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FREDERICKTOWN, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Knox County veterinarian has been charged with having sex with an animal.

A 66-year-old man was arrested at his home on Knox Lake Road late March 31 on one count of sexual conduct with an animal and two counts of domestic violence, according to Mount Vernon Municipal Court records. He has pleaded not guilty and was released on Monday with a temporary protective order in place.

One dead after crash into pond near west Columbus apartment complex

The man has been a licensed veterinarian in Ohio since 2012, according to state records. On Tuesday, the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board unanimously voted to suspend his license during an emergency teleconference.

Sexual conduct with an animal is a second-degree misdemeanor, first made illegal in Ohio in 2017. The man's next court appearance is scheduled for April 29.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – With Ohio located in the path of totality of the solar eclipse, the state is expecting an influx of visitors. Local organizations are urging residents to fill up their tanks before the weekend, due to the possibility of gas shortages.

“Because Ohio is in a perfect spot for viewing the eclipse, there’s going to be a lot of people here and with an influx of people the resources get tight,” said Kara Hitchens, public affairs manager for AAA. “Same can be true for gas stations.”

Hitchens said stations running out of gas is a possibility, and whether gas stations will have extra gas stocked up for the eclipse will vary on a station-by-station basis. 

“I would just tell people who live here now to fill your gas tank up before the weekend,” Hitchens said. “And that way you’ve got plenty of gas.”

Lorain County, which is located just outside of Cleveland and is directly in the path of totality, issued a warning that residents could have issues accessing certain items, including gas. The county has also recommended residents fill up their tanks before the weekend. 

“I attempted to work with local gas stations to get a handle on this, but they apparently do not like to share supply information,” said Lorain County Department of Emergency Management Director Dave Freeman. “If we have large crowds, I do see that as a concern, especially with the smaller mom and pop stations.”

If there’s heavy traffic, Freeman said the possibility of getting additional fuel delivered could be an issue. As for central Ohio, local emergency management agencies said they believe gas stations in the area are capable of supporting a large number of people. 

Delaware County Emergency Management Director Alex McCarthy said reports from the 2017 eclipse show fuel shortages could be a challenge, but he’s not concerned about widespread fuel shortages locally.

“In Delaware County, I suspect that gas stations near the exit ramps for I-71 will see the most demand, and this is where the greatest risk of shortages would probably show up,” McCarthy said. “If there are supply challenges at those locations, there are a lot of other gas stations across the county for people to turn to.”

Similarly, Franklin County Emergency Management director Darrel Koerber said the number of gas stations in and around the county are capable of supporting large crowds, as seen with Ohio State football games and the fair. He also said the agency encourages residents to fill their tanks ahead of eclipse day.

For those who want to preserve gas, Hitchens suggests drivers make sure their car is running well ahead of traveling, avoid speeding and if the weather is nice, avoid running the air conditioning. 

Hitchens said drivers can use grocery store points, warehouse store memberships and loyalty memberships at gas stations to save on gas, as well as use the AAA app to find the best gas prices. 

NBC4 has a gas price tracker, and it can be used as a way to find a station near you.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Police are searching for the suspect who shot two people in east Columbus on Thursday.

Authorities responded to the 3000 block of East Livingston Avenue at 10:04 p.m. on Thursday on report of a shooting, according to the Columbus Division of Police. Officers found two adults suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper body.

The pair was transported to a local hospital in stable conditions and are expected to survive their injuries. The suspect remains known and police are asking anyone with information to call 614-645-4141.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The most expensive Franklin County home sold in March went for $5.5 million, while the top Delaware County home was sold for $2.4 million.

NBC4 analyzed daily property sale records from the Franklin and Delaware county auditor’s offices and filtered for "one-family dwellings" to not include apartments, duplexes, or unrelated land purchases.

Excluding transfers for $0, 1,227 single-family home purchases were made in Franklin County in December. The average price was $661,945 and the median price was $275,000. In Delaware County, 185 single-family home purchases were made. The average price was $532,011 and the median price was $500,000.

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10. This home at 702 Sixth St. in Columbus sold for $1,590,000 on March 1.

(Franklin County Auditor's Office)

9. This home at 1373 Fountaine Dr. in Upper Arlington sold for $1,600,000 on March 1.

(Franklin County Auditor's Office)

8. This home at 1242 Lincoln Road in Grandview Heights sold for $1,680,000 on March 18.

(Franklin County Auditor's Office)

7. This home at 43 S. Preston Road in Columbus sold for $1,795,000 on March 18.

(Franklin County Auditor's Office)

6. This home at 10913 Johnstown Road in New Albany sold for $1,800,000 on March 22.

(Franklin County Auditor's Office)

5. This home at 65 Columbia Ave. in Bexley sold for $1,890,000 on March 12.

(Franklin County Auditor's Office)

4. This home at 4193 Fairfax Drive in Upper Arlington sold for $2,126,400 on March 19.

(Franklin County Auditor's Office)

3. This home at 2531 Sherwin Road in Upper Arlington sold for $2,130,000 on March 20.

(Franklin Country Auditor's Office)

2. This home at 2396 Lane Ave. in Upper Arlington sold for $2,280,000 on March 27. The estate dating to World War II, featured in NBC4's "Look inside" series, sits on about three quarters of an acre overlooking Scioto Country Club.

