Ohio News

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.

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – A Ross County man is dead after a two-car crash Thursday night south of Circleville.

According to the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office, a 2012 red Buick was traveling northbound on U.S. 23, approaching Tarlton Road about 5:35 p.m. A 1999 turquoise Buick was at the southbound intersection.

Deputies said the turquoise Buick failed to yield to traffic and collided with the red Buick. The crash resulted in three being taken to hospitals. The driver of the red Buick was taken to Berger Hospital in Circleville. The driver of the turquoise Buick was flown to Grant Medical Center in Columbus. And the passenger of the turquoise Buick, David Fisher, 73, of Kingston, was taken to Berger.

Fisher died from his injuries at 6:44 p.m.

The crash remains under investigation.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The way a home is sold in central Ohio could change this summer after the leading national real estate trade group settled a series of lawsuits and agreed to alter how agents are paid commissions.

The National Association of Realtors reached the settlement this month with home sellers who argued the current way commission prices are negotiated forced them to pay excessive fees. Now, the association will pay $418 million in damages and implement a new rule banning a seller's agent from offering to compensate a buyer's agent through the Multiple Listing Service, a database of homes for sale.

Columbus Realtors announced that the organization will follow the new rule set by NAR's settlement, which is still subject to court approval. Scott Hrabcak, president of Columbus Realtors, said the rule will be enacted in mid-July for the organization's more than 9,000 central Ohio agents.

"I am confident that today's announcement from NAR provides some clarity and gives us a positive path forward," said Hrabcak. "The goal has always been to promote access to home ownership, and Columbus Realtors leadership is dedicated to seeing this through while providing an exceptional home-buying and selling experience for our consumers."

The new rule could end the current practice of a home seller paying the commissions for both their agent and the buyer's agent. Typically, if each agent receives a commission of 3% of the sales price, a seller would pay $12,000 -- $6,000 to each agent -- for their home that sold for $200,000.

Now, an agent who is representing a buyer will be required to have a written agreement with their client outlining their compensation, instead of relying on sellers to cover the cost. Columbus Realtors said the organization will also adopt this change in mid-July.

While the new process bans compensation offers from being communicated through the MLS, home sellers could still offer compensation to the buyer's agent through negotiations with their agent, Columbus Realtors said.

While NAR denies agents inflated costs while negotiating through the MLS, Nykia Wright, Interim CEO of NAR, said the settlement "provides a path forward for our industry, which makes up nearly one fifth of the American economy."

"This will be a time of adjustment, but the fundamentals will remain: buyers and sellers will continue to have many choices when deciding to buy or sell a home, and NAR members will continue to use their skill, care, and diligence to protect the interests of their clients," said Wright.

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – NBC4’s Puppy with a Purpose has arrived in Columbus!

Paris arrived just before 6 p.m. Thursday night after a cross country flight from California.

The labrador-golden retriever mix -- born on February 2nd – is a ball of energy with a curious mind. He will be NBC4’s fourth puppy with a purpose in partnership with Canine Companions -- a non-profit that trains assistance dogs to help children, adults, and veterans with disabilities — free of charge. 

Upon arrival Paris wasted no time getting comfortable with his new puppy raiser, Elaine May, who he will be staying with during his journey of becoming a full-service assistance dog.

May says the job of a puppy raiser is to work on the basics so when he goes off to professional training he'll know about 30 commands.

"We set the groundwork for when they go off to professional training and then they'll learn to open and close doors, turn lights on and off, pick up dropped items, but it all starts with a puppy raiser,” May said.

• Elaine May and Paris, NBC4s new Puppy with a Purpose. (NBC4)
• Parris, NBC4's fourth puppy with a purpose, arrived in Columbus, March 28, 2024. (NBC4)

There are also many volunteer opportunities with Canine Companions.

"Canine Companions is in need of more puppy raisers. If you'd like to get a little fella like Paris here and help raise him, contact Canine Companions and we'll get you fixed up!"

Paris, like his predecessors Brutus, Scarlet and Buckeye, will join the NBC4 studio every Friday beginning April 12 during the 6 a.m. broadcast of NBC4 Today.

Be sure to follow Paris’ journey by following NBC4pups on Facebook and Instagram! For more information on how you can support or assist Canine Companions’ cause, visit https://canine.org/get-involved/.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus has set its sights on a historic part of town to become the city's first neighborhood with net-zero emissions, and the project could lower electric bills for its residents.

American Addition is one of the oldest African American communities in Columbus, dating to May 1898. Soon, it could become the first neighborhood in the city to completely eliminate emissions, reducing its carbon footprint and dependence on nonrenewable energy sources.

A solar plant, solar panels, efficient insulation, and smart design are among the changes to minimize the neighborhood's energy waste, according to IMPACT Community Action Director of Climate Justice Initiatives Katie Devlin. Residents of American Addition will also be provided with information and education on how to reduce their overall energy usage.

"We're trying to strike a balance between the amount of energy that buildings in the neighborhood are producing, and then using energy efficiency mechanisms to offset that energy, and ultimately, those emissions," Devlin said.

