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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Gov. Mike DeWine will deliver his State of the State address Wednesday afternoon.

In his annual speech, given from the House Chamber at the statehouse, DeWine is expected to reflect on the past year of governance while laying the groundwork for actions he hopes the legislature takes in the next few months.

Sam Randazzo, recently charged in Ohio’s biggest corruption case, found dead

Republican lawmakers hope DeWine focuses on workforce development and ways to boost Ohio's economy, while Democrats want the governor's support for policies that support working mothers -- and acknowledgment of what some describe as legislative dysfunction.

Watch an earlier report reflecting on last year's State of the State address in the video player above.

The State of the State will begin at noon and will be livestreamed in the video player above.

For a previous report on this story, view the video player above.

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered some U.S. and Ohio flags to be flown at half-staff.

DeWine ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Ohio to be flown at half-staff upon all Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction facilities in honor of Lieutenant Rodney Osborne, who was fatally shot at the Corrections Training Academy in Pickaway County on Tuesday.

The flags will be flown at half-staff beginning Wednesday until sunset on the day of his funeral.

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Osborne was fatally shot just before 11 :30 a.m. at the academy’s tactical firing range, according to Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction director Annette Chambers-Smith. Osborne had served with the department for 13 years and worked at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Scioto County.

The Lieutenant was part of the facility’s honor guard and had been named employee of the year just last week. He was also a member of the special response team and the statewide special tactics and response team.

The highway patrol has yet to announce what led to the fatal shooting.

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Cleveland-based developer is moving forward with plans to expand its central Ohio footprint by building more than 70 homes directly south of its 270-acre development in Delaware.

The Delaware Planning Commission approved on April 3 the proposal by Addison Rutherford, one of several development companies owned by Jason Friedman -- a prolific real estate developer also constructing Delaware's sprawling 273-acre Addison Farms development. Addison Rutherford's proposal calls for the construction of 72 single-family homes across 22 vacant acres.

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The development, referred to as "Rutherford Acres" in the proposal, will connect to the Hayes Colony subdivision to the west by extending Rutherford and Birchard avenues. Rutherford Acres will also intersect with Addison Farms' Four Seasons subdivision, under construction to feature 49 single-family homes on 29 acres and 45 single-family homes on 11 acres.

• Addison Rutherford's proposal calls from the construction of 72 single-family homes across 22 vacant acres. (Delaware Planning Commission)
• Addison Rutherford's proposal calls from the construction of 72 single-family homes across 22 vacant acres. (Delaware Planning Commission)

The Four Seasons subdivision is the southernmost cluster of Friedman's Addison Farms development. Other sections include 67 single-family homes being built on 22 acres with a residents-only 4,200-square-foot clubhouse home to a pool, a playground and event spaces available for rent. 

Nearly 150 townhomes are also under construction across 17 acres as part of Addison Farms. The two-story and three-story townhomes will sprawl a minimum of 1,200 square feet with a two-car garage. More than 280 apartment units across 45 single-story buildings round out

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In addition to Friedman's properties, several other developments are taking shape in Delaware. Romanelli and Hughes are constructing 97 single-family homes to continue building out the 473-acre Terra Alta development north of Braumiller Road and west of Berlin Station Road. The plan calls for 43 homes to be built on 27.2 acres and 54 homes on 21.2 acres.

Maronda Homes is aiming to build 655 homes as part of a residential and commercial development named “Donovan Farms” on a 114-acre site next to Boulder Park, east of South Section Line Road and west of Houk Road.

View a previous report on the super load intended for Intel's Ohio One plant in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The fourth of nearly two dozen super loads moving across Ohio roadways will become the first to arrive at Intel in New Albany on Wednesday.

The super load left from a dock on the Ohio River near Manchester in Adams County last week. This will be the first to arrive at Intel's Ohio One plant, with the first three arriving at the Freepoint Eco-Systems recycling facility near Hebron.

This load carries an air processor, weighs 378,400 pounds, and is over 19 feet tall, 20 feet wide and 128 feet long. It has caused traffic delays on certain central Ohio roadways throughout its trip.