(Courtesy Photo/Sotheby's International Realty)

1. This home at 5713 Cosgray Road in Dublin sold for $5,500,000 on March 12.

(Franklin County Auditor's Office) Look inside: Stained-glass artist’s $2.2 million Victorian home in German Village The 10 most expensive homes sold in Delaware County in March

10. This home at 310 Roloson Road in Delaware sold for $820,000 on March 4.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

9. This home at 5107 Canterbury Drive in Powell sold for $840,000 on March 18.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

8. This home at 2338 Lackey Old State Road in Delaware sold for $850,000 on March 5.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

7. This home at 7743 Dickens Court in Delaware sold for $850,000 on March 15.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

6. This home at 5568 Plumb Road in Galena sold for $952,709 on March 6.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

5. This home at 4380 Village Club Drive in Powell sold for $950,000 on March 5.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

4. This home at 1953 Abbotsford Green Drive in Powell sold for $1,050,000 on March 6.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

3. This home at 5294 Sheffield Ave. in Powell sold for $1,051,000 on March 19.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

2. This home at 1461 Kearney Way in Delaware sold for $1,125,000 on March 18.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

1. This home at 6787 Lake Trail Drive in Westerville sold for $2,450,000 on March 8.

(Delaware County Auditor's Office)

LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio brewery that was on the market for more than $6 million and then for sale in a foreclosure auction has been acquired by a husband and wife who held their wedding at the brewery.

Austin and Taylor Caulk cast the winning bid on March 25 of $2,400,600 to purchase Rockmill Brewery at 5705 Lithopolis Road NW in Lancaster, according to the 12-acre property's listing on Auction Ohio's site. The bid came just above the minimum asking price of $2.4 million, but far from the Fairfield County Common Pleas Court's appraisal of $3.6 million.

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"If you've ever sat at the bar and grabbed a beer, chances are you've heard about the long process of owning Rockmill," said the couple, who married at the brewery in 2023, when announcing the acquisition on social media. "We owe a massive thank you to each one of you for your unwavering support throughout this journey."

Austin and Taylor Caulk cast the winning bid to purchase Rockmill Brewery, where they married in 2023. (Courtesy Photo/Rockmill Brewery)

The Caulks' multi-million dollar purchase includes the brewery's main operations, with five buildings totaling more than 9,000 square feet home to a taproom, an event space, a chapel, a pond and picnic grounds.

A neighboring site home to a 5,080-square-foot, two-story house built in 1900 and remodeled in 1981 is also owned by the couple and has been their residence even before they cast the winning bid. The home includes three bedrooms, four full bathrooms, three half bathrooms, three fireplaces and a three-car detached garage.

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Rockmill's foreclosure auction had come after founder Matthew Barbee attempted to sell the brewery for $6.75 million in 2022, though a deal was never reached. Barbee, who now lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico, bestowed the brewery's day-to-day operations to the Caulks last year.

Barbee launched the brewery in 2010 on his mother's more than 23-acre farm and expanded in 2016 with the opening of Rockmill Tavern in Columbus' Brewery District. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic fizzled Barbee's momentum, the tavern closed in 2022 and the Lancaster brewery's patrons dwindled.

The Caulks were hiking last year in Lancaster when the couple stopped at Rockmill for a beer. Columbus Monthly reported the pair took a walk to the property's chapel where Austin proposed to Taylor, leading them to inquire with Barbee about getting married at the site.

The couple soon became interested in also purchasing Rockmill from Barbee, though a sale wasn't able to go through at the time. Now, the brewery is open 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, 2 to 9 p.m. Friday, noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

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Rockmill is one of several central Ohio breweries facing turmoil since the pandemic, including 1487 Brewery that permanently closed in February after its former chief operating officer pleaded guilty to stealing more than $200,000 from the company. Smokehouse Brewing Company in Grandview Heights closed in January after 25 years of business.

HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person has died after a car overturned into a pond near a west Columbus apartment complex on Thursday night.

Authorities responded to Renner Road and Alton Darby Creek Road near the Retreat at Sugar Farms complex in Hilliard at about 11:27 p.m. on Thursday after report of a crash, according to the Columbus Division of Police. Two deputies who arrived on scene jumped into the pond to attempt to rescue the victim, but ultimately were not successful.

(NBC4 Photo/Ronald Clark)

Damage on scene shows that the driver veered off the road before overturning into the water. Columbus and Hilliard police both responded to the incident, along with the Franklin County Sheriff's office.

