkin' Rewards members can celebrate Leap Day with a $2 Medium Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee. (Courtesy Photo/Dunkin') Hardee's
  • Hardee's is offering customers 29% off if they order on the Hardee's My Rewards app this Thursday.
Hooters
  • HootClub Rewards loyalty members can receive an automatic reward to redeem for one select appetizer for $2.29 per loyalty account.
Insomnia Cookies
  • Through March 3, Insomnia is offering one free classic cookie when they but any pack of six of 12.
Krispy Kreme
  • Get a $2.29 original glazed dozen when you buy any dozen on Thursday. At participating shops only, order online for pickup or delivery using promo code LEAPDAY to redeem at checkout. Limit 2 per guest in shop and drive thru. Limit 1 online for pickup and delivery.
  • Also, guests who have a Feb. 29 birthday can visit a Krispy Kreme shop and receive a free original glazed dozen, no purchase necessary, on Leap Day. Proof of birthday is required.
On Leap Day only, any guest with a Feb. 29 birthday can also receive a free original glazed dozen, no purchase necessary. (Courtesy Photo/Krispy Kreme Doughnuts) Long John Silver's
  • Customers can receive a free fish or chicken on Leap Day on orders of $5 or more.
Marco's Pizza
  • Through March 3, customers can get 29% off all menu-price pizzas at participating locations using the code LEAP29 while ordering online and in the app.
Noodles and Company
  • Noodles is celebrating Leap Day by is offering Noodles Rewards Members 29% off on orders of $29 or more on Feb. 29.
Smoothie King
  • Customers can use the Smoothie King Healthy Reward app to receive 29% off smoothies on Feb. 29 if you spend $15 or more.
Staples
  • Staples is giving away 29,000 passport photos on Thursday in honor of Leap Day.
  • Also, Staples is offering 29x the points on select travel and office essentials through the new Staples Easy Rewards Program. The program offers one points per $1 spent on qualifying purchases in store, online and in the app.
Taco Bell
  • Customers can get $2.29 crunch wraps on Leap Day, limit one per customer in the Taco Bell app.
United Dairy Farmers
  • UDF locations are discounting gas 29 cents a gallon, but only from 3 to 7 p.m. on Leap Day. Registered card holders can receive their discount between 3 and 11 p.m.
Wendy's
  • On Leap Day, Wendy's is treating fans to a free Cinnabon Pull-Apart during breakfast hours at their local Wendy's restaurant location.
Wendy's new Cinnabon Pull-Apart is a morning treat now available nationwide only at your local Wendy's. (Courtesy Photo/Wendy's) Wings and Rings
  • Customers can get five bonus wings free with the purchase of 10 wings on Leap Day.
Categories: Ohio News

Adoptable Ohio dog wants to be the best friend to your best friend

News Channel 4 - Thu, 02/29/2024 - 06:30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Koda, a dog up for adoption at the Franklin County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center, is a social butterfly among his own kind.

Behavior Coordinator Brandy Trott said the 5-year-old pit bull mix can be a little shy around people at first, but that's absolutely not the case with other dogs.

"He's not shy at all with dogs, and he's in our playgroups regularly and can play with anybody," Trott said. "With people, it also doesn't take him super long. He's really into treats, so that kind of will help warm him up."

Koda. (NBC4 Photo/Mark Feuerborn)

Koda came into the shelter in January, and since then has shined as he interacted with the other dogs there. He also has worked on his people skills, and learned how to sit on command as well as proper walking on leash. But rather than needing to improve his interactions with other dogs, Trott described him as a role model at the shelter.

"If the dog wants to just wander, he'll do that, he doesn't really like press their buttons," Trott said. "But if they want to wrestle and rumble, he's all about that too."

Koda is available for meet-and-greets at the Franklin County Dog Shelter, located at 4340 Tamarack Blvd. in Columbus, and costs just $18 to adopt. Below are some additional dogs up for adoption as well:

Kai. (NBC4 Photo/Mark Feuerborn) Kai
  • White Siberian Husky mix
  • 10-month-old male
  • Okay with dogs and shy dog ratings from the shelter
  • Recommended to a home with children 8 years and older
  • Neutered and up to date on shots
Royce. (NBC4 Photo/Mark Feuerborn) Royce
  • Grey and white pit bull mix
  • 5-year-old make
  • Housebroken, go-getter and senior favorite ratings from the shelter
  • Neutered and up to date on shots
Keith. (NBC4 Photo/Mark Feuerborn) Keith
  • Black and white American Bulldog mix
  • 4-year-old male
  • Housebroken and go-getter ratings from the shelter
  • Neutered and up to date on shots
Conrad. (NBC4 Photo/Mark Feuerborn) Conrad
  • Tan pit bull mix
  • 2-year-old male
  • Okay with dogs, housebroken, shelter favorite and constant companion ratings from the shelter
  • Neutered and up to date on shots
Categories: Ohio News

Get out and do something this weekend in central Ohio, Feb. 29-March 4

News Channel 4 - Thu, 02/29/2024 - 06:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- From county artist Sam Hunt at Nationwide Arena to a production of "Beauty and the Beast" benefitting Nationwide Children's Hospital, here are things to see and do this weekend in central Ohio.