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On Wednesday, the load will arrive at its destination after traveling along the following route:

• 9:30 a.m. Departure (approximate)
• Continue East on Tussing Road/State Route 204 to State Route 310
• Travel North on State Route 310 to U.S. Route 40 in Etna
• Travel West on U.S. Route 40 to Etna Parkway
• Travel North on Etna Parkway to State Route 16 
• Travel East on State Route 16 to State Route 310
• Travel North on State Route 310 to State Route 161
• Travel West on State Route 161 to Mink Street
• Travel North on Mink Street to Clover Valley Road NW

If the load reaches Pataskala late in the day, it will be parked there overnight and finish its voyage on Thursday.

View the player above to see previous coverage.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – After locks in memory of murder victims were removed from a Downtown bridge without notice, the City of Columbus is working with a local nonprofit to find a permanent home for the memorial.

Moms of Murdered Columbus Children (MOMCC), an anti-violence advocacy group consisting of local mothers, began placing locks on the Rich Street Bridge in October 2021 with the permission of city officials. But in late March, founder Malissa St. Clair said she received a phone call from a “very disgruntled” grandmother who was hyperventilating because she discovered the locks had been removed from the bridge.

“She said that is her only way of being able to visit her grandkids,” St. Clair said.

The city’s department of public service said the locks were removed during bridge maintenance to “prevent extra weight from compromising structural safety.”

The story behind the Rich Street Bridge locks begins in 2015, when St. Clair said she took a trip to the Purple People Bridge, which connects Cincinnati and Kentucky. On the bridge she observed hundreds of locks, and made it a personal goal of hers to add one. When MOMCC was first created in 2020, they took a trip to the Purple People Bridge to place locks on it, in memory of their loved ones. 

“Well, the bridge was closed and so we couldn’t do it,” St. Clair said. “So we had engraved our locks and I thought they need to be home anyway.”

The group chose to recreate the concept in Columbus on the Rich Street Bridge. St. Clair said the memorial, called "Locks of Love," represents "locking in the love and removing the violence."

“Often [victims] are stereotyped as thugs and people who deserved their end result, not knowing there’s a family on the other side that no matter what transpired to their murder, they were human beings loved beyond any transgression," St. Clair said.

St. Clair said she believes about 140 of the group’s locks were on the bridge at the time they were removed – and noted the group held six sessions where they added locks to it. The most recent event took place in July 2023. Over time, other people not associated with MOMCC began adding their own locks as well, according to St. Clair. 

“It was always told to me, if the bridge ever had compromise to the safety of the bridge because of the locks, that there was no guarantee that those locks would have to be cut off at some time,” St. Clair said. “But also, in that same sentiment, there was nowhere near the amount of locks on that bridge that would’ve compromised the weight as of yet.”

The city has worked with MOMCC to return the locks to their owners. St. Clair said the city was “extremely” apologetic. The city’s department of public service said it was working with the nonprofit to find a permanent solution regarding the memorial.

St. Clair encouraged those who want to take part in the Locks of Love initiative to reach out to MOMCC through their website. 

LONDON, Ohio (WCMH) – Closing the gap in Madison County's trails has been a project more than two decades in the making, and a deal quietly in the works could finish the job.

For years, a scarcely-used rail spur cutting through downtown London has prevented Madison County’s network of more than 15 miles of paved trails from connecting. The spur ends at a plant now owned by house cleaning product brand Armaly and has, by the plant manager’s estimate, been used maybe once in the past five years.

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The spur doesn’t sever the trail; it doesn’t even block the trail’s route. But because it’s not officially abandoned, Norfolk Southern, which operates the rail line, won’t allow a trail to run alongside it unless Armaly agrees to give it up. 

The Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails, a volunteer group that developed and, with the help of the county engineer, maintains the paved bike trails, has worked for years to get Armaly’s owners – and the owners of Brillo before Armaly bought the brand – to agree. The mayor, chamber of commerce, local developers and other community leaders even wrote letters to Armaly, emphasizing the sentimental and economic value of finishing the trail.

• The Armaly rail spur in downtown London, Ohio. (NBC4 Photo/Sarah Szilagy)
• The Armaly rail spur in downtown London, Ohio. (NBC4 Photo/Sarah Szilagy)

But Armaly’s owners didn’t respond, even when the Friends offered to construct a Brillo box archway – à la Andy Warhol’s famous Brillo Boxes sculpture – over the trail connector in Armaly’s honor.

That is, until last week.

Nothing’s set in stone – rail abandonment is a long process – but Gregg Alexander, president of the Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails, said the Armaly family has orally agreed to forfeit the spur. 

“We can actually get this done now,” Alexander said. “We can move ahead on something we’ve been working on for 23 years.”