Police remained on scene throughout the night and had temporarily closed Renner Road. The Franklin County sheriff's office will be investigating to identify the cause of the crash.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- There is a behind-the-scenes effort at the Ohio Statehouse right now to put a new marijuana law on the books.

“Some of these old convictions for marijuana, you know, let it go,” Representative Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) said.

No bill has been formally introduced. However, Seitz revealed he and Representatives Ismail Mohamed (D-Columbus) and Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) are working behind the scenes on legislation to expunge minor misdemeanor marijuana-related offenses.

“This legislation will be a historic one,” Mohamed said.

Mohamed said in Columbus alone, more than 3% of all residents have been charged with a misdemeanor for marijuana possession, and one in seven adult black men in the city have been charged with a misdemeanor marijuana offense.

“That impacts their employment opportunities,” he said. “It impacts housing and obviously higher education as well.”

Back in December, state senators passed an extensive marijuana bill that also included a provision for record expungement.

That bill has not moved forward and likely will not. Their expungement provision would create a “marijuana expungement fund,” creating a process for applicants of expungement to be reimbursed for the costs of the application and legal aid. Now, the state’s new recreational marijuana law legalizes and decriminalizes it, up to a certain possession amount. So, representatives said they are working on an in-depth bill to automatically expunge mostly fourth-degree misdemeanors and minor misdemeanor offenses that deal with possession, cultivation and trafficking of the drug, so long as it is currently legal.

“If it’s now legal to smoke it anywhere," Seitz asked. "Then why are we holding it against people who smoked it 20 years ago?"

“Laws have changed over time and I think our sense of morality and what’s standard practice and expected does change over time,” Mohamed said.

Mohamed added that automatic expungement is important, because he said a lot of times Ohioans do not know they can, or do not know how to navigate the process.

“There are a lot of Ohioans, hundreds of thousands who are impacted by this, who don’t understand that they can apply to have it expunged,” he said.

Several parts of the bill are still being negotiated. For example, Seitz said they are negotiating how many years back the state should look for automatic expungement.

“In order to minimize the burden of that, we are looking at a loopback period starting in the year 2000,” Seitz said.

Mohamed said they are talking with stakeholders to ensure the legislation is both feasible and makes it across the finish line. As of Friday -- similar to uncertainty over when the state will get its first legal vendor of recreational marijuana -- there is no timeline for when the bill will be introduced, or whether it will be amended into another piece of legislation.

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Isolated showers, high 45
• Tonight: Partly cloudy, freeze alerts, low 32
• Saturday: Partly cloudy, iso. shower, high 51
• Sunday: More sunshine, rain late, high 58
• Monday: Early AM shower, partly cloudy, high 69
• Tuesday: Isolated showers, high 70

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Friday!

After a wet few days in Central Ohio, we are making gradual improvements today and into the weekend. We're still cold today, with highs in the middle 40s and a breeze, but we're just looking at a few light and isolated showers.

We've then got a Freeze Watch in effect for the overnight hours, as temperatures drop close to freezing across much of the region.

Then for Saturday, we'll see slow clearing of the clouds, with only an isolated sprinkle chance. Highs warm to the lower 50s.

Sunday is our nicer and warmer weekend day, with more sunshine, and highs warming into the upper 50s. We've got a quick system that rolls through Sunday night, bringing a few quick showers into early Monday morning.

For eclipse day on Monday, we are looking at mainly dry conditions during the daytime hours, with highs warming to the upper 60s, near 70. As far as temps go, it will be really nice. As far as cloud coverage... we are looking at partly cloudy skies. It looks like the farther northwest you get, the greater the chance for clearer skies. It's something we're keeping a close eye on as the day approaches!

Temps hold near 70 through the middle of the week, as rain chances gradually build.

-McKenna

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - Residents along Wolford Road in Licking County's Hanover Township are "trapped" after a temporary access bridge collapsed Tuesday. 

Licking County Engineer Jared Knerr told NBC4 there are about 10 to 15 homes that do not have road access right now.

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The temporary bridge was put in place while the county replaced the previous truss bridge that spanned Rocky Fork Creek on Wolford Road. The previous bridge had a five-ton weight limit and was decades old.

The temporary bridge collapsed after heavy rain caused the water level on Rocky Fork Creek to rise above the level of the bridge, slamming it with debris carried from upstream. The ground around the temporary bridge as well as underneath the asphalt on the temporary road gave way as water flooded the area.

"We had about six or eight inches of water flowing over it. And I came back down and checked on it again. And then we had, you know, trees up against it. And I knew we were done for. We've been stuck here since Monday, finally got out today to get some groceries, you know," said Wolford Road resident Vito Rosato. "We've been stuck here, ran out of supplies, everything. I mean, what do you do? We're on a dead-end road.”

Hanover Township Volunteer Fire Department and EMS along with township Commissioners created a temporary path through private property so that Emergency services would have a way to gain access to Wolford Road while the bridge is out. 

