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Updated: 1 hour 26 min ago

Ohio proposes bill to eliminate sub-minimum wage

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 17:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- There are renewed efforts at the Ohio Statehouse to make sure Ohioans with developmental disabilities earn a fair wage.

“This is not an issue that is a Democrat or Republican issue,” Representative Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) said. “This is a human rights issue.”

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“Disabled people, they have a voice, and maybe the voice is louder than it was ten years ago, but it is still a whisper,” Representative Scott Lipps (R-Franklin) said. “And that’s not fair.”

House Bill 427, sponsored by Jarrells and Lipps, seeks to eliminate sub-minimum wage. Sub-minimum wage allows employers who apply and receive a Special Wage Certificate to pay employees with developmental disabilities around $4 an hour, sometimes less.

“I think we are at a point and time in history that all people have the right to make at least minimum wage,” co-president of the Ohio Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) Jan Dougherty said.

“There are families who want to see sub-minimum wage transitioned away, and some families say, ‘This is the best thing my child has ever been in,’” Jarrells said. “We can build something that is based on consensus."

Dozens of companies across the state opt into the program to pay sub-minimum wage but HB 427 would phase it out in five years after passage, requiring Ohioans with disabilities to be paid minimum wage, at least.

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“These are some of the most hard-working Ohioans we have in the state,” Jarrells said. “So many of these individuals can and work and they do it well. And what we want to do is make sure our statutes in Ohio live up to their lived experiences and fairly compensates them.”

Lipps said one of his worries is that without a sub-minimum wage, people with disabilities would lose out on employment opportunities.

“It’s probably the entire argument and why it’s taken so long,” Lipps said. “We do not want to lose that opportunity, we want to make sure the wages are fair, but gain this opportunity. Where do we find that mix of the employer being able to afford to hire disabled individuals?”

“Anytime sub-minimum wage is brought up in conversation, there’s a fear behind it,” Dougherty said.

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Though Lipps does work to advocate for disabled Ohioans, he was opposed to the elimination of the sub-minimum wage program two years ago. He said he is still “fundamentally opposed” to the elimination unless it is done correctly.

“It gives the employer the right to pay them less,” Lipps said in September 2022. “Not less than their value, they pay them up to their value.”

Lipps said he stands by his statement from 2022.

“I do stand by that,” he said. “I don’t want to demonize an employer who allowed an individual to make $3 because otherwise, they will turn it into zero.”

But Dougherty said those working for sub-minimum wage know the difference. She said one disabled Ohioan was planning to spend their first paycheck on her first trip to the hair salon but could not. But she said when disabled Ohioans have transitioned from sub-minimum wage to a minimum wage job, they have been able to do things like save up for a cruise or buy an Ohio State football ticket.

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“They know the purchasing power behind it, and I think that’s what all of us know about our paychecks,” Dougherty said.

Two years ago, the bill aimed to eliminate the program immediately; the proposed five-year runway is one of the main differences in this new version.

“We will begin to see individuals steadily rolled off, to the point where when the five years come to an end, most of the individuals will be transitioned off sub-minimum wage,” Jarrells said.

But Lipps said the five-year timeframe is a jumping off point to create conversation.

“Something has to push them; this is the catalyst, this bill will create activity, which will create an answer,” Lipps said. “If the employment first initiative comes back and says we need eight years, we will modify the bill to eight years.”

Lipps said he wants to be sure to “honor” the work of companies hiring Ohioans with disabilities, while changing the law.

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“It has to be a combination of employers being willing to step forward, and the community being willing to step forward, and taxpayers being willing to step forward,” Lipps said. “If everybody adds to that, we will get that person to minimum wage.”

Lipps said one employer who does “great work” in this area is Honda. NBC4 did reach out to Honda, but they said, “We haven’t had a chance to review the details of HB427 and are not in a position to comment on it.”

ARC Industries, for example, also employs disabled Ohioans but said they eliminated the use of their Special Wage Certificate in 2020, meaning all their employees are at least paid minimum wage.

“Individuals who are working in Ohio deserve to get paid at least minimum wage; that’s what I believe this bill showcases,” Jarrells said. “Every word, every thought, every idea was curated by those families who said, ‘We can do something better in Ohio.’”

Jarrells sponsored the bill two years ago, too, and he said throughout these past two years and in crafting the bill, he has heard one common theme.

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“What’s at heart of the conversation is families saying, ‘I just want my child to feel seen, heard and valued in Ohio,’” he said.

Lipps said though he is signed onto the bill now, as well as one other Republican co-sponsor, he has found it “difficult to recruit” other Republican representatives in this space.

“I can name 20 state reps who would drop and take a call and work with me on this,” Lipps said. “But there are 99 of us.”


But both Jarrells and Lipps said at the very least they want to have the conversation and kickstart change.

“If this starts the conversation then we’ve done our job,” Lipps said. “If we get it across the finish line and get the community to support it, then we’ve really done our job. But don’t get your hopes up. Things move slowly in Columbus.”

The bill has yet to have its first hearing and has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Categories: Ohio News

Ohio state parks preparing for total solar eclipse on April 8

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 16:30

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) – The total solar eclipse is just two weeks away, and departments around the state are in the final stages of preparation for the rare event.