Armaly did not respond to a request for comment. Norfolk Southern declined to comment other than to confirm that the rail spur is active and operated by the company. 

But Alexander is hopeful. That oral agreement brings the real possibility that the 1.1-mile gap separating Madison County’s trails will finally be closed – and central Ohio’s portion of the Great American Rail-Trail will be complete.

A cross-country bike trail through the heart of Ohio

The Great American Rail-Trail is a proposed bike route spanning more than 3,700 miles and connecting Washington state to Washington, DC along historic rail lines. The preferred route – of which more than 2,000 miles are already complete – takes cyclists from Indiana into Ohio via Preble County, through Columbus, up to Clinton before traveling down to Steubenville and east to the Pennsylvania border.

How the total solar eclipse impacted Indian Lake area businesses

Like in other states, the preferred route through Ohio uses many existing trails – including the Ohio to Erie Trail, which local groups have led the effort to complete for decades. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s 2023 analysis of the Ohio trail network showed the network was 70% complete, with 100 miles of gaps remaining. Melinda Vonstein, coordinator of Central Ohio Greenways within the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, said communities in central Ohio, including in Sunbury and Westerville, have chipped away at gaps since then. 

The Great American Rail-Trail route through Ohio. (Courtesy Photo/Rails to Trails Conservancy)

At the same time, Vonstein said Central Ohio Greenways has worked with local trail groups and municipalities to integrate the trails into their communities – and by doing so, to cater to lively local bicyclists and out-of-town adventure tourists alike. Central Ohio Greenways and the Rails to Trails Conservancy are developing a Trail Town designation for towns along the trail to highlight lodging, tourist attractions and trail cyclist-friendly small businesses.

Started in 1999, the Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails became the unofficial blueprint for developing and maintaining bike trails across central Ohio, Alexander said. He noted how crucial the group’s strong relationship with the county engineer and local businesses has been in trail upkeep. 

Alexander and Alan Knowles, a Friends board member and longtime trail user, said they’re encouraged by the development of a “Trail Town” program – but they’re not waiting for it. The trailheads in London already feature small green welcome signs with the words, “Proud to be a Trail Town.”

A "Trail Town" sign along the Roberts Pass Trail in London, Ohio. (NBC4 Photo/Sarah Szilagy)

“Why are we waiting for someone to tell us we’re a trail town? We are a trail town,” Alexander said. 

People from more than half of U.S. states and nearly two dozen countries have signed visitor logs in London on their journeys along Ohio’s trails. One group even told Knowles that they specifically sought out London on the route – they heard about the town while researching from their home country, Australia.

Cyclists approaching London from the west are greeted at the Prairie Grass Trail Head by big letters spelling “London” and a bike made from red metal. Next to a pavilion is a campsite equipped with wooden platforms for tents, a bike repair station, bathroom access and free WiFi.

Until last June, those biking into London from the northeast were welcomed by an old factory and overgrown flora. But thanks to an agreement with the local company that owns the warehouse, the 16 bricked-up windows of the building have been transformed into murals. 

Designed by local artist Clay Hurley, the murals tell the history of the area, from the mastodons who roamed the land thousands of years ago to the U.S. presidents who stayed at the old hotel in town. Next to the building is a garden teeming with pollinator plants and plants native to the area, including Black-eyed Susan and dense blazing star.

• Alan Knowles walks along the Roberts Pass Trail in London, Ohio in April 2024. (NBC4 Photo/Sarah Szilagy)
• A mural along the Roberts Pass Trail showing the history of agriculture in Madison County. (NBC4 Photo/Sarah Szilagy)
• An old factory along the Roberts Pass Trail, a portion of the Great American Rail-Trail, showcases 16 murals paying homage to the history of the area. (NBC4 Photo/Sarah Szilagy)

The partially uncovered remnants of a railroad run parallel to the trail leading to the Roberts Pass trailhead. An old stone post next to the trail tells train engineers of a bygone era that they’re 163 miles from Cleveland.

This 7-mile stretch of trail is named for the founders of the Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails, Wayne Roberts and Gene Pass. Pass used to own a plot of land just around the corner.

Ohio lawmakers considering law to allow execution by nitrogen hypoxia

On that land, right next to a more recently completed section of the trail, Knowles has opened a small hotel, welcome to anyone but designed for cyclists. Pass knew for a long time that he wanted that plot of land to be used for the trail, and he agreed to sell the land to Knowles.

