Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- During the memorial service Monday for her husband, Johnny, Meredith Gaudreau announced that she is pregnant.

Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau was killed Aug. 29 when he was riding a bicycle on along the right shoulder of a southern New Jersey road, and struck from behind. A driver had attempted to pass a car that had drifted to the center of the roadway to give Gaudreau space. He was killed alongside his brother, Matthew, who was biking with him.

Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were in New Jersey with other family for the wedding of their sister, Katie. The driver of the vehicle was Sean Higgins, 43, a rehab facility employee who told police he had been drinking. He remains in custody until at least his next court appearance Friday.

Johnny Gaudreau left behind Meredith, his wife of almost three years, and two children: Noa, born in September 2022, and Johnny, born this February. Meredith's pregnancy was not known publicly until the memorial service, held in Broomall, Pennsylvania.

"We are actually a family of five," Meredith said. "I'm in my ninth week pregnancy with our third baby. A total surprise but again, John was beaming and was so excited. I was so nervous, because this was, again, a total surprise, but his reaction was just immediately kissing me and hugging me -- even though I was driving the car [when I told him].

"After the initial excitement sank in, every time, he looked at me, he would say, 'You're nuts, you know that?' In less than three years of marriage, we created a family of five. It doesn't even sound possible, but I look at it as the ultimate blessing."

Watch: Meredith Gaudreau speaks at memorial service

Not only is Meredith pregnant, so is Matthew's widow, Madeline, who is expecting their first child. Like Johnny, Matthew was a hockey player and more recently a coach of a high school program in New Jersey.

With them at the service were Johnny's Blue Jackets teammates and front office staff members. The team had a vigil last week at Nationwide Arena.

Meredith expressed gratitude for the time she got with her husband.

"I'm so grateful for that day I met you and every day after that," she said. "Thank you for choosing me as your wife and making me a mother. Thank you for being my best friend. I miss you so much and I love you. Please watch over us."

The start of the season is about one month away for the Blue Jackets, with their first exhibition game Sept. 23 and their regular-season opener Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State football's last non-conference game of the 2024 season now has a kickoff time.

The Buckeyes will host the Marshall Thundering Herd on Sept. 21 and the game will kickoff at noon from Ohio Stadium.

This Week 4 contest will be the Buckeyes' first game in two weeks after getting an early bye week following its 2-0 start. No. 3 Ohio State has started the season hot with two wins over opponents from the Mid-American Conference: 52-6 over Akron and 56-0 over Western Michigan.

2024 Ohio State Football Schedule

• Sept. 21: vs. Marshall (noon)
• Sept. 28: at. Michigan State
• Oct. 5: vs. Iowa
• Oct. 12: at. Oregon
• Oct. 26: vs. Nebraska (noon, 3:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.)
• Nov. 2: at. Penn State
• Nov. 9: vs. Purdue
• Nov. 16: at. Northwestern (noon or 3:30 p.m.)
• Nov. 23: vs. Indiana
• Nov. 30: vs. Michigan, noon

Marshall, a member of the Sun Belt conference, has started the season 1-1 with a 45-3 win over new football program Stony Brook and a 31-14 loss to Virginia Tech. The Herd also have Week 3 off and will be fresh for the contest in Columbus.

These two teams have met two times previously in Columbus with Ohio State winning 24-21 in 2004 and 45-7 in 2010. The 2004 contest was especially memorable with a poor Marshall punt late setting up a walk-off winning field goal for Mike Nugent. That game also had the first reviewed play in Ohio Stadium history.

The Buckeyes last game against a Sun Belt school was in 2022 against Arkansas State, a 45-12 win.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The last of the five former Columbus Zoo officials involved in a theft investigation in which over $2.29 million was stolen, received his sentence Monday.

Grant Bell, a former purchasing assistant for the zoo and the son of former chief financial officer Greg Bell, was charged with the fifth-degree felony in Delaware County Common Pleas Court. During his July arraignment hearing he pleaded guilty.

On Monday Bell was sentenced to two years of community control and must also pay restitution, which totals about $8,000.

Ohio-based Big Lots files for bankruptcy after store closings

Though Bell's attorney claimed his client held a very low position within the scandal, Bell wanted to take responsibility and he expressed remorse in court.

“He’s struggling just like everyone else to make ends meet," said defense council Steven Palmer. "He did not pad his pockets for years and years and years with zoo money, but he was a part of the plan at least at his level and because of that he is here today.”

Jan Ramer, a Columbus Zoo spokesperson, however, did not discriminate between Bell and the other parties involved.

“They used zoo finances intended for the animals in our care, our conservation programs, community outreach and education programs to bankroll lavish lifestyles for themselves and their families. These actions were deliberate and concealed," she said.