“It is kind of like the Super Bowl for us," said Jason Fallon, communications manager with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. "We haven't seen something like this since 1806.”

Delaware State Park on Monday was calm and quiet. On April 8, it'll be a much different scene. The park is one of many locations across central Ohio and the state expecting big crowds for the eclipse. Nearly two dozen state parks, including Delaware, will be in the path of totality, Fallon said. ODNR will have hundreds of eclipse programs statewide.

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"It's almost going to be like a summer weekend in April, is what we’re telling people. Be patient, most importantly have an awesome time and enjoy the phenomenon of the eclipse," Fallon said. "This is something we’ve been preparing for for years. This isn’t just something we’ve been planning for the last couple months. It's definitely been a full state effort from multiple different agencies.”

One of those agencies is the Delaware County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Scott Stewart, deputy director, said the county has learned from areas in Kentucky that experienced totality in 2017.

“From what we’ve learned, the traffic impacts that may come can have the gas stations running out of fuel or people actually running out of fuel on the roadways and stuff and that's a major concern, so just taking a little bit of preparedness the week before can help you out with that," Stewart said.

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He suggested those planning to visit pack extra water and snacks in the car, and be ready to be in the car for a while. He also said having a map is a good idea, in case cell service is in an issue,

“The last one happened in 1806 and the next one doesn’t happen until 2099, so for most people, that’s a once in a lifetime event, and the main thing we want to stress to people is just take some time to prepare a little bit so that you can enjoy the event," Stewart said.

Categories: Ohio News

Body found with gunshot in Columbus alley, homicide detectives say

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 16:27

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Homicide detectives are investigating Monday after finding a body in a Columbus alleyway.

Around noon, officers got a report of a body found between Meek Avenue and Jones Avenue in Franklinton. The Columbus Division of Police said when they got there, the officers found a man with a gunshot wound. Medics arrived and pronounced him dead at 12:10 p.m.

Columbus police had not released the victim's name as of Monday evening, as they were contacting his next of kin.

CPD confirmed its homicide unit was investigating the case, and asked anyone with information to call its detectives at 614-645-4730.

Categories: Ohio News

New charges against ex-Ohio House Speaker already imprisoned in $60 million bribery scandal

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 14:29

CLEVELAND (WCMH) -- The former state leader serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for facilitating the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history is now being prosecuted by the state.

Ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder faces 10 felony charges, including theft in office and money laundering, Attorney General Dave Yost announced Monday. If convicted of the first charge, the Perry County Republican would be permanently barred from running for public office in Ohio.

Householder was convicted on federal racketeering charges last March for conspiring with executives at Akron-based FirstEnergy to pass a $1.3 billion, ratepayer-funded energy plant bailout bill in exchange for $60 million in bribes. He and co-conspirator Matthew Borges, former chairman of the Republican party, were sentenced last summer after a seven-week trial.

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The state indictment alleged that Householder improperly used campaign funds to pay for his defense in his federal case. It also claimed he failed to disclose fiduciary relationships and gifts from FirstEnergy leaders and others in his ethics filings.

A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Householder on a slate of felonies on Monday, including:

  • One count of theft in office, a first-degree felony
  • Two counts of aggravated theft, a second-degree felony
  • One count of telecommunications fraud, a second-degree felony
  • One count of money laundering, a third-degree felony
  • Five counts of tampering with records, a third-degree felony
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According to court filings, two attorneys with the attorney general's office, Carol O'Brien and Matthew Meyer, are the special prosecutors assigned to the case.

In February, Sam Randazzo, the former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, and two FirstEnergy executives were indicted by a grand jury on more than two dozen state felony charges related to the bribery scheme. Randazzo also faces federal charges.

Householder, who was expelled from the Ohio House in 2021, remains in federal prison in Columbiana County, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He appealed his federal conviction in late February.

Categories: Ohio News

Columbus Taco Week returning in June

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 13:30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - An annual event for taco lovers is returning to Columbus this year, all for a good cause.

Columbus Taco Week is coming back to the capital city from Monday, June 3 to Saturday, June 8 where foodies can have a full week to try a variety of tacos from local restaurants. The eateries involved will offer special deals along with "unique taco creations," according to the release.

During the event, patrons can get $2 taco deals at the participating restaurants across Columbus. The venues will offer special tacos for all to enjoy including traditional Mexican street tacos, to bold and spicy and even some vegetarian options.

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Participants also have an opportunity to win prizes by showcasing their taco week experiences online using the hashtag #ColumbusTacoWeek.

Along with trying a variety of tacos, the event will also give back to the community. Proceeds from Columbus Taco Week will benefit the non-profit, Feed The Kids Columbus, which is an organization that helps food-insecure children in central Ohio by giving access to meals.

For more information on Columbus Taco Week, click here.

Categories: Ohio News

Trial delayed for Pammy Maye, accused of killing 5-year-old boy of Amber Alert

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 10:03

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – An anticipated continuance has been granted in the trial of a woman accused of killing a child, who was the subject of a statewide Amber Alert.

A Franklin County Court of Common Pleas judge ordered that the trial against 48-year-old Pammy Maye be rescheduled for April 25 after defense attorney Sam Shamansky requested a continuance on behalf of Maye.