“By the time it got to be done, he had died already,” Knowles said. “But his family went through with it. There was no quibbling.”

It was nothing more than a handshake deal, an oral agreement.

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: On/off showers, high 65
• Tonight: Widespread rain, low 59
• Thursday: Rain & storms, windy, high 71
• Friday: Sct'd showers, windy, high 53
• Saturday: Clearing, breezy, high 64
• Sunday: Isolated showers, partly sunny, high 72

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Wednesday!

We start the day with scattered shower activity across the region as a cold front sags south into Central Ohio. We'll see some dry time during the mid-morning to early-afternoon timeframe, before more rain moves in later and into this evening. Highs top out in the middle 60s.

More widespread rain arrives tonight and into Thursday. Expect heavier showers, and eventually thunderstorms, especially into Thursday afternoon and evening. We do have a low-end, 2-out-of-5 risk for strong to severe storms.

This is something we'll be monitoring, with gusty winds being the greatest threat, but we do also have a low-end tornado threat. Highs stick in the lower 70s with a strong wind.

We're left with lingering, lighter showers on Friday, at least for the first half of the day. Temperatures drop back to the low to middle 50s, and we hang onto that strong wind.

Saturday will be nice! We start to clear up, with sunny skies, and highs in the middle 60s. We will be a bit breezy still.

For Sunday, expect partly sunny skies, with a few isolated pockets of rain. Far from a washout, but not totally dry for all of Central Ohio. Highs warm back to the lower 70s.

-McKenna

MONTERREY, Mexico (WCMH) -- The Columbus Crew made history in Mexico Tuesday night as they took down UANL Tigres to make its first CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals.

The Black & Gold drew with the Mexican giants 1-1 in the second leg of the quarterfinals after regulation and extra time, forcing the match into a penalty shootout to determine a winner. Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte saved Tigres' first two penalties and Columbus' Max Arfsten was able to score the last penalty to win the shootout 4-3.

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Columbus is now in the semifinals of the Champions Cup for the first time in club history and will face either Inter Miami or Monterrey in the semifinals. The first leg will be played between April 23 or 25 and the second leg will be played either April 30, May 1 or 2.

Tigres took the lead early with a 3rd minute goal from Andre-Pierre Gignac before Diego Rossi equalized in the 59th minute. The 1-1 draw meant it was 2-2 on aggregate and forced the game into extra time. After no goals in extra time, it was penalties that determined the victor.

With the win, the Crew became the first MLS club to beat a Mexican team on penalties in Mexico. Columbus returns to the pitch on Saturday when they play at Real Salt Lake.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A police cruiser was hit by a suspect in a stolen vehicle in Columbus late Tuesday night.

Columbus police were pursuing a suspect from a stolen vehicle before being hit on Harrisburg Pike and Mound St. The incident took place around 10:25 p.m.

No officers were injured in the crash. The suspect has not yet been caught.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A bill that would allow a type of lethal gas for executions for inmates on death row had its first hearing at the Ohio Statehouse today.

“This is the law, and we haven’t upheld the law in eight years,” Representative Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) said. “And it’s time we start enforcing the law that elected officials have already voted on.”

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House Bill 392 is sponsored by Representatives Plummer and Brian Stewart (R-Ashville). It would authorize the use of nitrogen hypoxia, a form of lethal gas, for inmates on death row in Ohio. 

“Death is the ultimate punishment,” Stewart said. “I believe it should be rare, I believe it should be very rare, and it is in Ohio. But I do believe it should be an available option for those truly heinous crimes.”

The proposed bill has already been met with pushback. Opposition said it is an inhumane piece of legislation.

“If we are going to use gas which frankly our veterinarians won’t use on animals, why would we use that on human beings,” Representative Michele Grim (D-Toledo) said.

“In a Democratic society that’s supposed to be evolved in 2024, the fact that we’re still talking about how to execute people I think is very sad,” Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) said.

Right now, the state has 120 inmates on death row. Since Gov. Mike DeWine took office in 2018, there has not been a single execution. DeWine, in part, cites the inability to get the necessary drugs to carry out the executions. The bill’s sponsors said they take issue with that and are trying to provide a solution.

“We cannot continue to just kick the can down the road and unilaterally say ‘we are going to disregard what these juries have done,’” Stewart said. “If there is this claimed, 'inability to get access' to lethal injection drugs, then we need to find another avenue.”

