Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – American Girl recently announced it will close its Easton store in February 2024.

The store, located at 404 The Strand E. Space 520 in Easton, posted a sign at its storefront announcing it will close on Feb. 19.

Mall at Tuttle Crossing under new ownership as stores close

A representative with the company said in a statement: "While difficult, the decision comes as we continue to optimize our store portfolio to meet our business objectives and evolve with consumer shopping behavior in a challenging retail environment. It’s been our privilege to serve this wonderful community for more than a decade. We thank our loyal customers in the Ohio area for their patronage..."

The Easton location is Ohio’s only American Girl store. According to American Girl’s website, nine stores remain, with locations in North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, California, Tennessee, New York, Florida, Washington, D.C. and Canada.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Grammy and Emmy-nominated comedian Bill Burr is coming to Columbus in 2024.

Top winter concerts and events in central Ohio

Burr will be performing at the Schottenstein Center on May 16 for his upcoming tour.

Burr made his debut as host of Saturday Night Live on Oct. 10, 2020, and has appeared on television shows, film and more.

Burr's arena and amphitheater tour, Bill Burr Live, has been across the U.S. and Europe since Aug. 21, 2022. He is also the first comedian to perform at Fenway Park, according to the release.

Tickets for the tour go on sale Dec. 8 at 10 a.m.

For additional information and how to get tickets, click here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - A Columbus-based restaurant known for its Peruvian-inspired sandwiches has opened a second location.

Sí Señor, a locally owned Latin American restaurant, has come to the Arena District with its location at 155 W. Nationwide Blvd., which was formerly a Zoup. The restaurant, which adds to a mix of options in the neighborhood, will offer dine-in, pickup, and catering, with delivery service planned in the coming months.

The restaurant was originally opened in 2010 by owner Guillermo Perez and his wife Christell Gozzer, who are originally from Lima, Perú. Sí Señor once had multiple locations across the city but closed all but its Grandview Heights store during the coronavirus pandemic.

• Interior of Sí Señor's new store. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)
• Interior of Sí Señor's new store. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)
• Interior of Sí Señor's new store. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)
• Interior of Sí Señor's new store. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)
• Interior of Sí Señor's new store. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)

Perez continued to operate solely from the Grandview Heights location before being approached by two business partners with an idea. They suggested that they help him expand Sí Señor by opening a new location with a consolidated menu in the Arena District. He told his team that he loved the idea, and they moved ahead with the plan. While he continues to spend most of his time at the Grandview Heights location, Perez remains fully involved in the operation of the new location.

Food at Sí Señor is inspired by the cuisine of Perú, which pulls a lot of its influence from Asian food and ingredients. For example, beef at the restaurant is tenderized in soy sauce. The restaurant also makes homemade chips and hot sauce in-house.

The new location's regular hours of operation will be:

• Monday-Friday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Saturday: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sunday: Closed

Hours will potentially be extended during Arena District events.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus man has pleaded guilty of multiple charges, one of which involves stolen police ammunition.

Christopher Lee Kimmel, 37, pleaded guilty on Friday to multiple charges related to two thefts. The charges included two counts of breaking and entering, three of possession of criminal tools, four of grand theft of a motor vehicle, two of grand theft and two of receiving stolen property.

Mall at Tuttle Crossing under new ownership as stores close

On March 24, Kimmel and James Mason Damien Scaff, 32, were accused of breaking into a warehouse on the West Side and stealing more than $70,000 worth of appliances.

In a second incident on April 2, Kimmel and Scaff were accused of breaking into a second warehouse. This time, they allegedly used a stolen delivery truck to take two motorcycles and 162,000 rounds of rifle ammunition set to be delivered to Columbus police.

“The fact that this massive amount of ammunition was released into this community creates a significant risk to the safety of the public at large,” said Anthony Pierson of the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office.

Kimmel's accomplice Scaff pleaded guilty to multiple charges on Nov. 8. He will be sentenced on Dec. 15.

After his guilty plea, Kimmel was sentenced to six years in prison.

CINCINNATI, Ohio (WCMH) -- Federal prosecutors on Monday announced an indictment against the former leader of Ohio's utilities regulator.