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The motion was expected after Shamansky told NBC4 the defense and prosecutors have not gone through the discovery process. The presiding judge ordered all discovery documents to be handed over within the next 30 days.

In addition, Maye, who did appear in court Monday, had not received a required mental health evaluation, according to Shamansky, who said he is more concerned with her mental state at the time of the incident and how it relates to the possibility of a not guilty plea by reason of insanity.

A Franklin County grand jury indicted Maye on charges of aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse, and three counts of tampering with evidence after five-year-old Darnell Taylor was found in a south Columbus sewer drain on Feb. 16.

Maye was first accused of kidnapping Taylor, on Feb. 14, setting off a statewide Amber Alert. However, court records show that when Maye’s husband called 911, he told the operator that Taylor was dead.

Officers found Maye on Feb. 18 inside a building near Cleveland. The Columbus Division of Police released body camera footage on Friday from when Brooklyn police first encountered her.

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An Ohio Amber Alert went out Feb. 14 for Darnell Taylor, 5, for whom she was a legal guardian and the suspect in his abduction. Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant confirmed on Feb. 16 that police located what they believed to be Taylor’s body in southwest Columbus.

She was extradited back to Columbus on Feb. 21 for proceedings in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

Categories: Ohio News

Group providing guide dogs to blind and visually impaired pursues vast expansion

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 09:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A group in Columbus that trains and pairs guide dogs with blind and visually impaired individuals is putting millions of dollars into projects to expand its scope.

The nonprofit Pilot Dogs has been around in Franklinton since 1950. Since CEO Jim Alloway joined Pilot Dogs, it has expanded its services to not only provide guide dogs to the blind and visually impaired, but to transition dogs that fail to become guides into other roles, such as bombs or narcotics, therapy, and PTSD for veteran roles.

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"What we've tried to do is say, well, those other dogs can have other great service purposes that are not guide dogs," Alloway said. "We've got the knowledge and the resources to train them. So, why don't we repurpose those dogs into a field or a career where they can be really successful."

As the nonprofit's services have expanded, it now seeks to expand its campus and spend a total of $15 million on two other buildings. Recently, it purchased a $1.7 million industrial property at 566 W. Rich St., which Alloway said is just one piece of a greater development of the Pilot Dogs campus.

"It's really a bigger picture for the property that we occupy and a vision that started long before I got here," Alloway said.

Alloway said it has been a long-held objective of Pilot Dogs to acquire all of the properties within a three block radius of its campus. The Pilot Dogs campus currently encompasses nearly three full blocks west of Gift Street, between Town and Rich streets.

In addition to the extension of its campus, Pilot Dogs is looking to spend on two $7.5 million building projects, for a total of $15 million. One will include the remodeling of its primary address on 625 W. Town Street, and the other will become Pilot Dogs' "Puppy Palace," just west of South Grubb Street.

According to Alloway, these developments will help Pilot Dogs best train its canine students and help the community to its fullest capability.

"All I care about is taking care of our students and being able to help as many people as we possible can," Alloway said. "When you ask what our mission is, that's really what it is."

To move ahead with its projects, Pilot Dogs will need to raise the $15 million.

"If somebody gives us $10, that's great," Alloway said. "We're always thankful for everything."

Alloway hopes ground will be broken on the projects by May 1, and he said that they should take about a year to complete.

Categories: Ohio News

West Virginia couple stopped in southern Ohio with 2 pounds of meth, sheriff says

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 08:53

Portsmouth, Ohio (WCMH) -- A West Virginia couple was arrested in southern Ohio early Sunday morning during a traffic stop with multiple pounds of drugs and firearms.

The Scioto County Sheriff's Office said that just after 4:30 a.m., authorities received a tip that a Chrysler with West Virginia plates was driving recklessly on U.S. Route 52 near the 522 exit. A deputy in the area stopped the car near Haverhill Ohio Furnace Road with the occupants being 27-year-olds Brian Adkins and Brittany Hall, a couple from Fort Gay, West Virginia.

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The deputy saw a firearm under the gear shift of the car and then searched the vehicle, per the sheriff's office. He found a black drawstring bag with an Ohio State logo that contained over two pounds of meth, close to 0.2 pounds of cocaine, and a small amount of fentanyl. The total street value of the drugs found was more than $20,000, per the sheriff's office.

Additionally, the deputy found a pipe with white residue and $46 of cash in Adkins' pocket while finding over $1,200 of cash on Hall. Both were arrested and each charged with two counts of drug possession, two counts of drug trafficking, and having weapons under disability.

Courtesy Photo/Scioto County sheriff's office

Both Hall and Adkins were arraigned on Monday in Portsmouth Municipal Court.

Categories: Ohio News

City of Dublin denies claims in lawsuit over shopping redevelopment near Bridge Park

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 08:30

DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) -- The city of Dublin is denying allegations that private property rights were violated when the city rejected a development's company's proposal to overhaul six acres of a shopping district east of Bridge Park.

Stavroff Land and Development's claims that the city's Bridge Street District code hinders the company's ability to redevelop Dublin Village Center is "moot" and "barred by applicable statutes of limitation," Dublin's response filed in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Ohio states. The company had also argued the city's "illegitimate restrictions" violate equal protection and due process law.