Tracy Murnane is facing six felony charges for her alleged role in stealing nearly $2.3 million from the Columbus Zoo. (Courtesy/Ohio Attorney General's Office)

Bell’s charge was filed as part of a bill of information, which is a formal accusation of a crime. The bill of information alleged Bell was involved with between $1,000 and $7,000 of the total stolen funds. He admitted that he used the funds to take a trip and to put a satellite radio in his wife’s car.

His guilty plea marked the fifth and final defendant to do so. Tom Stalf, former zoo CEO facing 36 felony charges, admitted to 12 counts of tampering with records and three single counts of theft by deception, conspiracy and telecommunication fraud, according to Ohio Auditor Keith Faber. 

Stalf initially pleaded not guilty in October to the charges implicating him in the misuse of nearly $2.3 million in Zoo funds. He was initially scheduled to begin jury trial on Aug. 6, according to court documents.

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Former purchasing agent Tracy Murnane, 65, of Westerville, pleaded guilty to eight charges, including grand theft, telecommunications fraud, and forgery. Former marketing director Pete Fingerhut pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges. His jury trial was slated to begin on July 9 after his initial October plea of not guilty.

And Greg Bell pleaded guilty to one charge each of conspiracy and theft and 12 of tampering with records. He was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in the scandal.

All five defendants were ordered to pay restitution totaling approximately $600,000 in a 2022 settlement.

Central Ohio Weather and Radar QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Mostly sunny, high 81
• Tonight: Clear and cool, low 54
• Tuesday: Sunny & warmer, high 84 (58)
• Wednesday: Mainly sunny, high 89 (61)
• Thursday: Sunny & hot, high 90 (63)
• Friday: Partly cloudy, high 85 (64)

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

At 11 am EDT this morning the National Hurricane Center named Tropical Storm Francine in the Gulf of Mexico. This is only the sixth names storm this year, and we are currently in the peak of hurricane season. We are keeping our eye on Francine because it may bring some much needed rain showers by the weekend.

Today we will see plenty of sunshine across central Ohio. Temperatures will top of in the low 80s. This is near average for this time of year. There will be a slight breeze from the west as the afternoon goes on.

The mainly clear skies will continue into the night. It will not be as chilly. Lows will fall to the low-mid 50s. Winds will be light as well. Overall it will be very quiet.

Tomorrow some central Ohioans may experience effect of smokey skies as wildfires continue to burn in the northwestern United States and Canada. We'll see mostly sunny skies with some haze most likely by the evening. Highs will be in the mid 80s.

Temperatures will continue to warm up as the week goes on. Our highs will return to the upper 80s to low 90s by this upcoming Wednesday and Thursday. The entire work week does not bring any decent rain chances to central Ohio worsening drought conditions. The arrival of the remnants from Francine this weekend is our best chance for rain this weekend.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The drive in southeastern Franklin County could get smoother over the next several years.

U.S. 33 is scheduled to be widened as part of an Ohio Department of Transportation project costing an estimated $128.4 million. The area will run from State Route 104 to the Hill Road and Diley Road exit, impacting parts of Columbus, Groveport, Canal Winchester and Pickerington. The result will be three lanes of traffic in both directions; right now, it's mostly two lanes each way.

The project is scheduled for the summer of 2026.

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ODOT is considering two plans, adding a lane on the inside or the outside. The former would include constructing a concrete barrier wall, and the latter would feature a grass median and mean acquiring land for right of way.

(Courtesy Photo/ODOT)

Regardless of which plan it chooses, access will be restricted at the intersections of Bixby and Rager roads. Left turns will be prohibited at Bixby, with access becoming right-in and right-out only. Rager Road will no longer be accessible north of U.S. 33, with the south segment becoming right-in, right-out only.

"By increasing capacity and controlling access, we aim to alleviate traffic congestion on U.S. 33," said Hannah Salem, public information officer for ODOT.

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This project is part of ODOT's Southeast Corridor study, a recommended series of projects to convert U.S. 33 from Interstate 270 to Carroll in Fairfield County, about a 12-mile stretch, into a limited access freeway. The biggest remaining obstacle likely is Pickerington Road, where traffic is still maintained by a signal and vehicles have to slow from a posted 60-mph speed limit for a red light.

With two years to go, ODOT is seeking public feedback. That period runs through Oct. 2, with the public able to comment at this link. And environmental studies are underway. Impacts on nearby streams and wetlands are anticipated with either alternative. Blacklick Creek Trail is also expected to be temporarily impacted.

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio Mexican restaurant that opened less than a year ago inside a former movie theater has closed.

Cantina Blue Santa at 8 North State State in Westerville's 97-year-old former State Theatre shuttered late last month. The Mexican restaurant had opened in September 2023, replacing a Barrel & Boar location that had called the theater home for six years.

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State Theatre is quickly pivoting to a new tenant as another Mexican eatery named Los Altos has already taken ownership of the restaurant space, according to a report in The Westerville News. Los Altos is set to open on Sept. 15 featuring an original menu and after reviving the theater with a new point job.