"This isn't our first rodeo and having to figure out ways to get around and get through places and even staff different stations," said Steven Gregory the Fire Captain and EMS Coordinator for Hanover Township. "We worked with the county commissioners, and they dropped a lot of stone back air for us to be able to get our apparatus back in through there. So there's a separate path.”

Gregory estimates the Hanover Volunteer Fire and EMS respond to around 20 calls per year to Wolford Road. Gregory hopes the bridge will be back up soon. 

"Hopefully not too awfully long. I project, maybe at least a week? Depends on how long the rain keeps up. So, if it stops, then Lord willing it shouldn't be too, too much more than maybe a few days," he said.

Rosato lives with his mother who has health issues. He's pleased the EMS have a way to access their road, if necessary, but he'd like the people who live there to have access to the service road too. 

"They got a little service road there that the fire department set up, so they could at least come in and out. They won't let us use it to get in and out," he said.

Many residents who have vehicles on the other side of the bridge are parking along Wolford Road and walking across the collapsed bridge. Starting Friday morning, Licking County is asking for those vehicles to be moved so contractors can have access to the bridge for repairs.

More than a dozen residents spoke with NBC4 Thursday afternoon and evening. Many, like Rosato,  expressed their frustration with the situation, wanting more swift action to repair the bridge. 

"It's easy to forget about us back here because we're on a dead end road. Honestly, you know, who can we contact? Who can we get a hold of?" he said.

LOGAN COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) – With the solar eclipse just days away, the Indian Lake area is getting ready to welcome visitors while also still recovering from the tornado in March.

The Depot, a souvenir and gift shop in downtown Lakeview, has been ready for the eclipse for a while. Eclipse cookies, glasses, and T-shirts are available to purchase.

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"We have tons of eclipse stuff," said Brenda Moots, owner of the store. "We’ve been talking eclipse for the last year and a half, but certainly the last nine months solid and selling gear for several months.”

After the tornado hit, the focus changed for Moots and others in the area.

“There's a lot of aspects that are hard, none of us have ever done this before, we've never been through it, there’s no manual," Moots said. 

Moots also lives in the community. The shop had been closed since the storm hit about three weeks ago. It just got power back earlier this week and on Thursday reopened.

“Oh my gosh, to be open is like everything I strived for the last 21 days with my husband," Moots said. "It’s hope, it shows people we are going to rebuild, we’re in this community together."

Along with the eclipse gear there is all kinds of merchandise with the message, "Indian Lake, Stronger than the Storm." Proceeds go to tornado relief, according to Moots.

"It's just so important to recognize you have this inner strength in you regardless if you know it or not and you have to let that shine and we are all going to come through this storm together because we’re strong people, we’re a strong community," Moots said.

Sheriff Randall Dodds with the Logan County Sheriff's Office said the area is expecting several thousand visitors for the eclipse. He encouraged those people to still come, support local businesses, and be mindful of devastation many in the area are still dealing with.

"Just be respectful of property and persons up there, but come, have a good time," he said. "I know there will be people coming here not only to see the eclipse but also they’ll want to go to Indian Lake to see the tornado damage. Be respectful of other peoples' property, understand there’s been a lot of pain up here."

He also reminded visitors to only park where parking is allowed. The Depot is usually closed on Sundays and Mondays. It will open April 7 and 8 because of the eclipse.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Musical acts and artists from all over the world have announced show stops in Columbus recently.

One of them in 2023 was rapper and hip-hop artist Drake. When tickets went on sale for his show, Jenn Dilver and five of her friends made the purchase to make sure they'd be in the crowd.

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But in the weeks leading up to the concert, which was initially scheduled for early July, Dilver said she received notification that the date had moved slightly, still within July. Dilver said that wasn't a problem for the group, until a few weeks later.

"We found out that the date had moved a second time, this time to October, on a Monday," Dilver said. "So, at that time, a couple of us had reached out to understand what our options were, in terms of getting a refund or someone reselling their ticket. We were told that it was up to the event holder. In this case, that would be Drake and his company, to cancel the concert. Then, we would receive our refund. Because the concert had not been canceled, it had been rescheduled."

At the time, rumors started swirling that the concert would be rescheduled again. So, Dilver and her friends waited.

"Our money was still in limbo," said Dilver.

That's when Dilver called Better Call 4.

"The ultimate accountability, I do think, goes to Ticketmaster," Dilver said. "They're a big company. They should make their experience more clear when a concert is inevitably going to change, be delayed. This is not the last time something like this happens with a big concert."

Better Call 4 reached out to Ticketmaster. A representative told NBC4, "Consumer support will reach out to [Dilver]."

Then, NBC4 did some digging for information about refunds. On its website, the company stated that "all sales are final and refunds are only allowed in limited circumstances," adding that, "policies set forth by event organizers generally prohibit us from issuing exchanges or refunds after a ticket has been purchased."