Former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio chairman Samuel Randazzo, 74, surrendered himself to the U.S. District Court in Cincinnati Monday morning, according to U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker. He faces 11 counts in the case, 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

Randazzo served as PUCO chairman from April 2019 to November 2020 when he resigned. He first came under scrutiny, including a search of his home by the FBI, as part of the investigation into the Larry Householder bribery scandal. A company of Randazzo's was listed in bankruptcy documents from a FirstEnergy subsidiary.

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While Parker did not name FirstEnergy or Householder in his statements Monday, he referenced a $4.3 million payment Randazzo received from the energy company as the basis for some of the charges. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost requested the freeze of Randazzo's assets in 2021 when FirstEnergy admitted it was a bribe for the chairman's help passing House Bill 6, a $1.3 billion ratepayer-funded nuclear power plant bailout.

"Today's indictment outlines an alleged scheme in which a public regulatory official ignored the Ohio consumers he was responsible for protecting, instead taking a bribe from an energy company seeking favors," said FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers.

Investigators backed up their findings with the $4.3 million payment with text messages from FirstEnergy executives. One of these conversations preceded favorable language in November 2019 for FirstEnergy in a PUCO opinion and order, according to Parker.

"Stock is gonna get hit with Ohio 2024. Need Sam to get rid of the 'Ohio 2024 hole,'" one executive's text read.

"I spoke with Sam today. Told me 2024 issue will be handled next Thursday," another text read.

Another conversation hinted that by March 2020, some at PUCO were aware of Randazzo's relationship with FirstEnergy.

"...a lot of talk going on in the halls of PUCO about does he work there for for us? He'll move it as fast as he can," a text message read.

Charging documents then explained how Randazzo received the $4.3 million payment alongside other transactions. The chairman maintained a consulting business called Sustainability Funding Alliance of Ohio, Inc. It listed Randazzo as its sole representative, with his home address also included as the business address. Not only did FirstEnergy wire its bribe to SFA, but Parker said Randazzo also used the business for embezzlement. The chairman funneled at least $1 million intended for an association of Ohio industrial energy users to himself.

Randazzo's career included time as general counsel for the industry group prior to his appointment to chairman of PUCO. He controlled the industry group's bank accounts, according to Parker. From here, the charging documents claimed Randazzo entered into settlements with companies on behalf of the industry group and kept portions of the settlement payments for himself. As part of the embezzlement scheme, he created a fake member of the group that also received payments alongside real members.

If convicted, Randazzo could face up to 20 years in prison. Federal court records did not show a scheduled date for the next proceeding in his case.

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person was killed after a crash Monday morning in Delaware County.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said that the crash occurred at 7:45 a.m. on State Route 37 near North Galena Road and that one person was killed.

Family of gunned down Columbus teacher seek answers

The road is currently closed as authorities clear the scene, per the OSHP.

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

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Ohio State Buckeyes will be searching for a new starting quarterback in 2024.

According to multiple sources, Kyle McCord has entered into the NCAA transfer portal Monday morning. McCord started all 12 games for the Buckeyes, throwing for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns, with six interceptions, while completing 65.8 percent of his passes (229-of-348).

McCord, a junior, and redshirt freshman Devin Brown shared QB duties for the first five weeks of the season before Brown, mostly used in running situations, injured his leg against Penn State and has not played in a game since, though he was active for the season finale at Michigan.

No. 7 Buckeyes to play No. 9 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Classic

McCord, who threw for 271 yards and two TDs against Michigan, engineered a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to bring OSU within three points. But after Michigan went up 30-24, McCord's potential game-winning drive fell short with an interception at the 20-yard-line with 25 seconds remaining.

Michigan also capitalized on McCord's first interception of the game in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead. It was Ohio State's third consecutive loss to Michigan.

Brown, true freshman Lincoln Kienholz and senior Tristian Gebbia are the remaining quarterbacks on OSU's roster. The Buckeyes also received a commitment from Fairburn, Georgia native Air Noland, for the 2024 season.

The Buckeyes play Missouri in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 29 in Dallas, Texas.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The family of a woman shot and killed in a Hilltop neighborhood is searching for answers 10 months after her death.

In the early hours of Jan. 21, Columbus police officers arrived at the 80 block of Belvidere Avenue in the Hilltop neighborhood on the reports of a shooting. They found Jamika Summerville, 25, had been shot, and she was taken to Grant Medical Center before dying of her injuries.

Summerville, who was employed at Highland Elementary School as a special education instructional assistant, was a beloved member of the school community.