Stewart said using nitrogen hypoxia is the “trend across the country.” He said a total of eight states currently authorize the use of lethal gas. Of those eight states, Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Louisiana expressly allow nitrogen hypoxia to be used for executions. 

“You want Ohio to join that quartet of enlightened thought,” Representative Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester) asked Stewart.

“I wouldn’t have introduced the bill if I didn’t support the policy,” Stewart said.

There are currently two bipartisan bills to abolish the death penalty being heard in the statehouse.

“They don’t end up going anywhere," Stewart said. "Why? Because they don’t actually have the majority of support inside the general assembly. What does have majority support is capital punishment, because otherwise we would have abolished it a long time ago.”

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“The governor has basically had an informal moratorium on the death penalty since he has been in office,” Antonio said. “I do believe there are other ways to deal with the death penalty, like ending it, rather than try these methods.”

The bill's sponsors say they believe this legislation would survive any kind of constitutional challenge. In addition to support from the attorney general and the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys’ Association, Stewart said he believes the bill has support within the Ohio House Republican caucus to pass.

BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio (WCMH) -- The eclipse brought visitors from all over the state as well as the country to the Indian Lake area, and community members hope they come back.

Given its place in the path of Monday's total solar eclipse, the area was a popular place to be. 

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“More people showed up than I could have ever imagined and that was the cool part," said Dave Hafenbrack, Operations Director at Gathering Grounds, a coffee shop in Russells Point.

The shop closed early so employees could experience the eclipse but still did more than double the business of a normal day, according to Hafenbrack. He said for a community still recovering from the March tornado, eclipse day was part of a comeback. 

“It was just a perfect day, perfect weather, for a community who needed that, really it was fantastic," Hafenbrack said. "We were appreciative of them, everybody was upbeat and that was a valuable part, I think, of just kind of our resurgence a little and revitalization and rebuilding the community."

Just a few minutes away, the team at Indian Lake Brewing Company estimated a couple hundred people witnessed the eclipse at the brewery.

"I think a lot of people came to support the community and that was really overwhelming. People who said they came up because they knew the businesses were hurting," said Rebekah Smith, co-owner of the brewery. "And could understand the connection between supporting our businesses and supporting our residents."

Indian Lake Brewing Company's sign was damaged during the tornado. Smith described it as a symbol for the community. She said it's broken but still hanging on. She said visitors helped make Monday one of the busiest days the brewery has ever experienced.

“The actual eclipse itself, it's something I'm going to remember forever," Smith said. "But I think when you layer on the emotional aspect of recovering from the tornado plus the eclipse, that's going to be a tough day for me to top."

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She also encouraged visitors to return.

"We’re a tourism and we’re getting ready to go into our big season. So as awesome the support we saw with the eclipse, we really just want to encourage people to come back again," Smith said. "We depend on visitors which means residents depend on visitors and lot of the people who were impacted are folks that work in tourism, they work in our restaurants, in our bars, all of our other retail shops."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The clock is ticking as the deadline to file your income tax return for 2023 is just days away.

If you still need to file, the IRS has some information about the process that could help, like the agency's online Direct File.

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"So, for those who have not filed yet, I'd strongly recommend if you made less than $79,000 last year, that you consider Free File," IRS Spokesman Luis Garcia said.

Garcia said the program -- which you can find on the agency's website -- partners with eight different private sector tax software companies that provide the service at no cost to the taxpayer.

"It'll prepare your taxes for you, file it directly with us, takes care of all the calculations," Garcia said. "But if you go any other route, it's not guaranteed that it's going to be free."

Whether you file for free or not, Garcia said the best way to submit your return and get your refund as quickly as possible is to file electronically.

"If you write out your return, email it in and you ask for a paper check, you're looking at eight to 10 weeks before you get that refund," Garcia said. "And if you file electronically, and ask for direct deposit, you get it in 21 days or less."

Garcia said e-filing also makes it easier to keep tabs on when your refund will arrive.

"The 'Where's My Refund,' whether it's on our website, irs.gov, or whether you download the IRS app, that is the best way to keep my personal friends who are always bugging me about where their refund is off my back," Garcia said.

And if -- for some reason -- you're unable to turn in your return by April 15, Garcia said you always have the opportunity to extend your filing, so you get an additional six months.

"But remember, an extension to file is not an extension to pay," said Garcia. "So, if you owe, you owe on April 15."