However, Dilver said that not long after she spoke with NBC4, she did get her money back. Unfortunately, she did not get to see Drake when he did finally come to Columbus in February.

Now, she has a message for other ticket buyers as we head into a busy concert season.

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"Really, understand what you're signing up for which is the concert itself, and for hopefully a fun time, but also for the possibility that, just like flights... it feels like that's what's happening now, there will be changes and those changes will likely be out of your control."

Before you buy, make sure you're aware of every possibility and how that could affect you financially. Ticket insurance is always an option, but make sure it's the right option for you. The Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio has more information about that here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Columbus is one of the fastest growing cities in the Midwest. In order to keep up with that growth, city leaders are proposing changes to the city’s zoning code.

This will be the first time changes are made to the code in 70 years. City leaders said these changes will help address the current housing crisis – specifically affordability and demand.

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Mayor Andrew Ginther said this proposal will change the trajectory of the city. He said if we keep on the track we are now, the city will only create 6,000 new homes in the next 10 years. This new plan will bring that number to 88,000.

“Growth is coming. We have to embrace it,” Ginther said.

The proposed changes would create six districts. It is starting 12,300 thousand parcels of land.

It gives developers clearer building guidelines for each district.

“These standards will make buildings more attractive, create more room for housing and businesses, and make neighborhoods more walkable and transit more accessible,” Ginther said.

Ginther said another priority is height. There will be housing incentives. For example, builders will be allowed to build two to four stories taller than the base code allows if 20 to 30 percent of their units are for low income qualified housing.

“We need more workforce housing. We need more market rate housing. This supply crisis is affecting everybody, but it's affecting seniors, folks on fixed incomes and lower wage earners more. Now, it will continue to affect all of us in the future unless we act. And that's why this is so important,” Ginther said.

City leaders said cities like Charlotte and Atlanta have been successful with this initiative.

They say not only does this help the developer but it is also giving equal opportunities to people who otherwise would not live in that area.

“We want our kids to be able to live in the communities that we've raised them in, and we want our elders to be able to retire in the communities that they helped build,” said Carly Boos, the Director of the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio.

There will also be less of a focus on parking. This is to promote more walkable neighborhoods as well as rid the cost of parking for residents.

“So we know that a big change is going to be eliminating parking minimums, you know, allowing a more market driven approach to parking. We think we need to prioritize people over parking in this situation to make more housing happen. As we know, parking is one of the biggest drivers of housing costs in central Ohio," said Rob Dorans, the Columbus City Council President Pro Tempore.

Before this proposal moves any further, city leaders want to hear from residents. There will be options to do that in person or at the new “zone-in gallery” that is located at 141 N. Front Street in Downtown Columbus.

“The whole idea here is to make sure that this allows folks to have this conversation on the front end,” Dorans said. “We're going have public hearings. You know, we're going to have different events across town. This gallery here, you know, downtown is going to have the ability for sit down with the city planner and really understand the potential changes for their specific parcel that they own or that they live by.”

Monday city council is expected to adopt a resolution putting this into at least a 60 day discussion period.

The “zone in gallery” will open on Tuesday. It will be open six days a week. Residents can make an appointment to come in and talk with the city planner. They will also host events at the gallery. Once they’ve gathered all the knowledge they need, the council is hoping to vote on this plan in the summertime.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- April can be a fickle month, especially in the first few weeks, when winter often lingers into the lap of spring. The contrast of seasons often leads to severe weather in the form of flooding downpours, high winds and tornadoes, as we experienced Tuesday.

On Apr. 2, 1987, an area low pressure blossomed in the western Gulf of Mexico, bringing the latest trace of snow on record at Mobile, Alabama, the next morning. Two inches of snow accumulated at Meridian, Mississippi, 6 inches at Birmingham, Alabama, 8 inches at Nashville, Tennessee, and 12 inches at Asheville, North Carolina, as the storm moved northeast on Saturday, Apr. 3.

The late winter storm system continued to gain intensity marching up the western side of the Appalachians, drawing on enough cold air to generate a full-blown April blizzard in many parts of Ohio by late afternoon, as the surface pressure deepened rapidly.

The snow fell at the rate of one to two inches an hour, whipped by wind gusts between 30 to 40 miles per hour, causing blizzard conditions near and east of the Interstate 71 corridor. Blowing and drifting made travel hazardous in the blinding snow, eventually halting most transportation where roads became impassable.

By the time the snow tapered off shortly after midnight on Sunday, April 5, the final measurement at Port Columbus International Airport totaled 12.6 inches (12.3 inches fell in 24 hours on Apr. 4), smashing all modern April records for a snowstorm so late in the season in the city.

Areas east of Columbus received even more; 15 to 20 inches of snow piled up between Newark and Zanesville. Canton-Akron tallied 20.6 inches, setting a 24-hour snowfall record. Additional stunning spring totals included 22 inches at New Lexington and 21 inches at Coshocton. Charleston, W.V., recorded 20 inches.