The 97-year-old theater shut down in the 1970s before housing a clothing store, and then an Amish Originals location. When the furniture store moved to different spot, in 2013, 8 State Bistro moved into the space and turned it into a restaurant for the first time.

The cantina's closure marks the second time this year in central Ohio a shuttered Mexican restaurant is being replaced by another Mexican restaurant. Local Cantina closed their Short North location earlier this summer, with El Vaquero set to take over the restaurant in the near future, according to a sign posted outside of the building.

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Meanwhile, other taco joints are also shuttering, like Yabo's Tacos who closed its Powell eatery last year and moved that location’s operations to the chain’s Lewis Center restaurant. Earlier this summer, a central Ohio chef took over Yabo’s former Powell space to launch his own restaurant boasted as the “perfect destination for family meals and everyday celebrations.”

Watch a previous NBC4 report on Big Lots in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Big Lots, the discount retail chain headquartered in central Ohio, has filed for bankruptcy and could soon be under new ownership after shuttering more than 300 stores earlier this summer.

The chain announced on Monday it has filed for Chapter 11 proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. As part of the court filing, the chain has entered into a sale agreement with private equity firm Nexus Capital, who will acquire all the company's assets and business operations.

"The actions we are taking today will enable us to move forward with new owners who believe in our business and provide financial stability, while we optimize our operational footprint, accelerate improvement in our performance, and deliver on our promise to be the leader in extreme value," said Bruce Thorn, president of Big Lots, in a release.

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Big Lots said, as part of the court-supervised sale process, the company is "continuing to assess its operational footprint," which will include closing additional stores. Thorn boasted that while a majority of locations are profitable, the company intends "to use the tools afforded by this process to continue optimizing our store fleet in an orderly manner."

Monday's announcement comes after the chain announced last week it will close its distribution center in west Columbus by the end of October, leaving nearly 400 people without jobs. The company had filed a notice to the City of Columbus earlier in the week, which did not provide a reason for closing the center at 300 Phillipi Road.

Late last month, Big Lots was aiming to fight off bankruptcy by offering big discounts on Halloween costumes and decorations. The chain bought its "biggest extreme bargain Halloween closeout ever" from a "well-known national party supply retailer's overstock" that was originally valued at $11 million. The deal includes hundreds of new Halloween items that will be sold for 50 to 70% less than their original prices.

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Big Lots had announced in early August it is shuttering several Ohio stores, among more than 300 locations that are closing amid speculation the company will file for bankruptcy. While Big Lots initially shared plans in June to shutter 35 to 40 stores by the end of 2024, the number of closures ballooned in July as 149 locations posted banners on their websites that read "closing this location." Since then, the chain has submitted an updated filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that states the company expects to close up to 315 stores.

Big Lots' sales dropped 10.2% between the first quarters of 2023 and 2024, equating to a loss of about $114 million. The retailer, whose headquarters are in the 4900 block of East Dublin Granville Road, wrote in an SEC filing that, "in 2024, the U.S. economy has continued to face macroeconomic challenges including elevated inflation, which has adversely impacted the buying power of our customers."

The chain fell an additional $72.2 million into debt between the first quarters of 2023 and 2024, bringing the company's total debt to $573.8 million. In an SEC filing, the company said that it now has "substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue," leading to speculation of a potential bankruptcy filing.

Kids eat free and other discount deals in Columbus and central Ohio

Big Lots is now joining a sea of other stores and restaurants that have filed for bankruptcy since the COVID-19 pandemic. Red Lobster is closing a chunk of Ohio locations after filing for bankruptcy in May, citing $1 billion in debt. Bed, Bath & Beyond filed for bankruptcy last year, shuttering a number of central Ohio stores.

Orlando-based Buca di Beppo filed for Chapter 11 on Sunday as the company said it owes at least $15 million to $50 million to at least 30 creditors, court documents show. Plans were finalized earlier this year to bulldoze the chain's Worthington restaurant at 60 E. Wilson Bridge after the site was purchased by Chick-fil-A in April.

Big Lots' Ohio stores include a Delaware location that was transformed last year into "Big Lots Home," a new brand of stores dedicated to furniture and décor. The location was one of 10 Big Lots that underwent the rebranding, including stores in Louisville and Georgetown, Kentucky.

BROOMALL, Pa. (WCMH) -- Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew will be laid to rest Monday nearly two weeks after the pair were killed in an alleged drunk driving incident.

The funeral is scheduled to take place at noon in Broomall, Pennsylvania, west of Philadelphia, at the D’Anjolell Memorial Home and will be attended by friends, family, and the entire Blue Jackets team. The funeral service can be seen live in the video player above.

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The brothers were killed on Aug. 29 after reportedly being run over while riding bicycles on County Road 551 in Oldmans Township, near Salem, New Jersey. The man accused of killing the Gaudreau brothers, Sean Higgins, is scheduled to have a detention hearing on Sept. 13 as he faces two charges of vehicular homicide. He was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol.