“She was a friend to staff, students, and the community and presented a positive impression in the classroom,” Columbus City School District spokesperson Jacqueline Bryant said at the time. “She was also a proud graduate of Columbus City Schools.”

Nearly a year later, there are no known suspects or motives for Summerville's murder. According to Det. Derek Corbin, there were no indications anyone would have had a reason to target the victim.

"Homicide began investigating the incident and learned that Miss Summerville, who is a teacher's assistant for Columbus Public, did not live there, did not have any threats or anything against her," Corbin said. "It is unknown at this point why she was targeted in this incident."

Evidence suggests that there could have been more than one shooter, Corbin said.

"There's multiple gunshots, and from ShotSpotter, it appears that there may have been two shooters," he said. "The way the shots sound on the recording … it sounds like there may be two guns going off at the same time."

Columbus police urge anyone with information to come forward and help the investigation for the sake of Summerville's family.

"Her family deserves to have justice just as much as anybody else," Corbin said.

Corbin may be reached at 614-645-2685 or dcorbin@columbuspolice.org. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Columbus police are searching for the driver of a vehicle that struck a cyclist on the east side of the city Sunday night.

Just after 8:30 p.m. an adult riding a bicycle on East Livingston Avenue, just past the Browning Avenue intersection in Eastmoor, was struck by a dark colored vehicle, which was traveling westbound. The driver reportedly fled the scene, continuing west on E. Livingston Ave.

Mall at Tuttle Crossing under new ownership as stores close

The victim was taken to Grant Medical Center and listed in stable condition.

The Accident Investigation Unit has opened a case into the hit-skip crash and asks that anyone with information to call the AIU at 614-645-4767.

CINCINNATI (WCMH) – Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio’s federal funding may be in jeopardy after a court ruled that the organization’s Title X grant eligibility caused irreparable harm to the state of Ohio.

The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals granted Ohio a preliminary injunction Thursday, blocking federal agency rules that allow Title X recipients to offer Title X services and abortion services in the same location, so long as the operations are sufficiently separate. The injunction means Trump-era agency rules that prohibit Title X recipients from providing referrals for abortion will apply to Ohio.

Ohio and 11 other states sought a block on 2021 rules from taking effect, arguing that allowing providers to offer Title X and abortion services in the same location amounted to the indirect funding of abortion care, as “every dollar an abortion provider receives through Title X frees up another dollar that the grantee can use to subsidize abortion.”

A split Sixth Circuit panel on Thursday ruled that the states are likely to succeed on the merits of their complaint but only blocked the rule from going into effect in Ohio, the sole state to provide evidence that its Title X funding decreased under the new rule.

“Whatever your opinion on abortion as a moral matter, the court vindicated Congress’ considered judgment that tax dollars should not fund programs that use abortion as a method of family planning,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a Friday afternoon news release. 

The news release from Yost’s office said his team is “currently assessing the full impact of the injunction” and said that Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio may have to forfeit its funding due to the preliminary injunction. Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio declined to comment on the ruling.

Title X is a 53-year-old, federally funded program that offers grants to clinics that provide family planning services at low or no cost to patients, who often are low-income. The law itself forbids the use of funds for abortion services, but the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is tasked with determining more specific funding rules.

HHS’s rules have changed several times since then, yo-yoing between allowing grant recipients to provide Title X services and abortion-related services in the same location, and requiring them to be physically separate. Title X eligibility rules have always required separate finances for abortion services and Title X programs.

Different administrations have also ushered in different rules on abortion referrals. For many years, HHS required clinics to provide “nondirective” counseling on all family planning options, including abortion, and to provide abortion referrals upon patient request.

In 2019, however, HHS under former President Donald Trump released a new rule forbidding clinics from offering Title X services and abortion-related services in the same location, and from providing abortion referrals except in cases of medical emergency, rape or incest. In light of the changes, Planned Parenthood – including Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio – pulled out of the Title X program.

Without Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, the Ohio Department of Health was the only Title X provider in the state. Consequently, in 2020 and 2021, the state received $8.8 million each year in Title X funding. 

Under President Joe Biden, HHS in 2021 released new rules revoking the Trump-era restrictions and restoring the abortion referral requirement. Planned Parenthood reentered the program.

Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and other states sued to block the rule but were denied a preliminary injunction by the trial court last year, which determined that because HHS had not yet distributed funds under the new rule, states’ claims of irreparable harm were too speculative.