Dublin provided line-by-line acknowledgements in the March 18 filing to more than 160 of Stavroff's claims, admitting to some allegations but denying many or stating the city is "without knowledge to admit the allegations." Now, Dublin is asking the court to dismiss the company's suit.

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The development company's complaint filed in January said the city "took complete control over the use and development of private property within the [Bridge Street District] by adopting unlawful and overbearing development restrictions." In doing so, Dublin "unilaterally rezoned hundreds of acres of land and anointed its officials with unfettered and arbitrary discretion over private property."

Stavroff is seeking compensatory damages "to recoup the millions of dollars in damages, costs, and expenses it has incurred as a result of the City's misconduct." The complaint also demands a declaration that the Bridge Street code is unconstitutional, a declaration that Stavroff's proposal is constitutional, and an injunction requiring Dublin to refrain from preventing the site's development.

However, Dublin said in the filing that Stavroff has yet "to set forth allegations sufficient to support a claim for compensatory damages." In addition, the city said in a statement to NBC4 in January that since the 1,100-acre Bridge Street District was created, dozens of projects have been approved and built.

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"The City's development approval process in the Bridge Street Code provides a fair and collaborative method to achieve high-quality development for the benefit of property owners and the community," a Dublin spokesperson said. "The City stands by its process and standards."

Stavroff's third and most recent plan for Dublin Village Center reviewed by the city's planning and zoning commission in July included two four-story apartment buildings with 284 units, ranging from a 585-square-foot one-bedroom to a 1,350-square-foot two-bedroom. Possibly built in two phases depending on market conditions, the development would demolish 70,000 square feet of existing commercial space.

A rendering of Stavroff's most recent Dublin Village Center redevelopment proposal. (Courtesy Photo/Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission)

The application was denied after commission chair Rebecca Call said the site suffers from sitting next to similar multi-family residential developments, leading to a lack of housing variety in the area. Call said the proposal is progressing but requires further tinkering to create a complex that is "distinctly Dublin."

"This application could get there, but I don’t think it’s there yet," Call said during the July meeting. "What I’m hearing the rest of the commissioners say is, it’s definitely a positive maybe, but, as far as if we were to move this exact plan forward, I think we’d have a lot of details to still have to worry about."

Still, Stavroff claims the city only welcomes proposals by "select local developers," including two prominent residential projects near the Dublin Village Center site. Because Stavroff is allegedly not one of those select developers, the company said city officials have improperly blocked its development.

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The complaint also argues that Stavroff's third proposal met the Bridge Street code, but that the commission "improperly and retroactively applied" interim land use principles that were not in effect when the company filed its proposal. The suit also cites Call's "distinctly Dublin" comment as "one of the amorphous reasons" for denial.

"Virtually no proposed development could ever meet the vague, cumbersome, and overly complex requirements the City now imposes," the complaint argues. "The City intentionally flipped its role from being the regulator of the reasonable use of land to the holder of the keys to the land's development. No development can occur in the District unless the City ordains it."

Categories: Ohio News

Former tenants of shuttered Latitude Five25 to get $10,000 each from settlement

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 08:20

View a previous report in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Nearly 150 families who were evacuated from their east Columbus apartments more than a year ago due to unsafe living conditions will soon be getting thousands of dollars in settlement payments.

Starting April 1, 149 households forced to leave their homes at the dilapidated Latitude Five25 apartments will receive a lump-sum payment of $10,067, the Columbus city attorney's office announced Monday. Former tenants will still be allowed to sue the owners of the complex, New Jersey-based Paxe Latitude, after receiving the settlement.

The apartments have been vacant since Christmas Day 2022, when burst water pipes and a lack of heat forced residents to vacate the property. But the pair of towers on Sawyer Boulevard had been under the city’s scrutiny for months before that for repeated bug infestations, feces-contaminated stairwells and other unsanitary conditions.

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Last February, a judge ordered Paxe Latitude to pay nearly $4.4 million in fines and outstanding utility fees, including $2.5 million to compensate the former tenants. The court also found that contractors the owners hired to rehabilitate the building didn't properly handle asbestos, leaving many residents’ belongings contaminated with the cancerous fibers.

The owners, who launched a failed bankruptcy claim in New Jersey, never paid the $2.5 million contempt fee. In January, the lender financing the owners of the Latitude Five25 apartments entered into a $1.5 million settlement with the city in lieu of paying the $2.5 million.

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“With tenant checks now on their way, we’re focused on the future of the towers and exploring every option to hold those responsible for this crisis personally responsible for their role in subjecting tenants to deplorable living conditions and literally leaving them out in the cold on Christmas morning," Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said in a news release. "We’re sending a message that landlords who operate like this will be run out of town and held accountable."

The complex, a pair of 15-story towers visible from Interstates 670 and 71, was listed for sale last week. The real estate group overseeing the sale is looking for an experienced property rehabilitator, and any buyer would need court approval.

Categories: Ohio News

Ohio among top five states where residents get the least sleep, study says

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 06:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A recent study has named Ohio as one of the most sleep-deprived states in the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults aged 18 to 60 get at least seven hours of sleep per night. One third of U.S. adults report that they usually get less than the recommended amount of sleep. 

Some states are more affected by a lack of sleep than others – a BetOhio.com study compiled data from the CDC to see which states have the highest percentage of people sleeping less than seven hours a day. 