It was confirmed by NBC4 that Higgins worked at Gaudenzia, a nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment and recovery center, based out of Norristown, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia.

Tributes for the brothers have poured in from across the hockey and broader sports community across the globe. The Blue Jackets hosted a vigil Wednesday at Nationwide Arena, when hundreds of fans gathered for a 13 minute, 21 second moment of silence to represent jersey numbers Johnny wore with Columbus, the Calgary Flames and Boston College and Matthew wore at Boston College.

LOGAN, Ohio (WCMH) – A man is dead after a single-motorcycle crash that occurred Sunday afternoon in Hocking County.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Jeremy Alder, of London, was operating a 2016 Yamaha MT-07 westbound on State Route 56 in Hocking County’s Star Township at 3:35 p.m. Sunday. Alder, 27, failed to negotiate a curve, lost control of the motorcycle and veered off the left side of the road.

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The OSHP said Alder struck two parked vehicles in a private driveway, and despite wearing a helmet, was unable to survive his injuries after being hospitalized.

Hocking County fire and EMS units assisted OSHP troopers in the crash investigation, which remains ongoing.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Families looking to save while dining out in Columbus and central Ohio are in luck, as many local restaurants offer kids-eat-free deals or discounts that make dining with little ones more affordable.

From popular chains like Bob Evans and Moe’s Southwest Grill to local favorites such as Carsonie’s and Rusty Bucket, there are plenty of options for enjoying a meal without breaking the bank. Check out our lists of offerings below in central Ohio and Columbus.

Daily:
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
Deal: Kids eat free all day, every day with a purchase of $12 or more. Use code KEFOLO at checkout.
Location: Various central Ohio locations.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Dickey's Barbecue Pit

Golden Corral
Deal: Children 3 and under eat free from the buffet with an adult meal purchase, every day.
Location: Grove City, Whitehall.
Price Range: Inexpensive.
Website: Golden Corral

Roots Natural Kitchen
Deal: Kids 12 and under eat free with an adult meal purchase, all day.
Location: 10 E.15th Ave., Columbus.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Roots Natural Kitchen

Rusty Bucket
Deal: Enroll your child in the Bucketeer Bookworms program. After reading five books, kids earn a free meal.
Location: Various Columbus locations.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Rusty Bucket

Submarine House
Deal: Kids eat free daily from 4-8 p.m. with an adult meal purchase of $16 and over.
Location: Hilliard.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Submarine House

Sunday:
Old Bag of Nails
Deal: Kids 12 and under eat free with the purchase of an adult meal.
Locations: Various locations in central Ohio.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Old Bag of Nails

Moe’s Southwest Grill
Deal: Kids eat free all day with an adult meal purchase.
Location: Various locations.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Moe's Southwest Grill

Monday:
Buffalo Wings & Rings
Deal: Kids eat free with a $10 minimum purchase. Dine in only.
Location: Lewis Center, Grove City.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Buffalo Wings & Rings

Carsonie’s
Deal: Two kids' meals per adult entrée.
Location: Upper Arlington, Westerville.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Carsonie's

Las Margaritas
Deal: Kids 12 years and younger eat free with the purchase of an adult meal.
Locations: Canal Winchester, Westerville.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Las Margaritas

Tuesday:
Bob Evans
Deal: Kids eat free after 3 p.m. with an adult meal purchase.
Locations: All Columbus locations.
Price Range: Inexpensive.
Website: Bob Evans

Fazoli’s
Deal: Kids meals for 99 cents each with an adult meal purchase from 5-9 p.m.
Location: Heath, Grove City, Hilliard, Reynoldsburg and Westerville.
Price Range: Inexpensive.
Website: Fazoli’s

Hofbräuhaus Columbus
Deal: Kids eat free from 6-9 p.m. on Family Night (the second Tuesday of each month).
Location: 800 Goodale Boulevard, Columbus.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Hofbrauhaus Columbus

Max & Erma’s
Deal: Free kids' meal with adult entrée purchase, all day, dine-in only.
Locations: Lancaster.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Max & Erma's

Wednesday:
Fiesta Jalisco
Deal: Free kids' meals from 3-10 p.m. with adult entrée purchase.
Locations: Various Columbus locations.
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Fiesta Jalisco

Roosters
Deal: Every Wednesday night is Kids Night, discounted kid's meals (99 cents -$1.99) with the purchase of an entrée. Prices and times vary, check locations for details.
Location: Marysville, New Albany, Polaris.
Price Range: Inexpensive.
Website: Roosters

Star Lanes Polaris
Deal: Kids eat free with an adult meal purchase from 5 p.m. to close.
Location: 8655 Lyra Drive, Columbus (Polaris).
Price Range: Moderate
Website: Star Lanes Polaris

Thursday:
Quaker Steak & Lube
Deal: One free kids' meal with each adult meal purchase (kids 10 and under).
Location: 8500 Lyra Drive, Columbus (Polaris).
Price Range: Moderate.
Website: Quaker Steak & Lube

Diners should call ahead to confirm the details, as offers may vary by location or change over time.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio's government agency over its marijuana industry fined at least six dispensaries over how they advertised around the start of recreational sales.

