COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) said distracted driving causes thousands of crashes each year, but that number is going down, and they are crediting a lot of that to the state's distracted driving law.
The law has been in place for a little more than a year and is making an impact on the roads.
Judge temporarily halts Ohio’s trans athlete, healthcare banData from the OHSP shows a 45% decrease in serious injury crashes involving distracted driving year to date. Officials credit much of this to the state’s year-old distracted driving law.
“We know that that law is actually saving lives,” said Andy Wilson with the Ohio Department of Public Safety Director.
The Phones Down law allows law enforcement to pull over drivers if they are seen swiping on their phones while moving on the roads.
Some people said it has made them more aware.
Superman movie filming in Ohio to cast locals as extras“I definitely have been more cautious of how I drive,” Columbus resident Sarah Grose said.
In the past year, highway patrol has given out more than 12,000 distracted driving-related violations.
Some people said the threat of being pulled over is not stopping some drivers.
“Just coming down here to Columbus today, you had at least two people who were slow in the passing lane and you look over and they’re on their phone. So it hasn’t changed. People still do what they want to do,” Toledo resident Aaron Koehl said.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety said that this year, it has been able to track phone use on the roads through insurance apps.
One dead, driver runs from northeast Columbus crash“We know from the information that we have from those companies that since our distracted driving law went into effect, we've had about an 8.6% reduction in the number of people who are using their phones on the road,” Wilson said.
Highway Patrol said Franklin County ranked second in the state for the most distracted driving-related crashes over the last five years, but OSHP said the crashes are down by around 19% statewide.
People on the roads still think there is still improvement to be made.
“Social media is so big, kids on TikTok, Instagram. I know I've been a victim of falling into social media distractedness, but I think it is good to kind of push the standards moving forward,” Grose said.
Ohio chamber of commerce hosts first childcare summitIf you are pulled over for using your phone while driving there are fines. For a first offense, drivers will get two points on their license and a $150 fine. This could be waived by taking a distracted driving course. If a driver has another offense within two years, they will receive three points and up to $250 fine. Any offense after that within two years is four points, up to a $500 fine, and a possible 90-day suspension of your license.
The Highway Patrol said if you see someone driving unsafe, you can call #677 to report it.
Watch a previous report on the fatal shooting in the video player above.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus man could spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to murder in connection with a 2023 North Linden double shooting.
Paul A. Banks, 36, was sentenced Tuesday to at least 18 years with the possibility of life in prison after pleading guilty to murder with a firearm specification and felonious assault charges on Monday.
‘Nightmare’ at Downtown office tower has OH Pizza and Brew looking for new homeWith his plea, Banks admitted to shooting and killing Ronald Price, 60, just before midnight on Jan. 31, 2023, on the 2800 block of Atwood Terrace. Banks also shot a 37-year-old man in the same incident.
The surviving victim told police that he was inside the home when he heard the shooting. When he went to help Price, Banks shot him, police said.
Banks received a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole in 18 years for the murder charge -- 15 years plus an additional three years mandatory for a firearm specification. He also received a concurrent four-year sentence for the felonious assault plea. Should Banks be released from prison, he would receive 18 months to three years of post-release control.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – As Ohio families continue to face challenges when it comes to accessing affordable childcare, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce is trying to help find solutions.
The chamber Tuesday hosted its first Access and Affordability to Childcare Summit. Dave Smith, Executive Director of Horizon Education Centers, was an attendee and panelist. “A lot of families have to decide do I want to deal with that career loss or am I going to have to figure out some way to pony up the money to pay for quality childcare," he said.
‘Nightmare’ at Downtown office tower has OH Pizza and Brew looking for new homeOften times, one parent in a household decides to leave their job rather than pay for childcare. With about thirty years of experience in the early childcare and education industry, Smith recognized the situation families are in. “Quality childcare in most situations, a family is going to pay more for childcare than they’re going to pay for their mortgage," he said.
He said paying childcare workers enough and staffing levels on the provider side are other big challenges. He described as a tricky situation to be in because enrollment needs to be up to support staffing but many families can't afford enrolling.
“If we can't get enough people to staff and become childcare caregivers, how do we expect to grow the number of options, how do we expect to grow supply and drive down the price," said Rick Carfagna, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
The summit brought together national, local, and state partners. “We have to be very three dimensional in how we address this problem, there’s not going to be a one size fits all approach so we’re going to have to attack it from many different levels," Carfagna said.
Watch a previous NBC4 report on H.B. 68 in the video player above.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- An Ohio law banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth cannot go into effect as planned next week while a legal challenge moves forward in court, a Franklin County judge ruled Tuesday.
Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook issued a two-week temporary restraining order on Tuesday to block House Bill 68. The legislation would prohibit Ohio’s children’s hospitals from providing treatment like hormone therapy to trans minors, and was set to take effect on April 24.