Ohio came in fourth place, with 40.45% of Ohioans reporting they regularly sleep less than seven hours per night. Taking first place was West Virginia (43.34%), in second place was Kentucky (42.81%), in third place was Tennessee (41.90%) and in fifth place was Alabama (40.27%).

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A lack of sleep increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression, according to the CDC.

To get more sleep at night, the CDC suggests the following:

  • Consistently go to bed and get up at the same time every day. 
  • Sleep in a dark, quiet and relaxing bedroom that is at a comfortable temperature.
  • Do not have electronic devices such as TVs, computers and phones in the bedroom.
  • Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bed.
  • Do not use tobacco. 
  • Exercise during the day. 

The states where residents get the most sleep according to the study are Minnesota, with 30.56% of adults reporting regularly getting less than seven hours of sleep per night, South Dakota (31.14%), Colorado (31.30%), Nebraska (31.35%) and Vermont (32.18%). 

Categories: Ohio News

List: Solar eclipse viewing events, watch parties in central Ohio

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 05:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Communities across central Ohio are hosting watch parties for when the rare total solar eclipse looms over portions of the U.S. on April 8. Find an event near you below.

Bevelhymer Park

7860 Bevelhymer Rd.

  • There will be food trucks, science-based activities for kids, and free eclipse glasses to the first 2,000 attendees.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

4850 W Powell Rd.

  • Eclipse viewing glasses will be provided to safely witness this natural phenomenon, but we also encourage guests to bring their own since demand will be high. COSI will be bringing a hands-on activity as well as modeling a solar eclipse to show how the moon blocks the sun.

COSI

333 W Broad St.

  • COSI will offer hands-on educational STEAM demonstrations and activities, a live video stream of the eclipse in totality, free solar eclipse glasses and STEAM kits, while supplies last, and more.
Where to find glasses in central Ohio for the April 8 solar eclipse

Hilliard Station Park

4021 Main St.

  • The special event in downtown Hilliard will include free eclipse glasses, a DJ, snacks, pictures with an astronaut character and more from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on April 8.

Hoff Woods Park

556 McCorkle Blvd.

  • Guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs and eclipse glasses. The first 500 attendees will receive a gift bag containing various giveaways, eclipse glasses and fun eclipse themed snacks like Moon Pies, Sun Chips and Capri Sun.

Lawrence Orchards in Marion

2634 Smeltzer Rd.

  • The orchard is hosting an "Appleclipse" of the Sun viewing event, with 600 eclipse glasses, yard games and live animals.

The MAiZE at Little Darby Creek

8657 Axe Handle Road

  • The MAiZe will have live music, the Tortilla Street Food food truck, and the bar will be open serving a variety of drinks including some spacey themed signature drinks.
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Malabar Farm State Park

4050 Bromfield Rd.

  • Malabar Farm State Park grounds will be open and free to the public as usual. Access to the hayfields on foot will be allowed for viewing. There will be a small number of food trucks in the park during the event.  

Morrow County Fairgrounds

195 S Main St.

  • The fairgrounds are open for viewing the eclipse, with more than 130 acres of unobstructed viewing.

Northwest Library Backyard

2280 Hard Rd.

  • Make pinhole eclipse viewers, play cosmic trivia and more.

Ohio Caverns

2210 OH-245 E, West Liberty

  • Experience the eclipse and total darkness at the caverns. "The Darkness Tour" includes entrance into the park with eclipse viewing throughout the park and special Ohio Caverns viewing glasses. The first 300 guests to get their tickets scanned receive an Ohio Caverns lantern for a guided tour through the caverns. 
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Old Worthington Library Meeting Room

820 High St.

  • Celebrate the sun with out-of-this-world crafts and activities.

Ohio History Connection's John & Annie Glenn Museum

72 West Main St, New Concord

  • Take a tour of the museum and grab some refreshments and eclipse glasses, all free of charge.

Ohio Northern University

300 W College Ave., Ada

  • The university is inviting the community to join them that day for a campus visit, lunch, solar eclipse programming, and the afternoon viewing of the eclipse. 
Categories: Ohio News

State lawmakers have proposed dozens of tax changes but have only passed two so far

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 04:30

Watch an earlier report on proposed property tax bills in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Residents across the state are feeling the financial squeeze as the tax filing deadline nears – and while it’s likely too late for state lawmakers to address taxpayers’ concerns this year, nearly three dozen bills targeting income and property taxes are in the legislative pipeline.

About 30 proposed laws seek to relieve some taxpayer burden through credits, exemption expansions and different income tax schemes. Some are a concurrence away from becoming law, while others haven't been touched since they were introduced.

Finances – specifically tax returns – are top-of-mind for many Ohioans, evidenced by the failure of multiple school levies in the March primary. Property values have skyrocketed due to reappraisals, in some central Ohio towns upward of 60%.  

Currently, the general homestead exemption is $25,000 for those earning under a certain income and who are 65 and older, permanently and totally disabled, or the surviving spouse of someone who was eligible for the credit. An enhanced exemption for disabled military veterans subtracts up to $50,000 from a home’s taxable value. An adjustment to the homestead exemption added to the state budget increases the maximum amount of the exemptions by the rate of inflation each year.