A rule that the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control repeated in paperwork against the group of shops regarded the rules they were bound to, as they tried to draw in recreational customers before and after Aug. 6. That Tuesday effectively became the launch day for the new type of sales in the state, as select businesses received the certificates they needed to convert their storefronts to dual-use dispensaries.

Six dispensaries were slapped with over $200,000 in fines as a result, including a shop hit more than once, according to paperwork NBC4 obtained from the DCC. The documents lay out the agency's issues with each company. In some cases, even using the term "recreational marijuana" over words like "adult-use" or "nonmedical" saw penalty. Tom Brockman, the deputy chief communications officer for the Ohio Department of Commerce and DCC, explained the reasoning.

"All operators are currently operating via medical rules," Brockman wrote. "As such, they need to seek pre-approval on any advertising, this includes the use of the term 'recreational marijuana.' Those particular entities that agreed to civil penalties did not seek pre-approval, and that was the basis of their violation."

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Click on the links below to see the penalty reports for each dispensary, organized by the amount they paid.

The Source

The Source, a shop in South Euclid, was ordered on Sept. 5 to pay $225,000 after the DCC took issue with the dispensary displaying marijuana paraphernalia visible from the outside of the shop. The agency flagged several problems in its report, including that Source allowed vendor tables with grinders, rolling trays and other cannabis accessories outside of the building. The DCC also documented an Aug. 23 ribbon cutting ceremony held outside the dispensary, which it had not received approval for.

The Source was given a monthly payment plan of $18,750, and the DCC expects the company to pay it off within a year. The company waived its right to appeal the decision in an accompanying agreement.

The Botanist

The Botanist, a DBA name for Greenleaf Apothecaries, is a chain with five storefronts in Ohio, including:

• Akron
• Canton
• Cleveland
• Columbus
• Wickliffe

It originally saw a $12,500 fine Aug. 1 for running a website promotion with the unapproved, but memed Creed lyric, "Can you take me higher?" After the Aug. 6 launch of recreational sales, the DCC followed up by taking issue with "unapproved food and beverages from an ice cream truck on the dispensary premises," and marketing for "free ice cream" on social media at the Botanist's shops, racking up another $150,000 in fines.

RISE

GTI Ohio owns the RISE dispensary chain, which operates the following locations:

• Cleveland
• Lakewood East
• Lakewood West
• Lorain
• Toledo

The company mistakenly sent an email to RISE patients on June 6, with the message, "RISE Ohio locations will be open to service recreational and medical guests" beginning June 10. A little over three hours later, GTI Ohio sent a correction email out, telling the same subscribers this was an error.

After learning about the emails, the DCC took issue with not only the false alarm over the start of recreational sales, but also with the word "recreational" itself. The agency opted for them to use the term "adult-use marijuana" instead.

GTI Ohio and the DCC reached an agreement on June 20 over the situation. The dispensary chain didn't have to admit to the DCC's accusations over the email and word choice, but did have to pay a $5,000 fine. GTI Ohio also agreed to cover the costs of the DCC's investigation, which racked up to $12,500.

Guaranteed Investments

Guaranteed Dispensary, owned by Guaranteed Investments, has a location in Montgomery, an eastern suburb of Cincinnati. It also saw a fine handed down July 23, after the DCC discovered that its website advertised it as a "recreational and medical dispensary" in June. The agency said Guaranteed did not receive approval to market their storefront this way ahead of sales launching, and ordered it to pay $12,500.

Standard Farms

Standard Farms is not a dispensary, but rather a medical marijuana processor in Garfield Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. It received its dual-use certificate of operation before storefronts did on Aug. 6. The DCC wrote it discovered July 8 that the company sent emails that it received "dual-use license approval for adult use/recreational sales," and included "some HIGHlights below."

Ironically, in a penalty document signed for the same day recreational sales began in Ohio, the agency wrote Standard Farms did not submit the advertising language for approval before using it. The DCC ordered Standard Farms to pay $12,500 in fines within 14 days.

Bloom

The Division of Cannabis Control punished Bloom, a dispensary in Seven Mile, not over its store or digital promotion, but over a billboard. The sign had text that read "Bloom Medical Marijuana," and the DCC claimed Bloom had not submitted the messaging for approval to the agency.

On July 23, the agency ordered Bloom to pay $12,500 over the issue. It gave the dispensary 14 days to cover the fine.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A drop in gas prices for the fourth consecutive week has reached a total decline of just over 40 cents per gallon over the past month.