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In summary, if you've been holding out on filing, or just flat out procrastinating, Garcia suggested filing now.

"File that tax return now," Garcia said. "Get it out of the way, and make sure that your payment is in by the 15th. And you're golden."

Garcia said additional funding allowed the IRS to hire 5,000 additional employees to answer calls and questions from taxpayers, taking the agency from a record low answering rate of 14 percent last year to 86 percent this year.

ORIENT, Ohio (WCMH) -- A lieutenant was shot and killed on Tuesday during a "tragic accident" at the Corrections Training Academy in Pickaway County.

Lt. Rodney Osborne (ODRC)

Rodney Osborne was fatally shot just before 11 :30 a.m. at the academy's tactical firing range, according to Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction director Annette Chambers-Smith. Osborne had served with the department for 13 years and worked at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Scioto County.

"This appears to have been a tragic accident, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating," said Chambers-Smith. "We ask that you keep Lt. Osborne's wife, children, loved ones, and team members in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

Osborne was part of the facility's honor guard and had been named employee of the year just last week. He was also a member of the special response team and the statewide special tactics and response team.

The highway patrol has yet to announce what led to the fatal shooting.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio's former top energy regulator, recently indicted as part of the state's biggest corruption case in its history, was found dead Tuesday.

Columbus police found the body of Sam Randazzo, 74, at 11:45 a.m. at a warehouse near the 400 block of East Mound Street, according to the Franklin County Coroner's Office. The agency stated that the former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio died by suicide.

Randazzo had ties to FirstEnergy, the company at the center of a 2019 scheme to pass a $1 billion bailout bill for its nuclear power plants. Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and former state Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges were both convicted of charges tied to their acceptance of a $61 million bribe to ensure its passage in the legislature.

Sam Randazzo. (Courtesy Photo/Public Utilities Commission of Ohio)

Randazzo went years without facing charges in the case, but the FBI searched his home in November 2020. He resigned from PUCO days later.

The chairman was indicted first in December 2023 on federal charges including:

• One count of conspiring to commit travel act bribery and honest services wire fraud
• Two counts of travel act bribery
• Two counts of honest services wire fraud
• One count of wire fraud
• Five counts of making illegal monetary transactions

He was then indicted a second time by the state of Ohio in February alongside FirstEnergy's ex-CEO Chuck Jones and ex-senior vice president of external affairs Michael Dowling, sharing 27 different felony violations.

Randazzo is the second person tied to the case who died by apparent suicide. Lobbyist Neil Clark, one of the first people charged in the FirstEnergy bribery scandal, was found dead in March 2021 in Naples, Fla.

Watch a previous report on the shooting in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A second man is facing charges in connection to a fatal March shooting in Franklinton.

Darrell W. Howell, 33, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder and abuse of a corpse for his alleged role in the March 25 shooting death of John R. Lang, 56.

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On Monday, Derrick L. Brown, 55, was arrested and charged with murder in the shooting.

Columbus police said officers responded to the area of Meek Avenue and Jones Avenue at approximately 12 p.m. on March 25 for a report of an unresponsive man, later identified as Lang, lying in an alleyway. Lang was pronounced dead at the scene.

Both Howell and Brown are being held at Franklin County Jail. Brown was arraigned on Tuesday; online court records do not yet list a court appearance for Howell.

Watch a previous report on the federal civil rights investigation into Ohio State in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State University is facing another federal complaint that it failed to address antisemitic events on and near campus since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The complaint, filed by three prominent Jewish organizations with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights on Tuesday, accuses the university of inadequately addressing multiple incidents of harassment and violence against Jewish and Israeli students. The university's improper response to such incidents amounts to violations of federal anti-discrimination laws, the organizations contend.

The groups behind the complaint are StandWithUs, an international nonprofit that describes itself as an "Israel education organization" and opponent of antisemitisim; the Anti-Defamation League; and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. The groups say that since Oct. 7, antisemitism on and near campus has "run the gamut," from targeted harassment of Ohio State's Hillel Center to students being called antisemitic slurs and assaulted.

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“Since October 7, Jewish students on campuses nationwide have faced unprecedented antisemitic harassment and discrimination,” said Roz Rothstein, CEO of StandWithUs, in a news release. “Ohio State University is no exception. Antisemitism is expressed openly; blatant verbal and physical threats and attacks on Jewish students often go unaddressed by the administration. By filing this Title VI federal complaint, we aim to hold the administration accountable.”