Tuesday’s ruling follows a lawsuit by the ACLU against the measure filed in March on behalf of two families whose children are at risk of losing access to their healthcare. The temporary restraining order is in effect for 14 days or until the hearing of the ACLU's motion for a preliminary injunction.
"We are thrilled and relieved that Ohio’s ban on gender-affirming health care has been halted and that transgender youth can continue, for the near term at least, to access medically necessary healthcare," said Freda Levenson, legal director for the ACLU of Ohio. "Our legal battle will continue until, we hope, this cruel restriction is permanently blocked."
The ACLU argues the legislation violates the Ohio Constitution’s single-subject rule, requiring bills to only be about one topic, given the measure addresses trans healthcare and also bans transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports. The two provisions had been separate bills before Ohio House legislators combined them in June last year.
H.B. 68 also goes against a constitutional amendment that says no law or rule “shall prohibit the purchase or sale of Health Care or health insurance,” the ACLU said. The amendment led by Ohio Republicans passed in 2011 and aimed to limit the effects of the Affordable Care Act.
The legal challenge came after the Statehouse voted to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of the legislation. DeWine decided to reject the bill after visiting several children’s hospitals, arguing “parents should make these decisions and not the government.”
Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), the primary sponsor of H.B. 68, said the complaint is “not surprising” and “par for the course,” and argued H.B. 68 was written “to be bulletproof when it came to lawsuits.” Click said he has the “utmost confidence in our attorney general who is capable of defending such commonsense legislation.”
“It is going to be a frivolous lawsuit because there is not constitutional right to sterilize children or to harm or to mutilate them,” Click said. “I believe that science and the law is on our side and we will prevail.”
Gender-affirming care is backed by every major medical association in the nation, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association. To override medical consensus is “government overreach,” the ACLU said and promised it will “reinstate Ohio families’ right to make personal medical decisions with healthcare providers -- not politicians.”
Ohio’s children’s hospitals have served about 3,300 individuals throughout the past 10 years whose first appointment at a gender clinic took place when they were under the age of 18, according to the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association president. Of those 3,300 individuals, 7% were prescribed a puberty blocker and 35% were prescribed hormones.
A previous report can be seen in the player above.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A man who has been charged with murder in connection to a fatal shooting of a 21-year-old made his first court appearance on Tuesday.
Kristion Gresham appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court and was given a $1 million bond after being arrested on Saturday and charged with the shooting death of Delvon Wilkerson Jr.
Hilliard student coerced to ‘identify as opposite sex,’ anti-LGBTQ+ lawsuit saysGresham, 21, was arrested in connection to a shooting Thursday at the 100 block of East 21st Avenue. Just after 5:15 p.m., Columbus police officers found Gresham with a gunshot wound.
Roughly 30 minutes later, officers went to Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and found Wilkerson inside a car that had numerous bullet holes. Wilkerson was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. while Gresham, who had non-life threatening injuries, was arrested at the hospital.
Police believe a fight between Gresham and Wilkerson took place at the East 21st Avenue location, resulting in both men being shot.
Among the conditions of Gresham's bond include no possession of firearms of ammunition. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 25.
As the afternoon progresses, clouds will begin to build across the area. Temperatures will stay well above normal for this time of year. Highs will reach the upper 70s across central Ohio. By the evening hours a few isolated showers and a couple rumbles of thunder will move over. Portions of the area will be under a marginal risk for severe weather, which is on the lowest end of the threat scale.
Overnight there will be a few more chances for scattered rain chances. On and off rain starts some time after midnight and will linger into the morning commute on Wednesday. Lows overnight will fall into the lower 60s. Wind gusts will begin to pick up a little bit. Once the morning rain chances taper off there will be a few breaks in the clouds allowing for peaks of sunshine.
Wednesday afternoon will bring better chances for strong to severe thunderstorms. Most of these storms will push though around the mid to late afternoon hours. The primary severe weather threat will be for large hail. There is also the chance for some damaging winds. Flooding and tornado chances will be very low. Highs tomorrow will be in the mid 70s.
The rest of the work week will start a cooling trend in out temperatures. Thursday will be dry, but Friday will bring a few more rain chances. Expect drier conditions by this weekend with temps topping off right around 60 degrees. Lows by the weekend will be in the lower 40s.
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) – An Indian restaurant will open its doors in Pickerington this spring.
Indian Spice, at 1111 Hill Road North, will have a “huge menu” filled with authentic Indian dishes, according to co-owner Bhim Dulal.
Smoothie bowl shop opens near Quarry Trails Metro ParkAmong the restaurant's offerings are chicken marsala, butter chicken, lamb chops, chicken biryani and vegetarian meals. The eatery will also serve Indian beers and cocktails. Dulal said he chose to open his restaurant in Pickerington because of the growth the city is seeing and the lack of Indian food in the area.