Last March, HHS awarded Title X funds under the new rule. The Ohio Department of Health received just over $7 million, while Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio received $2 million.

On Thursday, the appellate court ruled that Ohio was irreparably harmed by the increase in competition for grant funding. Its funding decreased about 20% once Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio was again eligible for the program.

“The causal link here is not obscure,” wrote Judge Joan Larsen, who was appointed to the Sixth Circuit by Trump.

The lone judge to dissent, Judge Karen Nelson Moore, accused her colleagues on the panel of legislating from the bench. She pointed out that the scheme the majority found "impermissible" -- allowing clinics to offer Title X and abortion services in the same location -- had been acceptable for nearly 20 years, before the 2019 rule changes.

Further, Nelson Moore wrote, if the language of the Title X statute required the physical separation of Title X and abortion services, the Supreme Court would have ruled as such when it had the opportunity years ago. Instead, the nation's high court ruled that the statute was so ambiguous as to give deference to the federal agency tasked with implementing Title X -- HHS.

“Judges ought not behave like lawmakers, imposing their policy preferences by judicial fiat," Nelson Moore wrote. "A regulation is not an impermissible interpretation of a statute merely because it is not how a particular couple of judges would have written it."

The case will return to the trial court to determine whether the 2021 Title X rules must be struck down nationwide.

Read the full opinion below.

Ohio-et-al-v-Becerra-et-al-prelim-inj-rulingDownload

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – At long last, after weeks of falling gas prices, the average cost for a gallon of gasoline has finally fallen below $3.

Last week, the average price of a gallon of gasoline fell by 8.5 cents to $2.96 per gallon, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations. It marks the third decline in a row, totaling 29.2 cents per gallon, after prices dropped 8.4 cents and 12.3 cents before after the Thanksgiving holiday. Gas prices have dropped in eight of the previous 10 weeks in Columbus.

Columbus Gas Prices Tracker

The current price is 11.2 cents lower than one month ago and 33.2 cents lower than this time one year ago. In Ohio, the average price of gas dropped by 5.9.4 cents to $2.93 per gallon, while nationally, gas prices dropped for an 11th consecutive week, this time by 0.4 cents to $3.21 per gallon.

The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.73 a gallon, while the most expensive was $3.29, a difference of 56 cents per gallon.

DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Mall at Tuttle Crossing is now under new ownership as national retailers are closing their locations in the struggling shopping center.

Clothing brand H&M has announced the company's Tuttle Crossing store, the largest tenant on the mall's second floor, is permanently shuttering on Jan. 6. Youth apparel and accessory shop The Children's Place is also closing its location on the first floor. The two retailers did not respond to NBC4's request for comment.

Dozens of cars vandalized in apparent smash-and-grab in Italian Village

The 26-year-old mall's closures come after three New York investment firms -- Namdar Realty Group, CH Capital Group and Mason Asset Management -- purchased the mall in October for $19.5 million, according to the county auditor's office. The acquisition is far below the auditor's appraised value of the site, $49.7 million.

• The firms' have ownership over Tuttle Crossing's lower and upper levels and some of the site's parking lot. (Franklin County Auditor's Office)
• The mall's four anchor stores, including Macy's, were not included in the purchase. (Franklin County Auditor's Office)
• The mall's four anchor stores, including Macy's, were not included in the purchase. (Franklin County Auditor's Office)
• The firms' have ownership over a BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse on Tuttle Crossing Boulevard, and some of the site's parking lot. (Franklin County Auditor's Office)
• The firms' have ownership over Tuttle Crossing's lower and upper levels and some of the site's parking lot. (Franklin County Auditor's Office)

The firms have ownership over Tuttle Crossing's lower and upper levels, a BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse on Tuttle Crossing Boulevard, and some of the site's parking lot. The mall's four anchor stores -- Macy's, JCPenney, entertainment venue Scene 75 and a former Sears location now vacant -- were not included in the purchase.

Tuttle Crossing is one of about 170 retail properties, including about 80 malls, owned by Namdar Realty Group and Mason Asset Management, named as "prolific real-estate partners" who operate struggling shopping districts after purchasing them for cheap, according to a profile by The Wall Street Journal.

"When national retailers move out, Namdar Realty and Mason try to replace them with nontraditional tenants such as call centers, local small businesses, doctors’ offices and bounce-house venues," the article states.