Remarkably, this was the second snow storm that week, after up to eight inches fell on March 30-31, 1987, in northeastern Franklin County, and 5.7 inches in Columbus. Cleveland received 16.5 inches, a March record at the time.

An extending snowfall, likely several storms, from April 2-7, 1886, totaled 16.9 inches in Columbus, but the intensity was not nearly as heavy at any time during that period.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and organizations in central Ohio and across the nation are teaming up to raise awareness and build stronger community partnerships.

Franklin County Children’s Services is doing multiple things to raise awareness this month, including participating in Wear Blue for Child Abuse Prevention Day and lighting up the Leveque Tower, city hall and the children’s services buildings in bright blue.

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In 2023, the Franklin County Child Abuse Hotline received around 28,000 calls and nearly half of the calls raised concerns about a child being physically abused.

“Child abuse is something that affects every zip code in Franklin County, every part of our community no matter income, no matter, zip code, no matter neighborhood,” said Scott Varner, the spokesperson for Franklin County Children’s Services.

That’s why Varner said his team is working to spread awareness in Franklin County by lighting up those buildings blue and putting up six billboards across the county.

“So, this month we want to try to give attention to that, to make sure that our community is still aware that child abuse is something that is a challenge still in this community," Varner said. "But as a community we can also work together to provide our families those supports."

The theme for this year’s Child Abuse Prevention Month is building a hopeful future together. Varner said that means providing resources to families who are struggling and creating a supportive environment for children.

“When there are challenges, instead of reporting them to a child abuse hotline, how can we not only report but also support?” said Varner.

Varner said in those situations, people should try to help rather than judge.

“If you ever suspect a child is being abused or neglected we do have the Franklin County Child Abuse Hotline that they can call, but I would also say find those ways in which we can provide those families information about community support,” said Varner.

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Wear Blue for Child Abuse Prevention Day is Wednesday, April 20th here in Ohio. You are encouraged to post a picture of yourself, friends, family and others and use the hashtag #OhioWearsBlue2024.

Visit https://fccs.us/ to learn more about Child Abuse Prevention Month.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Fun and festivities are in store at a Columbus park, where a seasonal event lineup has been unveiled.

Columbus Commons is a six-acre park with plenty of green space in the downtown area. The park can be used for dates, family time, outdoor fun and more. On Thursday, Downtown Columbus Inc. revealed a list of events coming to the park soon.

Activities and events at Columbus Commons this year include food trucks from local vendors, free yoga and cardio classes, a free Family Fun Day, live music, free family movies or a Sunset Cinema series for adults, kickball leagues, and more. The announcement from Downtown Columbus Inc. highlighted some of the top events coming up.

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Here are events to enjoy at Columbus Commons soon.

Food trucks

Columbus Commons has a long-lasting tradition of food truck favorites appearing on its lawn every week. This will be the park's 14th year offering a selection of local vendors.

Food truck events include Breakfast at the Commons and Food Truck Food Court. The breakfast themed series will take place on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. between May 1 and Oct. 30. The food truck series will take place on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. between May 2 and Oct. 31.

Free fitness classes

On a weekly basis between May 1 and Sept. 25, Columbus Commons will hold free cardio and yoga classes facilitated by RawYoga614 and Seven Studios. The classes will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on the following schedule:

• Cardio on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m.
• Yoga on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.
• Yoga on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.
• Yoga on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.

Free family fun

A variety of free outdoor events designed for the family will be held in Columbus Commons' wide-open greenspace. Family events will include Family Fun Day on Saturday, May 25, multiple family movie nights, and a Harvest Fair on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Get out and do something this weekend in central Ohio, April 4-7 Free concerts

Live music on the Columbus Commons lawn will take place on certain summer nights. The Navigators will play a concert on May 24, a local and live concert series will be every Thursday in August, and A Song Remains and The Dead Revival Band will perform "A Night of Led Zeppelin" and a Grateful Dead tribute.

Columbus Downtown Inc. said to stay tuned for more announcements.

Free Commons for kids

Columbus Commons' event lineup stated that Fridays are for the kids. Weekly events will feature a different theme each week, with fun for little and big kids alike. Activities will include balloon twisting, face painting, lawn games, carousel rides and more.

The weekly event for kids will take place on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. between June 7 and Aug. 9.

Brews in the Bosque + Sunset Cinema Series

A family-friendly event described as a "backyard-meets-beer garden happy hour" will offer a chance to enjoy a beverage and participate in a cornhole tournament will be available on Thursdays in September.

The weekly event will feature a new addition this year, a film series of adult-only movies. The event will be an outdoor spin on the CAPA Summer Movie Series, and offer a more mature counterpart to the family movie nights.

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Events that can be featured on a daily basis at Columbus Commons include a free carousel, operating from April 19 to Sept. 30, and Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream and Tortilla Mexican Street Food cafes.