After prices dropped over the previous three weeks, Columbus gas prices took another tumble, this time by 16.1 cents per gallon, reaching a one-month total decline of 41 cents per gallon. According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations the average price for a gallon of gasoline in the Columbus area is $3.12.

The current price is also 42.5 cents lower per gallon than this time one year ago. In Ohio, the average price of gas also significantly dropped, from $3.24 per gallon to $3.05 per gallon.

Columbus Gas Prices Tracker

The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.73 a gallon, while the most expensive was $3.39, a difference of 66 cents per gallon.

Nationally, gas prices also experienced a drop of 7.2 cents per gallon to reach $3.22, while the price of diesel continues to hit new lows since January 2022, settling at $3.62 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan, prices could continue to fade now that the summer season is officially over.

“With oil prices falling below $70 per barrel, their lowest since 2021, there’s solid room for gas prices and diesel to continue falling for some time,” De Haan said. “We expect the national average could fall below $3 per gallon as early as October for the first time since 2021.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- We have made it into the fall months here in central Ohio, and boy did it feel like it this past weekend. Quite a first full weekend of September, with well below normal temperatures. Yes, the Autumn Equinox isn't until Sunday, Sept. 22 around 8:44 in the morning, but the fall months of September, October and November are upon us!

What to expect weather wise for the next 3 months

Simply put, it will likely be a continuation of what we saw during the summer months, but with less extreme rainfall deficits. However, it should be noted, the summer rainfall deficit was 7.67 inches (Jun-Aug)., and during the fall months of Sept.-Nov., we only average 8.83 inches of rain. That would be like us only picking up 1.16 inches over the three-month period.

Below is a table of the normal rainfall and temps for the months:

MonthRainfallAvg. HighAvg. LowSept3.14"77.8°56.5°Oct2.90"65.5°44.8°Nov2.79"52.3°35.0°

The past summer ran between 1.5°-2.3° above normal on average each month, and roughly 2-3 inches below normal each month. This would make it a more warm and dry period. While it does appear we will start to break that very dry pattern a bit heading through the fall, we are not likely to see a very wet pattern either.

One thing working in our favor, is that according to the Climate Prediction Center at NOAA, we have a 74% chance of a La Niña pattern during the December-February period. As we transition to it, we should start to see a shift away from the blocking pattern we have been stuck in for a good portion of the summer. Below is a map of the typical La Nina pattern in the winter months.

I still anticipate above normal temperatures to continue through the fall months (on average), we should start to see a wetter pattern starting to emerge as we progress toward winter. In the short term (for the next few months), this will look more or less like a more seasonal precipitation type forecast.

Going back to the temperatures, we have been above normal now every month since August 2023, when we were 1.0° below normal. While the first eight days of September will go down as being slightly below normal temperature-wise, we will see a shift for the second full week of the month to back above normal.

One interesting thing of note from the first week of the month, we did have some warm, above normal, afternoons, but because of the incredible drought much of the state is in, our very dry air gave us some very cool mornings, which offset the abnormally warm afternoons. This pattern should gradually moderate as we head through the month of September.

As far as the latest outlooks, for the fall, you can see the three-month outlook from the Climate Prediction Center at NOAA with better chances for above normal temps.

As far as precipitation goes, the forecast is a bit more murky, as the Climate Prediction Center has equal chances for above or below normal.

Looking at the forecast model data for the next week to week and a half, it looks like we are going to continue with a generally dry pattern. In fact, even the 3-4 week outlooks, which would take us into early October, have us with better chances for drier than normal weather to continue. Thinking ahead to the wetter than normal pattern expected for the winter months during a La Nina patter, this would favor more seasonal conditions into October, and possibly a shift to a slightly wetter than normal pattern into November.

One thing to note, temperature averages are a bit less sensitive to an outlier. On a day in early September to skew the data by 1° for the entire month, we would have to have a high of 110° and a low of 90° (roughly). However, we could get one record rainfall, and it could not rain the rest of the month, and we could have what would be considered a "normal" month for rainfall.

As we progress through the fall, the amount of times we have record rainfall of 2 inches or more goes down. In fact, historically, we have had seven Septembers with a daily 2 inches or more rainfall, six Octobers, and only twice in November have we had a daily rainfall of 2 inches or more.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Zanesville man is suing Columbus City Schools after he said a bus crashed into the vehicle he was riding in, causing physical and monetary damages.

In a complaint filed Wednesday, John Ervin accused the district and driver James Crowder III of read-ending the truck he was riding in in January 2023. Ervin told NBC4 the crash happened at a left turn traffic light and resulted in hospital bills, chiropractic appointments, property damage and a loss of revenue to his business.

The district said it hasn't been served with a copy of the lawsuit and unable to comment.