Olentangy High principal resigns during sexist remark investigation

Now, the trend is continuing with Tuttle Crossing as 50 of the spaces are empty and discount stores fill several of the mall's 60 occupied spaces, including the nearly 40,000 square-feet AVRS Luxury Furniture. Other tenants still operating in the mall include American Eagle, Bath & Body Works, Claire's, Forever 21 and Hot Topic.

Throughout the past few years, the site has garnered a few violent incidents. One person died after a 2022 shooting inside the Sole Stop shoe store on the second floor of the mall, and a 2019 fistfight inside Scene75 led to the business closing early and false claims being made on social media.

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Mainly cloudy, high 44
• Tonight: Mostly cloudy, low 34
• Tuesday: Sct'd wintry mix, high 42
• Wednesday: AM flurries, clearing, high 39
• Thursday: Partly sunny, high 48
• Friday: Increasing clouds, high 54

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Monday!

We are off to a very seasonable start to the workweek, with mainly cloudy skies, and highs topping out in the middle 40s. Winds will be light, and outside of an isolated sprinkle chance, the day will be dry.

For Tuesday, our next system moves in. This will bring a scattered wintry mix in the morning, then scattered rain lingering into the afternoon and evening. Highs drop back to the lower 40s.

That system begins to move out, leaving us with just a few flurries during the morning Wednesday. We'll then hang on to mainly cloudy skies into Wednesday afternoon, with highs dropping to the upper 30s, and feeling even colder with the breeze.

We'll be looking at partly sunny skies Thursday, with highs warming into the upper 40s, but still fairly breezy.

Then for Friday, expect mild temps, in the middle 50s, with increasing cloud coverage out ahead of showers that arrive this weekend.

-McKenna

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- AEDs are not required in Ohio schools, but the American Heart Association is hoping to change that.

Columbus City Schools have more AEDs than school buildings. The district serves 46,000 students over 113 schools. There are 147 AEDs.

There is a bill in the Ohio General Assembly that would require AEDs in schools. While CCS is already doing this, the bill, House Bill 47, has the potential to give other districts the initiative to do the same.

It’s something the American Heart Association has been pushing for in Ohio for a while. They say it could save hundreds of lives.

For someone whose heart stops the survival rate is about 12%. The organization says an AED can bring that rate up to 75%.

No. 7 Buckeyes to play No. 9 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Classic

"People think that it doesn't happen around here or that it's a rare event. But really, one in 25 schools around the country experienced this event within their school, and almost 8,000 kids die annually from sudden cardiac death. Usually, it's a student-athlete," American Heart Association State Advocacy committee member Shawn Koser said.

It's something one CCS nurse has seen firsthand. 

Tamara Harris has worked at Ohio Avenue Elementary for 24 years. She used an AED when a tutor collapsed in the library.

"When I get down there, she's completely out of it. I did a quick assessment, her heart had stopped. So I sent the custodian back to get the AED off the wall and call for 911," Harris said. "If there wasn’t an AED in the building she wouldn’t have made it."

She said having this lifesaving device in schools is vital.

Basketball: Ohio State beats Minnesota 84-74 in Big Ten opener

"When you look at the athletes, the things that kids are putting their bodies through right now, having the AED speaks volumes. I can't even tell you how important it is," Harris said. 

Koser said 20 states have laws requiring AEDs in schools, and he hopes Ohio joins the list.

Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond), a sponsor of HB47, said an Association of Superintendents survey found that 95% of Ohio schools already have AEDs in every building. He wants that number to be 100%.

"We want all of them. 95 isn't good enough," Bird said. "We want to protect our kids. We want to make sure that all schools in Ohio have protection for kids."

HB47 passed the House with strong bipartisan support in June. The Senate Health committee will hold a second hearing on the bill at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

BOSTON (AP) — Brad Marchand recorded a natural hat trick in the third period to lead the Boston Bruins to a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night.

Facing each other for the second time in six days, the Bruins got some payback for a 5-2 loss in Columbus with their third straight victory.

Jeremy Swayman, pulled in the loss at Columbus in the second period, made 24 saves.

Boone Jenner scored for the Blue Jackets, who lost for the third time in five games, and Spencer Martin stopped 25 shots.