“I am a real estate salesperson, so I see the demand that Indian food is needed in this area,” Dulal said.
Indian Spice’s opening date will likely fall in the second or third week of May, Dulal said.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - A store featuring smoothie bowls, juices and more is open for business.
Playa Bowls is welcoming customers at 2193 Quarry Trails Drive after holding its opening March 30, according to its social media post.
Local pizza and pub to open new location in Grandview Heights this summerThe Quarry Trails spot joins other central Ohio locations including its Ohio State University eatery on North High Street, Perimeter Loop Road in Dublin, and its New Albany location on North Hamilton Road.
The smoothie place first started in Belmar, New Jersey, eventually expanding with over 200 stores nationwide, according to its website. Along with its four central Ohio stores, there are other locations in Ohio including Dayton and Loveland.
The company's menu features a variety of options for customers to choose from including bowls that contain yogurt with granola, honey, fruits and can even have peanut butter, almond butter, Nutella and more. Certain flavor bowls are also blended with protein as well.
The shop also has smoothies and juices ranging in flavors with many ingredients from pineapple, mango and apple to beet, spinach and kale.
Playa Bowls at Quarry Trails is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A new opportunity for Columbus solar panel owners to take money off of their bills has come from a city council vote on Monday.
A new code change approved by the council established a net metering service, which enables Columbus Division of Power customers to sell their unused energy back to the city's public utilities department. Councilmember Chris Wyche said residents with solar panels on their homes will now have the chance to earn discounts from them.
"It is essentially a billing tool that allows residents who do have solar panels on their homes to sell excess energy back to the grid," Wyche said. "So, Columbus Division of Power customers now have that option."
Wyche said residents won't have to do anything to get the money. All it takes for residents to benefit is to have solar panels on their homes. The money comes in the form of a credit on a resident's utility bills.
"That is something that the Division of Power will do to monitor how their usage is interacting with the grid, how much they're pulling down, and how much they're submitting back to the grid," Wyche said. "It is pretty much hands-off from their perspective."
Columbus is working toward its hope of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 with the solar panel code change, as well as another ordinance. Alongside allowing residents to sell their unused energy, a program will connect low-to-moderate-income households with solar systems.
Getting alcoholic drinks to go may soon be coming to Downtown, FranklintonThe council also approved the awarding of a 2023 EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant in the amount of $167,302.25 from American Municipal Power, Inc. to go toward a contract with Solar United Neighbors (SUN) and IMPACT Community Action. This funding goes to a co-op that helps install solar energy systems in households of residents with low-to-moderate incomes.
Both pieces of legislation passing on the same night couldn't have been more convenient, according to Wyche.
"The timing is perfect, right? Because having this code change in place means that more folks are incentivized to actually get solar panels on their homes," Wyche said. "They can truly reap the benefits of having those solar panels."
$20 million for summer programs announced for Columbus youthThe LMI co-op is a partnership program between the City of Columbus, SUN, and IMPACT Community Action. Initially, the program will serve a total of 17 households -- Wyche said the new grant funds 11 to 16 -- with the goal of expanding in the future. The co-op is free to join, and does not lock customers in to purchasing a system. Once the group is large enough, an installer is selected after submitting bids reviewed by the co-op members. Individual members can then decide if going with solar is right for them.
"The intention is to provide a tangible pathway to residential solar for residents that may not be able to afford the upfront installation costs," IMPACT Director of Climate Justice Initiatives Katie Devlin said. "As a member of the cohort, eligible households will be able to receive a residential rooftop array and battery system, free of charge to the resident."
SUN Ohio Program Associate Mryia Williams said the two pieces of legislation go hand in hand. As the city encourages solar energy, the limited number of residents using it needs to grow somehow, and the newly passed ordinances will get solar panels in more Columbus homes while encouraging it for others.
"In Columbus, our Department of Energy only has a handful of customers who currently have solar," Williams said. "That's because those were the only ones that could see the economic viability of adding solar to their home."
ODOT stresses attentive driving as work zone-related crashes riseWyche explained why the two pieces of legislation were crucial to a much larger goal: combatting climate change.
"Every month seems to be the hottest month ever on record," Wyche said. "So, it's very evident that climate change is real. The more that we can do to kind of make it easy for people to transition to renewable energy, the better we are in the long run. My office has set the goal of Columbus being the greenest city in the country. And it starts with doing simple things."
DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) -- Penzone Salon and Spa has finished the transformation of its former flagship location into a new multipurpose building, equipped for corporate gatherings and home to a training salon, co-working spaces for rent, a yoga studio and a café.