In a statement, an Ohio State spokesperson said "Ohio State has never – and will never – tolerate discrimination or harassment of anyone based on their religious beliefs, nationality or identity." In a letter to StandWithUs, Ohio State leadership said the complaint inaccurately described the university's response, and that Ohio State has been "focused on supporting members of our university community" since the Oct. 7 attacks.

The Office of Civil Rights is already investigating Ohio State after it received a complaint that the university has failed to address antisemitism. Since Oct. 7, federal investigations have been opened into more than three dozen colleges for alleged discrimination on the basis of shared ancestry. Office of Civil Rights investigations follow a lengthy process and can take years to resolve.

Amid high tensions over the Israel-Hamas war, a flurry of antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents have been reported at colleges across the country, including at Ohio State. In addition to highlighting publicly reported incidents of harassment or violence, the groups' complaint outlined more than a dozen antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents it said the university didn't properly address, including:

• In late January, a student living off campus reported that their mezuzah, a scroll containing passages from the Torah, had been torn from their doorpost and thrown on the ground
• In early February, Jewish students eating Shabbat dinner at Hillel were allegedly interrupted by students shouting, "Free Palestine" and banging on the windows
• Multiple incidents of Jewish students being harassed on campus about the Israel-Hamas war

The groups also took aim at protesters and groups on campus that oppose Israel's war in Gaza, including Students for Justice in Palestine. The complaint says that multiple protests on campus have led to antisemitic sentiment and rhetoric.

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"On November 17, 2023, an unaffiliated student group staged a demonstration inside of Thompson Library, unfurling a large banner, shouting slogans falsely accusing Israel of 'genocide,' and loudly reading out the names of people killed in Gaza, disrupting the study space there for approximately an hour," the complaint reads.

In Ohio State's response to StandWithUs, it said it's beholden to the First Amendment speech protections but is "fully prepared" to address speech that incites violence.

The response letter pointed to multiple steps Ohio State has taken to address antisemitic harassment, boost safety on and off campus and support students and staff. The university added more security cameras, increased its police force's joint patrol of the off-campus area with Columbus police, and has a dedicated detective assigned to the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces.

Several of the incidents StandWithUs included in the complaint were not reported to the university, Ohio State's letter reads. Of the ones that were, Ohio State said the complaint "mischaracterizes the university's response" in one instance and otherwise inaccurately laid out the timeline of events and responses. In addition to opening investigations into reports, Ohio State has made multiple public statements condemning antisemitic harassment and violence against students.

"Through both our words and, importantly, our actions, we continually reaffirm and communicate messaging focused on our expectations regarding an environment of respect and compassion during this extraordinarily difficult time for many on our campuses," Ohio State's response reads. "It is very disappointing that your letter to us does not accurately represent what has occurred at Ohio State or the university’s strong and ongoing response."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus coffee shop and bakery has repairs to make Tuesday, and a couple is counting themselves lucky after a car smashed into the building.

The crash happened Monday morning at Fox in the Snow Cafe at 1031 N. 4th St. The driver involved in the crash told Columbus police that he was heading north on 4th Street when he started to feel light-headed. He began to pull his car over to the left, but did not remember anything beyond that point.

The driver's car then went over a curb and through a vacant lot, police said. It hit another car and then struck the Fox in the Snow building. Photos taken by customer Brent Deems showed the red car hit a garage door used as a window for the cafe, smashing through and striking tables and chairs inside.

• A car crashed into the Fox in the Snow cafe on April 8, 2024. (Courtesy Photo/Brent Deems)
• A car crashed into the Fox in the Snow cafe on April 8, 2024. (Courtesy Photo/Brent Deems)

Deems told NBC4 that he and his wife were near the garage door when the car crashed through, hitting him in the back. A table pushed away his spouse.

"My wife and I had just sat down to enjoy our breakfast when all of a sudden we heard a loud noise and were flung across the room," Deems said. "The car had smacked into the restaurant right where we were seated. Although we were both pretty shaken up, I’m very thankful we were not hurt."

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Out of caution, Columbus Division of Fire medics took the driver to a local hospital, according to Columbus police. Deems said he and his wife are grateful that they were able to walk away from the crash.

"If the car had hit even a couple of feet over to its right, it would have been a lot worse," Deems said. "I pray the driver is okay and hope Fox in the Snow can open again soon."