The enhanced homestead exemption for military veterans and their spouses was further expanded with a law passed in October. Under Senate Bill 43, the enhanced exemption can now be applied to the spouses of veterans who died before receiving a total disability rating. The state reimburses local taxing authorities, including school districts, for any revenue loss due to the expanded exemption, as is the case for all homestead exemptions.

Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, are taking aim at the state income tax. One proposal would replace the current tax bracket structure with a flat tax rate. Another proposal would eliminate the state income tax entirely.

Bills modifying the homestead exemption
  • HB187: This bill would temporarily expand the homestead exemptions for the next three tax years. The general credit would increase to $30,000, then increase by the rate of inflation for the next two years. The enhanced exemption for disabled veterans would increase to $60,000 and then similarly increase by the rate of inflation. Under Reps. Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) and Adam Bird’s (R-New Richmond) bill, the income eligibility threshold would temporarily increase to $75,000. While local taxing units would be fully reimbursed for any losses under this bill, school districts would only be reimbursed for half.
    • STATUS: HB187 passed the House in October, and an amended version unanimously passed the Senate in December. To become law, the House has to concur with the changes made in the Senate.
  • HB 378: Sponsored by Reps. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell) and Nick Santucci R-Howland Township), this bill would eliminate property tax liability for the spouses of service members who died in the line of duty.
    • STATUS: This bill was referred to committee in February and awaits its first hearing.
  • HB 447: Rep. Mike Loychik’s (R-Bazetta) bill would temporarily expand the homestead exemptions  to up to $35,000 generally and to $69,600 for totally disabled veterans. It expands enhanced exemption eligibility for lesser amounts to partially disabled veterans. It also would limit the rate of effective millage increase of continuing levies to the rate of inflation.
    • STATUS: This bill was introduced on March 12 and awaits committee referral.
  • HB274: This bill, sponsored by Reps. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) and Richard Dell’Aquila (D-Seven Hills), establishes an enhanced homestead exemption of $50,000 for homeowners who have continuously occupied their homes for at least 20 years, so long as they meet the income limit for other homestead exemptions. Unlike other exemptions, this wouldn’t increase with inflation each year.
    • STATUS: Its last hearing was Dec. 12, 2023.
  • HB254: Sponsored by Reps. Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) and Adam Holmes (R-Nashport), this bill would eliminate property taxes for totally disabled veterans. It would further exempt up to $10,000 for veterans deemed at least 50% but not totally disabled.
    • STATUS: Its last hearing was Dec. 5, 2023.
  • SB134: Sponsored by the now-retired Sen. Frank Hoagland, this bill would increase eligibility for the enhanced homestead exemption to veterans not rendered 100% disabled. It also creates a scale of the exemption, based on the veteran’s disability level, and caps maximum exemptions at $150,000.
    • STATUS: Its first – and only – hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee was Sept. 20, 2023.
  • HB90: Rep. Thomas Patton’s (R-Strongsville) bill increases the enhanced homestead exemption for qualifying disabled veterans to effectively eliminate their property taxes.
    • STATUS: Its last hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee was Sept. 12, 2023.
  • HB60: Introduced by Rep. Daniel Troy (D-Willowick), this bill increases the general homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000 of a home’s appraised value, then increases it each year after by the rate of inflation. The bill would also raise the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) threshold needed to qualify for the credit from $36,100 to $45,000.
    • STATUS: Its last hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee was April 18, 2023.
Other property tax bills
  • HB263: A bipartisan proposal by Reps. Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) and Thomas Hall would freeze property taxes to 2023 values for qualifying homeowners. Homeowners must be aged 65 or older, have lived in their homes for at least two years, have an annual income of less than $50,000 and a home value less than $500,000.
    • STATUS: Its last hearing was Feb. 6.
  • HB402: Rep. Jean Schmidt’s (R-Loveland) bill would temporarily reduce property taxes to 2022 rates while the Joint Committee on Property Tax Reform develops long-term solutions to rising property taxes.
    • STATUS: This bill was introduced on Feb. 7 and awaits committee referral.
  • SB153: Under Reps. George Lang (R-West Chester) and Terry Johnson’s (R-McDermott) bill, through 2025, the Department of Taxation would have to consider “current economic conditions'' when recommending county property value adjustments. Tax commissioners would also be disallowed from giving higher or lower weight to a particular year’s sales data when performing appraisals.
    • STATUS: Its last committee hearing was Oct. 11, 2023.
  • SB136: Sponsored by Sen. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus), this bill caps annual property tax increases at 5% for homeowners who earn below the median income level of their county of residence.
    • STATUS: Its last – and only – hearing was Sept. 20, 2023.
Bills addressing income taxes
  • HB386/SB216: This legislation, introduced in both chambers, would phase out the state income tax over the next six years. Additionally, it would require that the commercial activity tax be repealed by 2029.
    • STATUS: This bill was introduced in January and awaits its first committee hearing.
  • HB1: Rep. Adam Mathews’ bill would establish a flat income tax rate of $260.69 plus 2.75% on all income over $26,050. Additionally, it would decrease the percentage of a property’s real value subject to taxation from 35% to 31.5%, decreasing each year thereafter by the rate of inflation.
    • STATUS: This bill’s last hearing was April 25, 2023.
  • HB405: For those either over 59 or who are permanently and totally disabled, Rep. Richard Dell’Aquila’s bill would allow up to a $5,000 credit for disability-related home expenses, including the addition of accessibility features, purchase of assistive technology or hiring of a home aid.
    • STATUS: This bill was introduced Feb. 12 and awaits committee referral. 
  • HB105: This bill limits fines for failing to timely file municipal income tax returns to a one-time fee of $25.
    • STATUS: It passed the house in May 2023 and awaits its first Senate committee hearing.
  • HB199: This bill modifies the joint filing income tax credit by ensuring that taxpayers filing jointly do not pay more than they would if they filed separately. Sponsored by Reps. Tom Young (R-Washington Township) and Bill Dean (R-Xenia), it also eliminates a current $650 tax credit cap.
    • STATUS: Its last hearing was Sept. 19, 2023.
  • HB126: This bill expands the military pay income tax credit for armed services members to include members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Public Health Service and the Space Force.
    • STATUS: Its last hearing was May 23, 2023.
  • HB125: This bill increases the income tax credit currently available for contributions to 529 college savings plans and ABLE disability savings plans to $8,000, regardless of filing jointly or separately. Each year after, it indexes the maximum credit to inflation.
    • STATUS: Its last hearing was June 6, 2023.
  • HB39: This proposal makes the state’s earned income tax credit partially refundable for those under a certain income threshold. If the credit amount exceeds the amount a taxpayer owes, they can get up to 10% of their federal earned income tax credit as a refund from the state. The income limit is $17,640 for one person with no children.
    • STATUS: Its first, and only, committee hearing was May 9, 2023.
Miscellaneous tax credits
  • HB 290: A Democrat-proposed bill would establish the Thriving Families tax credit. Households earning less than $65,000 would get $1,000 for every child under 6 and $500 for every minor child over 6. For those earning less than $85,000, the credit would decrease by 5% for every $1,000 over $65,000.
    • STATUS: This bill was referred to committee in October and awaits its first hearing.
  • SB189: Another Democrat-proposed bill would authorize an income tax credit up to $250 for attending a firearms safety course or purchasing firearms storage or a locking device.
    • STATUS: Its first hearing was Jan. 24.
  • SB159: Under this proposal, up to half of a person’s tax liability could be eliminated for their donations to anti-abortion counseling centers.
    • STATUS: Its last hearing in the Senate Finance Committee was Feb. 27.
Categories: Ohio News