No. 7 Buckeyes to play No. 9 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Classic

Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy blocked a shot in the closing minute and skated to the bench slowly.

Trailing 1-0, the Bruins tied it 1:56 into the third when Marchand’s shot from the right circle deflected off the stick of Columbus defense Zach Werenski and over Martin’s right shoulder.

Marchand gave them the lead 3:41 later when he fired a wrister past Martin from the high-slot for a power-play goal.

He completed the hat trick from the left side, scoring from all three sides of the ice, when he slipped a wrister inside the right post from the bottom of the left circle at 7:46 for his second power-play goal of the night.

The TD Garden fans showered the ice with hats on a cool, rainy night in Boston.

Basketball: Ohio State beats Minnesota 84-74 in Big Ten opener

The PA played an oldie: “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” while the ice crew picked up the hats. One, though — a red and white Christmas hat — Marchand retrieved from a member of the crew and handed to a Bruins’ equipment person on the bench.

Marchand scored an overtime winner in the closing seconds of Boston’s victory at Toronto on Saturday night.

Martin was solid in the second period, making 15 saves in a period where Boston had a handful of excellent scoring chances.

UP NEXT

Blue Jackets: Host the Kings on Tuesday.

Bruins: Host the Sabres on Thursday, the second of a three-game homestand.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Bruce Thornton had 26 points, Jamison Battle sank four 3-pointers and scored 25 and Ohio State beat Minnesota 84-74 in an early Big Ten Conference opener on Sunday night.

Thornton sank 8 of 12 shots with a 3-pointer and 9 of 10 free throws for the Buckeyes (7-1), who have won six in a row. He added five assists and three steals. Battle missed just two from beyond the arc and has made at least one 3-pointer in every game this season. He was 7 for 7 at the foul line. Roddy Gayle Jr. hit 2 of 3 from distance and scored 16.

No. 16 Ohio State women roll past No. 20 Tennessee 78-58 in Jimmy V Women’s Classic

Dawson Garcia scored a career-high 36 for the Golden Gophers (5-3). The junior made 12 of 25 shots, 12 of 14 free throws, and grabbed 11 rebounds for his second double-double this season. Cam Christie had 11 points off the bench and Elijah Hawkins scored 10.

Thornton had 12 first-half points, Battle and Gayle both scored 10 and Ohio State took a 42-28 lead into halftime.

Scotty Middleton hit a 3-pointer to give Ohio State its biggest lead at 54-34 with 15;22 left to play. Minnesota got within six points twice, the final time at 72-66 on a jumper by Christie with 3;24 to go. Battle and Thornton sandwiched 3-pointers around a basket by Garcia and the Buckeyes maintained a two-score lead over the final 2:41.

No. 7 Buckeyes to play No. 9 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Classic

Ohio State has 91 all-time victories in the series, 30 more than the Gophers. The Buckeyes have won seven of their last eight to up their record in conference openers to 62-47.

Ohio State will host Miami of Ohio on Wednesday before traveling to Penn State for a Big Ten matchup on Saturday. Minnesota will host Nebraska on Wednesday before playing four straight games out of conference.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Cotie McMahon scored 19 points, Rebeka Mikulasikova added 18, and No. 16 Ohio State blasted No. 20 Tennessee 78-58 on Sunday in the Jimmy V Women's Classic.

McMahon scored all of her points in the first half and the Buckeyes were rarely threatened in building a 45-28 lead at the break. The lead first reached 20 when Celeste Taylor hit a jumper near the 3-minute mark of the third quarter and Tennessee never mounted a serious threat in the fourth quarter.

Taylor scored 15 points and Jacy Sheldon contributed 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. Taylor Thierry, the fifth OSU starter, scored nine points.

Destinee Wells led Tennessee with 11 points off the bench and Sara Puckett scored 10.

Ohio State had leads of 9-2 and 20-7 in the first quarter before the Lady Vols shut them down for the final 3:58 of the quarter, drawing within 20-15.

No. 7 Buckeyes to play No. 9 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Classic

Tess Darby's 3-pointer drew the Lady Vols to within 24-20 but McMahon came right back with a 3-pointer for Ohio State and the Buckeyes led by at least seven for the remainder of the half.

Tennessee has played five ranked teams in eight games and have played the last six without leading scorer Rickea Jackson, who was averaging 22 points before being sidelined with an injury.