Fox in the Snow had not responded to requests for comment as of noon Tuesday. While an automated message on the cafe's phone line said it was not accepting call-in orders for the time being, it did not share information about the crash's effect on store hours.

GROVE CITY, Ohio (WCMH) - A gym featuring certified training and a variety of fitness classes is open in Grove City.

DadBod Fitness, located at 4093 Hoover Rd., opened its newest training facility on April 1. The gym took over the former location of McGuire Driving Academy, which is now located at 3148 Broadway in Grove City.

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According to its social media, the gym has certified personal training, while offering several options for those who love fitness. The center offers personal training, small group training, online training, boot camp classes and even kids fitness.

• (Courtesy: DadBod Fitness LLC)
• (Courtesy: DadBod Fitness LLC)
• (Courtesy: DadBod Fitness LLC)
• (Courtesy: DadBod Fitness LLC)

The owner of the facility, Abraham Bartlett, has a passion for fitness and was a coach for 15 years. Bartlett received his certification in personal fitness last April, where he saw his number of clients grow and decided to create his own space for fitness. Since then, the facility is fully operational and is currently offering classes for anyone.

According to Bartlett, the name of the gym represents that fitness is for everyone. "If you have a dad bod, mom bod, or just need a place to start to improve your health," said Bartlett.

DadBod Fitness is open, but by appointment only. For more information, you can call the facility at 614-551-4324.

POWELL, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Toledo taproom boasted as one of Ohio's oldest craft breweries home to the state's "most renowned beermakers" has expanded with a second location near Columbus.

Shawnee Station Taproom and Kitchen is now welcoming guests at 6058 Glick Road in Powell after hosting a grand opening on April 4, the restaurant announced on social media. The new taproom is operated by Maumee Bay Brewing Co., a Toledo eatery located at 27 Broadway St. and known as the city's original craft brewery.

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The central Ohio location is home to "best-in-class brewmasters" who are pouring more than 16 creations from Maumee Bay, like the company's flagship Buckeye Lager inspired by Buckeye Brewery established in 1838. Other favorites include Broadway Blonde Ale and Fallen Timbers Red Ale, one of the first beers brewed when Maumee opened in 1995.

• Shawnee Station Taproom and Kitchen is now welcoming guests at 6058 Glick Road in Powell. (Courtesy Photo/Shawnee Station)
• Shawnee Station Taproom and Kitchen is now welcoming guests at 6058 Glick Road in Powell. (Courtesy Photo/Shawnee Station)
• Shawnee Station Taproom and Kitchen is now welcoming guests at 6058 Glick Road in Powell. (Courtesy Photo/Shawnee Station)

Shawnee also features a menu crated by Travis Hyde, a central Ohio chef who previously served as the executive sous chef of New Albany Country Club and operated Sweet-T's Southern Style food truck. Offering include flatbreads, handhelds and a series of main dishes, like the blue crab baked gnocchi and the tuna poke bowl.

Maumee Bay is expanding as several other central Ohio breweries have faced turmoil since the COVID-19 pandemic, like Rockmill Brewery in Lancaster that was for sale a foreclosure auction then acquired by a husband and wife who held their wedding at the brewery.

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1487 Brewery in Plain City permanently closed in February after its former chief operating officer pleaded guilty to stealing more than $200,000 from the company. Smokehouse Brewing Co. in Grandview Heights closed in January after crafting more than 100 different types of beer and 25 years in business.

Shawnee is open 3 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus police officer was relieved of duty and is facing multiple charges after allegedly threatening to kill two people.

Brandon Herren, who has been a Columbus police officer since January 2022, was arrested Saturday on charges of domestic violence and aggravated menacing. A probable cause affidavit shows that a woman played officers a recording of a phone call in which Herren threatened to kill her.

The woman was in the car with another person, whom Herren also threatened, according to court documents. The witness in the car corroborated the victim's account and said they believed Herren would act on the threats.

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Court documents do not identify Herren, 36, as an officer, but state he was a "known person" to the officers who responded to the scene and that they recognized his voice from the video recording.

A Columbus police spokesperson said Herren was relieved of duty "immediately upon his arrest" and turned in his gun and badge. It is division policy to wait until criminal investigations are complete before initiating an administrative investigation.

On Monday, Herren pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. He has been ordered to stay away from the victims and to not consume alcohol or drugs. A temporary protection order was also issued.