Rise in Columbus gas prices wipes out previous decline

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 04:18

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – A recent increase in Columbus gas prices last week has effectively erased two weeks’ worth of decline.

After gas prices dropped nearly 17 cents over the previous two weeks, the cost for a gallon of gas jumped up by 16 cents last week to $3.45 per gallon, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations.

The current price is 22.8 cents per gallon higher than one month ago and 23.8 cents higher than this time one year ago.

Columbus Gas Prices Tracker

The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $3.24 a gallon, while the most expensive was $3.71, a difference of 47 cents per gallon. In Ohio, the average price of gas also rose by 20.6 cents from one week ago, averaging out at $3.41, while nationally, gas prices rose 6.4 cents to $3.51 per gallon.

According to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, the rise in cost isn’t unexpected for this time of year, but international influence could impact rising prices even more than usual over the next few weeks.

"What is uncommon is the number of attacks on Russian oil refiners; attacks which could have ripple effects worldwide if they continue…. forcing (Russia) to buy such products on the global market, pushing prices up everywhere,” De Haan said.

Categories: Ohio News

Columbus College of Art and Design plans $15 million renovation of Battelle Hall

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 03:30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus College of Art and Design is mapping out a $15 million renovation of one of its learning falls.

The Center for Creative Collaboration, which will be presented Wednesday as a conceptual application to the Downtown Commission, is planned as a 30,000-square-foot center to house CCAD's digital fabrication and design innovation labs. Battelle Hall, at 101 N. Washington Ave. -- a former Chrysler dealership that was converted into an art and design studio spaces in the 1970s -- will be renovated to accommodate the center.

"Creatively solving today’s complex challenges requires best-in-class equipment and modern facilities," CCAD President Melanie Corn said. "The Center for Creative Collaboration will be a new interdisciplinary makerspace and collaboration hub with flexible classrooms and project-based learning labs."

The project would include interior renovations to Battelle Hall and an addition being built on an adjacent parking lot.

"To continue attracting the best creative minds -- many of whom stay in central Ohio to drive the region’s creative economy -- we need best-in-class facilities,” Corn said.

The center will have fabrication labs and makerspaces for CCAD students of any major, including its wood and metal shops, and digital fabrication and design innovation labs.

To raise funds for the project, CCAD has launched a $20 million fundraising campaign. Additional money from the campaign going to student scholarships, faculty excellence, and student success.

CCAD offers 11 undergraduate majors, with three graduate projects, on a campus spread out over 14 buildings Downtown. About 1,000 students attend classes there.

CCAD anticipates the building renovation to be completed by 2026.