Blue Jackets vs. Hurricanes

Nationwide Arena at 7 p.m. on Thursday

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets face the Carolina Hurricanes.
Tchaikovsky's 'Eugene Onegin' opera

Ohio Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday

  • Opera Columbus and the Columbus Symphony present "Eugene Onegin." hen sensitive Tatyana bares her soul in a love letter to the dashing Eugene Onegin, he coldly rejects her and flirts with her sister, resulting in a deadly duel with his trusted friend, Lensky. Years later, Onegin returns, tortured by guilt and remorse.
'Beauty and the Beast' by the Butterfly Guild of Nationwide Children's Hospital

Palace Theatre at 7 p.m. Friday, 1 and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday

  • Butterfly Guild, an organization of women committed to supporting Nationwide Children’s Hospital, is producing a Broadway-style production of "Beauty and the Beast" as part of its largest annual fundraiser.
Tatum Beck as Belle in the Butterfly Guild's production of "Beauty and the Beast." (Courtesy Photo/CAPA) Sam Hunt | Outskirts Tour 2024

Nationwide Arena at 7:30 p.m. on Friday

  • Dubbed "the most innovative mainstream Nashville performer" by The New York Times, the five-time Grammy nominee and Diamond-selling Hunt sets course for his arena headlining tour with stops in Louisville, Nashville, Milwaukee, Green Bay, and more.
Sam Hunt performs during the 2023 Country Bay Music Festival at the Miami Marine Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (Photo by Ivan Apfel/Getty Images) Aminah's Playhouse

Columbus Museum of Art from 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday

  • Columbus Museum of Art comes alive with fun and playful experiences for the whole family to enjoy together. This year’s theme is inspired by the art of Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson. Evening highlights include Aminah inspired artmaking in the Studio, a collaborative Lego construction build, cardboard challenge, DJ and dancing, and delicious dinner and dessert buffets. 
Blue Jackets vs. Golden Knights

Nationwide Arena at 7 p.m. on Monday

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets face the Vegas Golden Knights.
Black History Month events
  • From the McConnell Arts Center and the Ohio History Center to the King Arts Complex and Drexel Theatre, many organizations are hosting events celebrating Black History Month.
Women's History Month event
  • Interactive panels, art workshops, donation drives and more are popping up across central Ohio this March in celebration of Women’s History Month.
Top spring concerts and shows
  • From the reimagined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey at the Schottenstein Center to Olivia Rodrigo and Bruce Springsteen at Nationwide Arena, more than two dozens top artists and shows are performing in central Ohio this spring.

For more events, view NBC4’s community calendar.

Categories: Ohio News

Daylight saving time: When will clocks spring forward in Ohio?

News Channel 4 - Thu, 02/29/2024 - 05:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Clocks are skipping an hour for the beginning of daylight saving time as Ohio lawmakers are advocating for a bill to observe the annual period permanently.

Daylight saving begins at 2 a.m. on March 10, beginning the nine months when U.S. clocks "spring forward" an hour in March and "fall back" in November. Yes, this means we lose an hour of sleep when the clock skips from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.

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Ohio is among more than a dozen states that have pushed to observe daylight saving permanently. The state's House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill in December to extend daylight saving to the entire year in Ohio and urge the U.S. Congress to pass the "Sunshine Protection Act," a bill to transition to perpetual daylight saving nationwide.

Reps. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) and Bob Peterson (R-Sabina), the resolution's primary sponsors, said the biannual tradition is no longer needed given standard time is observed only for a third of the year. The pair also argue the change endangers drivers, citing a study that found an increase in car crashes occurring on the Mondays following the shifts to and from daylight saving.

"Switching to daylight saving time would increase the hours of sunlight in the evenings year-round and could help combat some mental health issues from the darker winter evenings we currently have on standard time," Creech said.

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However, Jay Pea, president of the nonprofit Save Standard Time, said daylight saving would delay Ohio's sunrise past 8 a.m. for more than four months, sometimes as late as 9:06 a.m., and noted Ohio rejected an effort in 1974 to enact daylight saving permanently. Rather, Pea advocates for extending standard time to the entire year.

"Permanent standard time would protect start times for schoolchildren and essential workers by letting most sleep naturally past dawn year-round," Pea said. "Standard time is the natural clock, set to the sun."

Creech and Peterson's resolution notes an effort to enact daylight saving in Ohio would be curtailed until federal law changes. Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, states can change to standard time but not daylight saving, which requires a change to federal law to transition to perpetual daylight saving.

Passing the Sunshine Protection Act would mean later sunsets in the winter, but also later sunrises. For example, the sun rises around 7:15 a.m. and sets around 4:30 p.m. on the first day of winter in New York. The Sunshine Protection Act would change sunrise to 8:15 a.m. and sunset to 5:30 p.m.

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To become law, the act needs to pass in the U.S. House of Representatives and then be sent to the president's desk for signing. Though the act previously passed unanimously in the Senate, it wasn’t as well-received in the House.

While many other states have also hinted at permanently observing daylight saving, states like Colorado, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania want to observe standard time. As the rest of the U.S. switches to daylight saving, two states change time zones. Arizona shifts from the Pacific Time Zone to the Mountain Time Zone, and Hawaii from five hours behind Eastern Time to six hours behind.

Six in 10 Americans, 61%, would do away with the nation’s twice-a-year time change while a little over one-third, 35%, want to keep the current practice, according to a Monmouth University poll.

Categories: Ohio News

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