Other events

Columbus Commons is hosting a variety of other events, which include:

• Cap City Half Marathon, Quarter Marathon and 5K
• Girls on the Run Spring 5K
• SUMMER614 Concert
• WoCO Summer Market
• Picnic with the Pops Concerts
• Stevie: Life in the Key of Wonder
• Comedy at the Commons
• 614 Funk Fest Concert
• World's Largest Sound Bath & Wellness Fair

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A prolific campaign treasurer for more than 100 Ohio political candidates, including many Republicans, has been federally charged with stealing almost $1 million in campaign funds.

William Curlis, 76, was charged with wire fraud Thursday for allegedly stealing more than $995,000 from various candidates' funds and a political action committee for which he was treasurer. Court documents show a proposed plea agreement, suggesting Curlis plans to plead guilty.

According to court documents, from 2008 until June 2023, Curlis wrote himself multiple checks from candidates' campaign funds and one PAC's fund while serving as treasurer. To conceal the theft, he allegedly transferred funds between accounts without candidates' knowledge and falsified corresponding campaign finance reports.

“As the campaign treasurer and only signatory on numerous bank accounts, Curlis took advantage of his trusted position and wrote checks to himself from the accounts of multiple candidates and one PAC,” U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker said in a news release. “I urge candidates, PACs, and businesses alike to protect themselves from future fraud by examining their accounting processes for vulnerabilities and other blind spots."

The court documents do not disclose which candidates Curlis defrauded. Multiple Republican politicians have filed complaints against Curlis with the Ohio Elections Commission, including Hilliard-area State Sen. Stephanie Kunze and former Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien.

The bill of information alleges that Curlis sold his residence in 2016 to cover the cost of campaign expenses and conceal account deficits caused by his theft.

BYESVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A man drowned after apparently driving on a flooded roadway on Wednesday, according to the Guernsey County Sheriff.

Sheriff Jeffrey Paden said emergency responders found a 56-year-old man dead in his vehicle after extracting it from a flooded roadway in Jackson Township. His family had reported him missing on Wednesday afternoon after he didn't show up to work and was not answering his phone.

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After several hours of searching, Byesville volunteer firefighters found the man's vehicle completely submerged, the sheriff said. When the vehicle was removed from the water, the Guernsey County coroner pronounced the man dead and ruled his death an accident by drowning. The sheriff's office has not released the man's name because the family has not yet been notified.

Multiple roadways across central Ohio flooded after Tuesday's storms. On Wednesday morning, a man's Maserati SUV was towed to dry land after he drove past road closure signs and ended up in flood waters on U.S. 23 in south Columbus. Ohio Department of Transportation cameras caught the man wading through knee-high water toward Franklin County Sheriff's deputies.

Paden urged drivers to avoid flooded roadways, regardless of their depth, because water currents can often be stronger than they appear.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The total solar eclipse on Monday afternoon, April 8, will darken skies along the path of totality, which will average 115 miles from Texas to Maine across 13 states.

In Ohio, the path of totality will cover a corridor from Dayton to the northern suburbs of Columbus, Marion and Cleveland. The longer length of time that parts of Ohio will experience darkness is because the moon is closer to Earth than in a previous total solar eclipse observed in western Kentucky in August 2017.

The amount of time any region in the path spends when the moon completely blocks out the sun will determine how much the air cools at the surface.

Other factors include the time of day, existing cloud cover, and daylight which determine how much the temperature drops when the sun is briefly masked by the moon in the path of totality.

Current indications are that a band of cloud cover will overspread much of the Ohio Valley late Sunday, with a few showers, but begin to thin out on Monday afternoon. Although cloud forecast model data is based on probabilities that will be refined in the coming days, coverage will likely range from 40 to 80 percent of the sky in most areas by 3:15 p.m.

How much the air cools when sunlight disappears on Monday afternoon will also be affected by the type of local cloud cover present. The loss of sunlight will result in a decrease in winds, briefly, due to less vertical mixing of the atmosphere.

Thicker low clouds composed of water droplets will make the change in air temperature much less apparent. Patchy mid-level clouds prior to totality will allow much more sunshine to filter through, which creates a more dramatic cooling when the sun is covered by the moon's shadow for several minutes.

At that time, skies will grow dark like evening dusk, and animals are apt to grow quiet, reflecting their response to nightfall.

During the last total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, the National Weather Service in Morristown, Tenn., looked at weather stations that had experienced several minutes of totality, which revealed a quick drop in temperature of 5 to 10 degrees.

Total solar eclipse viewed in Wyoming on Aug. 21, 2017. (Photo courtesy Don Stevens)

During an annular eclipse on May 10, 1994, the National Weather Service office at Capital Airport in Springfield, Ill., witnessed a dip of 4 degrees in the forenoon, under clear skies within the period of maximum eclipse, when a thin ring of outer sunlight was visible. (An annular eclipse does not fully cover the sun because the moon is farther away from Earth than in a total solar eclipse.