While some Columbus residents are facing their largest electric bills in the decade, this project could actually lower costs for American Addition residents. Devlin said that the installation of solar panels and batteries will come at no cost to the homeowners, and that residents could expect to pay less for their electricity.

"Depending on the home’s utility provider, most homes are AEP, the cost of the bill will depend on how much energy their solar panel produces," Devlin said. "But we are confident that the majority of residents will see a decrease on their electric bill with the installation of solar panels."

Columbus was recently selected as one of 25 U.S. cities to join Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities, a three-year initiative leveraging federal funding to implement local solutions that build low-carbon, resilient, and economically thriving communities. Because of its participation in the initiative, the city will receive an innovation team with up to three dedicated staff members, a multi-year, in-depth, customized policy, and technical assistance.

Assistant Director of Sustainable Columbus Erin Beck said the American Addition project was a major reason for the city's inclusion on the list. She said they worked closely with IMPACT Community Action to be awarded the funding.

"A big part of our application that we worked with IMPACT and the community on was that we really wanted to use these supports to help support the American Addition neighborhood, and a commitment to creating a net-zero neighborhood and working collaboratively toward that," Beck said.

While a plan is clearly already in place to reach the net-zero goal, Beck said there will still be some trial and error.

"What is this going to look like? I think all of us still aren't entirely sure what this might look like," Beck said. "We're on a journey together to figure out what is going to work best for American Addition."

Lisa Ghee-Brown, Community Advocate for IMPACT and American Addition resident, said her family has lived in the neighborhood for generations. She said members of the community are eager to see the changes coming with the project.

"They're happy, they're waiting, they're no-nonsense people because they're an older generation and they tell you exactly what they feel," Ghee-Brown said. "They're happy that they're getting some help with their homes, because it's a couple of families out there still buying oil to heat their homes. So, they're patiently waiting."

American Addition isn't the only solar project coming to central Ohio, the Ohio Power Siting Board recently approved a much larger, 800-megawatt solar-powered generating facility to be built in Madison County.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus-area distillery has been accused of diluting Ohio State University’s brand with its Buckeyes-themed vodka.

Ohio State is opposing Noble Cut Distillery’s trademark application for its VOHIO vodka, claiming its use of “VOHIO” and Ohio State’s colors falsely suggest to consumers that the vodka is affiliated with the university. In an opposition filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the university highlighted the distillery’s social media posts and the vodka label’s colors as “uniquely and unmistakably pointing to Ohio State.”

Noble Cut, opened in 2014 in Gahanna, has sold VOHIO well vodka since at least September 2021, according to its trademark application. In Ohio State’s March 11 opposition to the application, the university said its “Ohio State” trademark, granted in 1981 and used since 1878, takes precedence. 

So, too, do the marks Ohio State has licensed for use by approved third-party sellers, including “Buckeyes,” “OSU,” “Ohio Stadium” and “the beloved fan chants of ‘OH-IO,’ ‘O-HI-O’ and ‘O-H-I-O,’” the university argues. It claims the “V” in VOHIO doesn’t sufficiently distinguish the vodka from Ohio State.

“The element most likely to be remembered by consumers in such mark is the known and recognizable term ‘OHIO,’” the opposition filing reads.

Noble Cut Distillery declined to comment.

Considering the vast number and types of products sold with licensed Ohio State marks, including Buckeyes beer koozies and shot glasses, the university argues any reasonable consumer would think VOHIO vodka is also connected to Ohio State. It also argues that Noble Cut Distillery’s advertising for the vodka further implies such a relationship.

In several Instagram posts, Noble Cut poses VOHIO vodka alongside licensed Ohio State products, including Ohio State-branded plastic cups and an Ohio State cooler, or otherwise associates the vodka with Ohio State football games. Multiple post captions mention Ohio State game day, urging consumers to drink VOHIO vodka at tailgates. 

In an Instagram post from September 2023, which Ohio State included in its opposition filing, Noble Cut showcases a banner at a football tailgate featuring an image of its VOHIO vodka with a football and Buckeyes necklace. The banner reads, “Tailgate Vodka Made in Ohio.”

The design of the VOHIO label is itself problematic, according to Ohio State. It features the same colors as “the signature athletic stripe pattern” on the Buckeyes football uniform.

In a statement, Ohio State spokesperson Chris Booker said the university’s trademark and licensing program rakes in about $17 million in revenue each year. It’s important to protect the brand and trademarks, he said. 

“These assets hold significant value and support our core academic mission of teaching and research,” Booker said.

Noble Cut has successfully trademarked similar vodka marks using the same “V” theme. In November 2023, it was awarded trademarks for “VOPENN” and “VOTENN,” which it has used to sell bottles of well vodka bearing the colors of Penn State University and the University of Tennessee, respectively. Neither university opposed the trademark applications.

Noble Cut originally had until April 20 to respond to Ohio State’s opposition, but on Thursday, it requested a 60-day pause in court proceedings because it has entered into settlement negotiations with the university. Proceedings will resume May 28.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (WCMH) -- An Ohio school with an exclusive focus on coursework for the marijuana industry has become the first of its kind to receive academic accreditation.