The game was one of three in the Jimmy V Women's Classic on Sunday. In the other two, No. 10 Texas defeated No. 11 UConn 80-68 and No. 1 South Carolina defeated Duke 77-61.

Ohio State hosts Ohio on Tuesday and Tennessee plays Middle Tennessee in Huntsville, Alabama, on Wednesday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio State Buckeyes will discover on Sunday afternoon which bowl game they will make after its College Football Playoff hopes were dashed on Saturday.

The CFP selection show will take place at noon Sunday where the committee's final rankings will show which four teams will have the opportunity to play for college football's national title. It is the final year that only four teams will play in the CFP before its expansion to 12 teams in 2024.

Results in Saturday's conference championship games likely keep OSU outside of making its second straight CFP appearance. Without a playoff spot, the Buckeyes are likely to play in a New Year's Six bowl with its bowl game and opponent set to be announced on Sunday after the playoff selection.

At 3 p.m., head coach Ryan Day will hold a news conference to discuss the Buckeyes bowl game and its opponent. You can the news conference live in the player above.

Columbus Crew to host Los Angeles FC in MLS Cup final

Ohio State's path to the playoff was shutdown after the Alabama Crimson Tide upset Georgia 27-24 to win the SEC championship and snap the Bulldogs 29-game winning streak. Michigan, Washington, and Florida State each finished 13-0 with conference titles while Alabama, Texas, and Georgia each finished 12-1 with the Crimson Tide and Longhorns claiming conference championships as well.

The committee will have its most difficult decisions its ever had to make with six teams that have legitimate cases to be invited to a semifinal.

Michigan and Washington look like the safest locks to make the playoff and be the top two seeds. FSU, Alabama, Texas, and Georgia are poised to occupy the last two spots with each having strong cases to be put in. Florida State finished 13-0, Alabama won the SEC, Texas won the Big 12 and beat Alabama in Sept., and Georgia's only loss was to Alabama with a strong schedule throughout.

The playoff semifinals will be played on Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The semifinal winners will play in the national championship game on Jan. 8 in Houston.

2023 College Football Playoff

No. 1 TBD vs. No. 4 TBD (Bowl TBD - Jan. 1 at Time TBD)

No. 2 TBD vs. No. 3 TBD (Bowl TBD - Jan. 1 at Time TBD)

New Year's bowl games

Cotton Bowl Classic: TBD vs. TBD (Dec. 29 at 8 p.m.)

Peach Bowl: TBD vs. TBD (Dec. 30 at 12 p.m.)

Orange Bowl: TBD vs. TBD (Dec. 30 at 4 p.m.)

Fiesta Bowl: TBD vs. TBD (Jan. 1 at 1 p.m.)

College Football Playoff rankings (Dec. 3, 2023)

1TBD2TBD3TBD4TBD5TBD6TBD7TBD8TBD9TBD10TBD11TBD12TBD13TBD14TBD15TBD16TBD17TBD18TBD19TBD20TBD21TBD22TBD23TBD24TBD25TBD Ohio teams in bowl games

Miami: TBD

Toledo: TBD

Ohio: TBD

Bowling Green: TBD

If CFP had 12 teams (Expands next season)

No. 8 TBD vs. No. 9 TBD (Winner faces No. 1 TBD)

No. 5 TBD vs. No. 12 TBD (Winner faces No. 4 TBD)

No. 6 TBD vs. No. 11 TBD (Winner faces No. 3 TBD)

No. 7 TBD vs. No. 10 TBD (Winner faces No. 2 TBD)

(WCMH) -- NBC4's Monica Day headed out to COSI to learn more about the science of fashion.

COSI's "Barbie You Can Be Anything" experience dives into the fashion of Barbie and shows how one can make colorful clothing at home. To learn more about COSI's Barbie experience, click here.

LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) – Fairfield County authorities are asking for help in locating a man who went missing over three months ago.

According to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, a missing persons report was filed on Aug. 24 in an effort to locate 44-year-old Michael Messmore of Lancaster. Messmore, who is 5 feet 9 and 160 pounds, was last seen by family on Aug. 21.

The attorney general’s office website reports that Messmore walked outside of his parents’ home that night and never returned. Since his disappearance, his phone has either been turned off or is no longer charged.

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for any information leading to Messmore’s whereabouts. Anyone with information is asked to call the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office at 740-652-7900, Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrime.org and e-mail your tip.