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather

A large storm system over the eastern Great Lakes and Northeast will combine to drive gusty winds and frequent rain showers, mixed with graupel, for another 24 hours, before moving away in time for the weekend.

Temperatures will dip into the 30s in the morning hours and only recover to the mid-40s, with gusty west-northwest winds creating an unpleasant April wind chill.

Skies will clear up this weekend as high pressure slides across the region. Clouds will increase later on Sunday, as the latest in a series of storm systems in the West causes low pressure to develop in the southern Plains.

Moisture will spread northward in the form of clouds and scattered showers, which will affect viewing of the total solar eclipse on Monday over portions of the path of totality.

Ideally, there will be some periods of sunshine in the Ohio Valley region Monday afternoon, with more precise forecasts regarding cloud cover not until the end of the weekend as a couple of upper-level disturbances move east.

Forecast

• Thursday: Showers, breezy, chilly. High 43
• Tonight: Spotty rain, wintry mix, cold. Low 35
• Friday: Cloudy, breezy, stray shower/flurry. High 46
• Saturday: Clouds linger. High 50 (32)
• Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 57 (31)
• Monday: Mix clouds and sun, isolated showers. High 66 (45)
• Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. High 70 (50)
• Wednesday: Showers. High 68 (52)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – While the total solar eclipse on April 8 will only last a few minutes, drivers could feel the effects for hours after the once-in-a-lifetime event ends.

The 124-mile-wide path of totality, where the sun will be 100% blocked by the moon, will span from the southwest to the northeast portion of the state. Everyone outside this coverage area will have a different view of the occurrence, but all of Ohio falls in at least a 95% coverage zone. 

Central Ohio forecast for the total solar eclipse

“We are treating it sort of as a major travel holiday, so Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, those are among the major travel holidays,” said Matt Bruning, press secretary for the Ohio Department of Transportation. “So what we do around those travel holidays is we will limit any unnecessary maintenance work.”

Limiting construction is not possible on all roadways in the state – Bruning said drivers could face additional congestion in the following areas on eclipse day due to construction:

• Interstate 70 and Interstate 71 in downtown Columbus
• Interstate 70 in Zanesville
• Interstate 75 through Cincinnati and Dayton
• Interstate 475 on the southwest side of Toledo
• Interstate 76,  Interstate 77 and State Route 8 in Akron

ODOT also created an interactive map to display an hour-by-hour look at four potential traffic scenarios based on the number of visitors the state sees: 150,000, 350,000, 575,000 and 625,000. The department created the map by combining data on Ohio’s typical traffic patterns with Kentucky and Tennessee's travel data from the 2017 solar eclipse. 

“What we tried to do is to mash up that data and make some predictions based on roadway type and see where we thought maybe some of the heavier congestion points would be,” Bruning said. “This was intended really for [emergency management and law enforcement] to determine where they wanted to deploy their resources … but certainly the public can use it as a good gauge for what we think the travel patterns are going to look like.”

Total solar eclipse has potential for business boom around Columbus

Bruning expects weather in Ohio to play a role in the amount of visitors the state sees. He said if April 8 is a sunny day, the state will likely see more visitors, especially in northwest Ohio where he predicts people will travel from Michigan. If it’s cloudy, he said people will likely head to another state if they can. 

As for what time of day traffic will be the worst, Bruning said ODOT expects to see the worst traffic immediately after the eclipse. He compared the event to a fireworks display. All morning, afternoon and evening, people trickle in to see the display, but when the grand finale goes off and the fireworks are done, everyone leaves at the same time. 

“We’re telling people come early, stay late, have a plan for maybe doing something nearby that you could just walk to, or maybe you’re viewing from a place where there’s attractions like the zoo or an amusement park,” Bruning said. “Hopefully you can have something to do after the eclipse so that you can avoid immediately getting on the road.”

In Columbus, the eclipse will begin at 1:55 p.m. and achieve peak coverage at about 3:15 p.m., before ending at 4:27 p.m. ODOT’s traffic prediction map shows multiple parts of the state could face the worst traffic in the hours after the eclipse.

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“This is not going to be something where you’re going to be able to zip home,” Bruning said. “If, on a normal day, if going from point A to point B takes you an hour, I would probably double, triple, maybe even quadruple that just depending on how many people come into the state of Ohio.”

For the safety of eclipse viewers, motorists and first responders, Bruning urges the importance of not watching the eclipse from the side of the road. 

“Make sure you’re going to an approved place, that you have permission to be there or it's a public spot but the side of the roadway or the side of the highway is certainly not the spot to watch,” Bruning said.

In Bruning’s overall advice to drivers, he says to “plan, prepare and be patient.” He advises drivers to top off their fuel tank before leaving the spot where they watched the eclipse in case they get stuck in hours of traffic.