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Initially, Ervin said he was in contact with the district, and he said he thought they were attempting to avoid liability. He said he had documentation of the incident, bills and property damage, but the district did not offer what Ervin said he thought was fair compensation. He said the district had him file a claim through his insurance, and he communicated with a district attorney who Ervin said only offered around 10% of the total damages he suffered.

Ervin is a mechanic and provided a photo he said was from the crash. The photo showed a vehicle branded with his mechanic business smashed in from the back, with the rear trailer door bent inward and coming off of its metal frame. According to the complaint, Ervin also had severe injuries to his neck and back.

"To this day, I still experience numbness in my left leg when sitting for long periods of time," Ervin said. "I wasn't asking for a huge amount of money for pain and suffering, just my losses."

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The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $25,000.

Ervin also told NBC4 that after the crash, the district's crash investigator came to the scene and instructed Crowder to leave before police arrived.

"This could have been resolved a long time ago with open communication," Ervin said. "CCS should have a better policy for at-fault accidents instead of having an attorney that tries to manipulate a situation when their driver is responsible. Thankfully, no children were involved."

The lawsuit is set for trial in 2025, with its trial assignment scheduled for Sept. 22, 2025.

Central Ohio Weather and Radar QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Clear sky, high 80
• Tonight: Mainly clear, low 53
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, high 87
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, high 90
• Thursday: Few clouds, high 90
• Friday: Partly cloudy, high 85

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Monday!

Following a fall-like weekend in Central Ohio, summer makes a return this week as we kick off a warming trend. Expect highs to warm back close to 80 for our Monday, with mainly sunny skies, and low humidity.

By tomorrow, we warm to the upper 80s with continued sunshine.

We're back near 90 by the midweek, for both Wednesday and Thursday. Luckily, humidity does remain low, so we won't be factoring in a heat index, but it will be hot anyway. We hang onto the sunshine midweek, with just a few clouds building in on Thursday.

We'll see more clouds out on Friday, ahead of just isolated shower chances to start the weekend.

-McKenna

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – An Ohio woman's family made her dream of helping kids battling cancer become a reality. 

Hallegrace, a line of pajamas specially made for kids fighting cancer, just hit the market last month. The line was created in honor of Halle Temple. 

“It’s bittersweet. Honestly. It's such a joy to be able to see this dream come to life because it was something she talked about and dreamed about. The fact she's not here to enjoy it with us, we would love for her to be here but I know she’s been with us in spirit," said Julie Hershberger, Halle's mom and executive director of the Share Your Story Foundation, which was created after Halle died.

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Halle was just six years old when she first had cancer. She beat that round, but it came back and the disease ended up taking her life when she was 24. She had often talked about her displeasure for hospital gowns and wanting something more fun and fashionable for kids going through treatment to wear, according to her mom.

“Her story didn't leave when she passed away," Hershberger said. "Her story is becoming bigger than we can ever imagine and impacting people we have no idea who it will impact."

They were designed by Amanda Rango, a central Ohio fashion consultant.

“Oh my gosh, this is honestly probably the most rewarding project of my career," Rango said. "This has been an absolute joy for me and I can't wait to see where this goes and the ultimate goal is to just impact as many kids that are going through treatment as we possibly can."

The pajamas have trendy designs with inspiring messages, sometimes drawing from what Halle liked, and special access points so they don't need to be taken off for treatment.

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“Every child is encountering some sort of effect from (this), whether its the chemo radiation, whatever they’re going through, and so our hope is these just bring a sense of comfort and joy to them in some capacity," Hershberger said. 

The pajamas can be bought online. Those who don't need them but still want to support the cause can still buy some, which will then be donated to a child who needs them.

The Share Your Story Foundation also helps provide housing for families who have kids receiving treatment at Nationwide Children's Hospital through a program called Halle's Homes. The brand Hallegrace is a nonprofit and proceeds will help fund Halle's Homes, Hershberger said. 

Hallegrace also plans to work with several children's hospitals to make the pajamas accessible to more kids.

"It's a beautiful reminder for us," Hershberger said. "I love talking about Halle because she was such a light and she had such a joy about her and so having these reminders of her that her spirit is still living on, her story is still living on, her name is forever on these pajamas."

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Chillicothe hospital that’s been the subject of multiple NBC4 Investigations over the last year has suddenly closed its allergy department.

It’s a move that many told NBC4 Investigates has left them stranded without options for treatment, including some cases of life-threatening conditions.

Messages from former Adena Health allergy patients have been rolling in, with many saying they had no complaints with the department and loved the two doctors throughout their months of treatment. Then, all of a sudden, it closed.  

"I started panicking, freaking out. So I was a little terrified, honestly," former Adena patient Kiana Frantom said. 

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Two letters were shared with NBC4 Investigates, including one to Adena staff on Aug. 6 that reads in part: “Effective today, the contracts of Adena's two allergy physicians were terminated. This development required Adena to make the needed decision to close the allergy and immunology department.”