The Cleveland School of Cannabis received its accredited status from the Middle States Association's Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Kevin Greene, vice president for the school, called it the "highest level of education accreditation that there is." He explained his team went through an intensive process that lasted nearly three years to earn a unanimous yes vote from MSA's board.

"You actually get audited in person," Greene said. "There's an audit team, that comes out and visits the campus. They spend three days on campus, they interview all staff, they interview students … and then from those interviews and their assessments from on campus, they then make a determination of your status of accreditation."

When the school first launched, it had brick-and-mortar campuses in Columbus and Independence, Ohio. The facility in the Cleveland area includes cooking and scientific labs, as well as cannabis growing facilities where students cultivate their own plants. It also includes a mock dispensary with a full point-of-sale system, where the students can participate in a simulation to help medical patients find the right products.

• The Cleveland School of Cannabis logo is visible on a wall of the school's grow facility. (Courtesy Photo/Cleveland School of Cannabis)
• Students at the Cleveland School of Cannabis harvest marijuana flowers from plants they grew. (Courtesy Photo/Cleveland School of Cannabis)
• Marijuana plants line the grow facility at the Cleveland School of Cannabis. (Courtesy Photo/Cleveland School of Cannabis)
• Marijuana plants line the grow facility at the Cleveland School of Cannabis. (Courtesy Photo/Cleveland School of Cannabis)

Greene broke down the Cleveland School of Cannabis' 16 classes into three main categories.

• Cultivation: the growing of cannabis on a commercial level.
• Extraction: creating the wide range of edible products and everything outside of cannabis flowers.
• Dispensary operations: working in commercial marijuana shops and patient interaction.

With the legalization of recreational marijuana in Ohio, elective coursework involving legal practices and business at CSC will adjust, Greene said. However, the core education on cannabis products will see little impact.

"The cannabis plant, the properties of it … that doesn't change," Greene said. "What actually is going to happen is an expansion of the products in the marketplace. When you're in the medical market, they only approve certain types of products to be on the market. Now we'll be in more of a commercial space for products."

• Students at the Cleveland School of Cannabis participate in lab work trimming marijuana plants. (Courtesy Photo/Cleveland School of Cannabis)
• A student at Cleveland School of Cannabis collects rosin from a marijuana plant. (Courtesy Photo/Cleveland School of Cannabis)
• A student at the Cleveland School of Cannabis harvests marijuana flowers from a plant they grew. (Courtesy Photo/Cleveland School of Cannabis)

The lack of legal recreational marijuana vendors as of March means the state's residents are left only with legal home growing and possession. But for this reason, the vice president said he sees cannabis hobbyists enroll for growing lessons even without business pursuits. The most popular class, by far, is "Cooking with Cannabis."

"It's the elective everyone is taking, all the time," Greene said. "The class is always filled. The school always smells good on cooking days. It's by far the students' favorite, the staff favorite all the way."

• Students participate in a cooking class where they imbue products with cannabis extract. (Courtesy Photo/Cleveland School of Cannabis)
• Students participate in a simulation where they work in a mock dispensary for medical marijuana. (Courtesy Photo/Cleveland School of Cannabis)

While Greene said they have since closed the Columbus campus for in-person classes, it still offers online coursework for students in the city. CSC also invites all of its class members to the Cleveland-area facility for projects called enrichment days. And regardless of class, one such event known as "harvest day" is another favorite for everyone.

"When students get to go ahead and see what they've been growing for the last 16 weeks or so," Greene said. "They get to go ahead and trim their buds down and that sort of thing."

The vice president invited anyone interested in learning more about cannabis to enroll in a class with CSC. The school is available by phone at 216-465-4161, and by email as well.

• Today: AM sprinkle, partly cloudy, high 61
• Tonight: Showers arrive, low 46
• Saturday: Sct'd rain, breezy, high 66
• Sunday: Iso. AM shower, rain later, high 61
• Monday: Rain & storms, high 64
• Tuesday: Rain & storms, high 65

Happy Friday!

We start the day with just a few isolated sprinkles across the region, but that will gradually clear by about daybreak, and we'll have a dry rest of the day ahead. Expect highs to warm to the lower 60s, with just a light breeze. We'll see partly cloudy skies this afternoon.

Rain then moves in tonight and into Saturday. Expect scattered showers Saturday morning that clear up by about early afternoon. We'll then see several dry hours during the afternoon, with highs warming into the middle 60s, and a strong breeze. More scattered rain then moves in during the evening.

For Sunday, we start the early morning with just an isolated, light shower or two. Then we'll see lots of dry time during the daytime hours, which is good news for outdoor Easter plans! We'll see highs in the lower 60s. Rain then moves back in Sunday evening and overnight into Monday.

We've got several rounds of rain and thunderstorms on tap for both Monday and Tuesday as a cold front starts to near the area. Temperatures hold steady in the middle 60s. These are both days we will be watching for the potential for a few stronger storms, and flood prone areas will want to be mindful, as we will see a decent amount of rain the next few days.

-McKenna