Categories: Ohio News

Mild and dry Monday, rain on the way tomorrow

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 02:14
Columbus and Central Ohio Weather QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:
  • Today: Partly sunny, breezy, high 66
  • Tonight: Rain arrives, windy, low 47
  • Tuesday: Rain showers, windy, high 59
  • Wednesday: Iso. AM shower, clearing, high 53
  • Thursday: Mainly sunny, high 57
  • Friday: Mild sunshine, high 59
FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Monday!

We start the week off with much milder temperatures than we've seen in about a week-and-a-half. Expect highs to warm into the middle 60s, with breezy conditions. We'll see a decent amount of cloud cover today, but do expect partly sunny skies. We're nice and dry today, but rain is on the way for tomorrow.

Expect showers during the Tuesday morning drive, with the bulk of the rain falling during the morning hours and through the first half of the day. We'll then see scattered showers lingering the rest of the afternoon and evening. We will also be windy, with gusts as high as 40 MPH, especially earlier in the day. Highs top out in the upper 50s to near 60.

We start clearing up Wednesday, with just an isolated morning shower, then we'll see gradual clearing. Expect highs in the low to middle 50s.

By Thursday and Friday, we're looking at more sunshine, and warming temps. We'll be seasonable Thursday, with highs in the middle 50s, then warming to the upper 50s to near 60 by Friday.

-McKenna

Categories: Ohio News

Fire damages historic Newark apartment building, displaces residents

Sun, 03/24/2024 - 21:11

NEWARK, Ohio (WCMH) – A historic apartment building stands vacant after a fire on Saturday displaced those living inside.

The Newark Fire Department said a fire broke out at Avalon Apartments on West Main Street. They said there were no injuries, but according to the department, there is major concern about the building collapsing. 

Counties with the highest rates of strokes in Ohio

An area is blocked off around the building. Newark Fire said as many as 40 people could be displaced, but they are still finalizing that number.

During the department’s efforts to extinguish the fire, they say the building became unstable and they had to evacuate everyone, including the firefighters.

One woman who has owned a business in Newark for more than 50 years said the sight of the burned building makes her sad and shared that many people who have lived there over the years have come to her restaurant.

"I hope that they try to build it back. That's what I hope they do. Maybe look the same way it is," the Draft House owner Eula Rizzo said. 

The Red Cross is helping people who were displaced by the fire. Its disaster response team was on site Saturday and will be working with those who lived in the apartments in the coming weeks. 

Categories: Ohio News

Joy Dunne's late goal lifts Buckeyes to second national title in three years

Sun, 03/24/2024 - 16:49

DURHAM, N.H. (WCMH) -- In a rematch of the 2023 title game, this time it's Ohio State back on top with the Buckeyes winning, 1-0, over Wisconsin in the national championship game at Whittemore Center Arena on Sunday afternoon.

True freshman Joy Dunne scored the lone goal at the 12:50 mark of the third period with Hannah Bilka and Cayla Barnes credited for the assist. Ohio State's Raygan Kirk made 26 saves in goal.

Ohio State ousted from NCAA tournament after second round loss to Duke

The win marks Ohio State's second national championship in three years and avenges last year's 1-0 loss to the Badgers, who were looking to be the first team to win back-to-back titles since Clarkson in 2018. The all-WCHA match-up was Ohio State's third consecutive appearance in the national championship game.

This was the sixth meeting of the season between the two teams and the win was Ohio State's first-ever over the Badgers in the NCAA tournament.

The Buckeyes finish the 2023-24 campaign with a 35-4-0 record, extending a program record for wins in a single season.

Categories: Ohio News

Sunshine, chilly weekend, warmer Monday before rain returns

Sun, 03/24/2024 - 16:15
Columbus and Central Ohio Weather

We enjoyed lots of sunshine this weekend, as high pressure moved across the Great Lakes, with a cool easterly breeze. Temperatures reached 50 degrees, slightly below normal.

Tonight won't be as cold as recent mornings, with high clouds streaming in from the west, and morning lows will only dip into the mid-30s.

Monday will be dry and even milder, with a southeast wind pushing readings back up into the 60s. Clouds will thicken later in the day from a storm system developing in the central Plains.

Showers will break out early on Tuesday ahead of a weakening cold front. Rain will taper off by Wednesday morning, with clearing skies.

The latter half of the week looks to be seasonably cool and dry through Friday.

The Easter holiday weekend will bring a chance for a few showers on Saturday, with some sun and mild readings in the low 60s. An early look at Easter Sunday suggests a northern system will carry a chance for a few periods of rain.

Forecast
  • Tonight: Partly cloudy. Low 37
  • Monday: Clouds increase, breezy, milder. High 65 
  • Tuesday: Showers, few storms p.m.. High 58 (47)
  • Wednesday: Partly sunny. High 52 (41)
  • Thursday: Mostly sunny, seasonable. High 54 (31)
  • Friday: Mild sunshine. High 60 (35)
  • Saturday: Early shower, some sun. High 62 (39)
Categories: Ohio News

The Spectrum: Primary election results

Sun, 03/24/2024 - 13:30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- This week on The Spectrum:

  • After months of campaigning, Donald Trump-backed Bernie Moreno emerged as the winner of Ohio's Republican Senate primary, taking on incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown in what will be one of the most watched races in the country.

How this could impact stalled legislation and the battle for the gavel between House Speaker Jason Stephens and the more conservative faction of his party.

Categories: Ohio News

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