"I never got a phone call. I got a letter in the mail, like a month after they closed the office down," former Adena patient Lacey Snedeker said. 

One patient NBC4 spoke with received a letter more than 20 days later that stated the two allergy doctors were no longer with the hospital and said “this staffing change also required Adena to make the difficult decision to close the Allergy and Immunology Department.”

Another patient says she called personally and never got a notice from Adena. She has asthma and gets allergy shots.

"All of my appointments I scheduled out for the next six months were canceled all at once, and I still have not received a letter," Frantom said. "I'm assuming they didn't call me because I called in, but nobody has reached out to me from Adena themselves in regards to this at all."

Another patient found out from social media. One was only partway through much-needed allergy treatment.

Snedeker has been a patient at Adena for 10 years. She has common variable immunodeficiency. Without her treatments, something like a cold could be deadly. She said she relies on her doctor.

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"I panicked because she's the one that helped keep me alive," Snedeker said. 

She says her sister was the one to find her a new doctor, but now the drive is more than double her previous commute to treatment.

"If something major happens where I need to be close to him, it's like life or death," Snedeker said. 

Both former patients say they won’t be back to Adena.

"I don't currently trust Adena to make the right choices in judgments for patients, especially, like I said, I'm not a worse-off case. But I know that there are people who are seeing an allergy with Adena who are a lot worse off with their allergies, who are now in even worse of a bind," Frantom said. 

NBC4 reached out to Adena Health asking for a statement on this closure and how they are helping patients find a new place for treatment. A spokesperson sent a statement saying: 

"Last month, Adena Health had to make the needed decision to close its Allergy and Immunology Department. This decision was a result of unforeseen circumstances not connected to Adena’s current operations. Adena does not take decisions like this lightly and our priority has been supporting our clinical staff and ensuring continuity of care for our patients. All established patients were notified by phone, letter or through MyChart, and a sizeable majority have already had their care successfully transferred to either Adena Health primary care or one of our many allergy partners within the region. Any patients who have not finalized plans for ongoing care should contact Adena and we will work with them to find the best option for their care."

GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) -- Around 100 people gathered Sunday morning in Gahanna for the sixth annual Kyle Miller First Day 5K.

In 2016, Miller was diagnosed with bone cancer. He died in December of 2018 at the age of 40. Now to keep his memory alive, each year his friends and family put on a 5K to both remember him and raise money to provide Gahanna students with new shoes.

“Kyle always wanted to have a new pair of shoes for back to school and all of his buddies would get together on the first day of school. They’d take a picture and show their new shoes. We figured a good way to honor Kyle was to give new shoes to kids to start their school year in Gahanna,” said his father, Eric, who started the run in 2019.

The money raised from the event will provide students in need with gift cards to a shoe store for the next school year. He says last year they raised more than $17,000.

Central Ohio Weather and Radar

Low pressure over southeastern Canada has drawn much cooler and drier air into Ohio this weekend, ending a bout of summertime heat and humidity.

After a chilly morning in the upper 30s and low 40s, sunshine will prevail, with a northwest wind. The skies will be mostly sunny, along with some high, thin clouds. Afternoon temperatures will barely rise above 70 degrees, followed by another cool night in the 40s.

High pressure building in from the west will provide lots of sunshine and another fall-like day.
A warm-up will develop through the week, with lots of sunshine, as summerlike weather returns in a southerly flow behind high pressure that will shift eastward. High temperatures will flirt with 90 degrees Wednesday and Thursday.

Rain chances are nil until possibly late next weekend, when a surge of tropical moisture lifts northward to the Ohio River. Increasing clouds will lower temperatures back to the mid-80s.

Forecast

• Sunday: Mostly sunny, cool. High 73
• Tonight: Clear, crisp. Low 48
• Monday: Sunny, seasonable. High 81
• Tuesday: Sunny, warmer. High 86 (54)
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High 89 (57)
• Thursday: Sunny, hot. High 90 (59)
• Friday: Partly cloudy. High 85 (64)
• Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 84 (65)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A man who was brutally beaten in a fight on Friday died from his injuries early Sunday afternoon.

Timothy Davis, 64, suffered serious head injuries after he was beaten with a skateboard in a fight on N High Street Friday afternoon. Police said despite all efforts by medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 12:15 p.m. Sunday.

Police have arrested Adrian Ashely, 46, for allegedly assaulting Davis. Ashley was originally charged with felonious assault, and police said Sunday he is now charged with murder. Ashley is scheduled to appear in court for his arraignment Monday at 9 a.m.

Ashley has past charges ranging several decades, including a three-year sentence in 2004 for involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault, according to court documents.

The homicide unit has been investigating the case for two days due to the severity of Davis' injuries. Police said they believe several witnesses recorded the assault as it took place, and request any witnesses to the incident come forward. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 614-645-4730, or report anonymously to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).