The beauty company has repurposed its original building constructed in 1991 at 6671 Village Pkway. in Dublin into a new 18,000 square-foot space called "Penzone Base One." The 33-year-old building sits on the company's 3.52-acre Dublin campus, the same property that's home to Penzone's salon and spa built in 2018 and a new "live-work" building under construction that will feature an art gallery and residence for the company's founder.
Family-owned Lucky’s Market announces opening date for second Columbus store"Base One is intended to spark energy, boost individuals and connect people," said Debbie Penzone, the company's president. "We see this as a space for our team, our local salon and spa colleagues, and salon industry professionals from all across the United States -- all to propel the beauty industry forward."
Inside Penzone's 18,000 square-foot Base One building in Dublin. (Courtesy Photo/Penzone Salon and Spa)The company's sixth salon and spa will operate out of Base One, serving as a training site providing bookable services for guests to be models as Penzone artists sharpen their skills. The salon and spa may also be rented by manufacturers and industry artists for classes.
Each month, Base One will curate ticketed events for "training, education and community cultivation." Studios, including three outdoor spaces, are available for rent for training events, team buildings, wellness retreats, special happy hours and more. Each space is customizable, with programming amenities like art classes and catering by Cameron Mitchell Premier Events.
Superman movie filming in Ohio to cast locals as extrasSeveral other spaces will also be available for rent in Base One, including office suites, spa suites, an on-air studio, idea room and co-working office rentals. Office renters will be able to furnish their office to their liking and will have key fob access. Spa suites will give any spa or wellness practitioner, tiny tattoo artist and others a private room with flexible rental term options.
The idea room is equipped to handle whiteboard sessions and multimedia presentations for groups of 10 or less. The on-air studio is acoustically optimized for creators and influencers to produce podcasts and audio recordings, while photographers and videographers can utilize the
creative studio.
In addition, L I T Life + Yoga will operate out of Base One's "movement studio." More than 17 weekly classes and a series of labs and special events will allow students of all levels to explore the benefits of yoga, movement and meditation. This is Penzone's second L I T Life + Yoga space after its flagship studio opened in Italian Village in 2017.
Local pizza and pub to open new location in Grandview Heights this summerBase One will also be home to a café and bar with complimentary Crimson Cup drip coffee, water and small bits from Krema Nut Co. Made-to-order café drinks and cocktails will
be available during curated events.
"Whether here for a training, event, yoga class, team building retreat, or to run a business, our goal is that everyone will leave a little bit changed -- feeling enlightened, inspired, connected and fulfilled," Penzone said.
The transformation continues a series of renovations across the company's portfolio. Penzone constructed its new Dublin salon in 2018, followed by a new Short North location the same year. The Polaris and German Village locations have also undergone remodeling. In April of 2022, Penzone opened a New Albany salon, replacing the area's former location on Cherry Way.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A pizza shop Downtown wants out of its current location, citing a "nightmare" at the property ever since a new owner bought it.
Luke Edwards, the owner of OH Pizza and Brew, announced Wednesday on the shop's social media that he plans to relocate his shop after six years at 88 E. Broad St. The straw that broke the camel's back came in the form of a letter from AEP Ohio. The utility provider's notice stated that due to a lack of payment, it would be disconnecting electricity at the building, known for its Key Bank branding.
Hilliard student coerced to 'identify as opposite sex,' anti-LGBTQ+ lawsuit says"It has become obvious that the owners of 88 E Broad St. no longer care or are completely inept," Edwards wrote. "Since SPG sold it over a year ago, it has been nothing but a nightmare. Water, electrical, heating and cooling issues have plagued our operation to the point of complete shutdowns on top of the terrible electric shorting out our refrigeration equipment. This is not okay and I can’t continue to operate a business like this."
A New York-based company, Baruch Broad Street LLC, acquired the tower housing OH Pizza and Brew for $12,025,000 in January 2022, according to the Franklin County Auditor's Office. Business records from the Ohio Secretary of State's Office tie the LLC to Asher Roshanzamir, the CEO of Zamir Equities, also based in New York.
Zamir Equities did not respond to a request for comment on the issues Edwards referenced. But the pizza shop owner did speak with NBC4, sharing an array of issues that have hurt his business since the takeover.
After Roshanzamir's shell company took over, Edwards said it hired Colliers International to manage the property. The group honored OH Pizza and Brew's existing lease with the prior owner, but other financial problems appeared.
Superman movie filming in Ohio to cast locals as extrasThe pizza shop owner described multiple instances where maintenance work on the skyscraper would force him to close his store, sometimes for multiple days in a row, because he could not operate with shut-off utilities during the work. With the past owner, this resulted in a discounted rate on his monthly rent. But within the first month and with a five-day shutdown, Edwards said the property manager hit his business with a late notice, claiming he only paid a partial amount.
Colliers has cycled through three lead managers since taking over management at the Key Bank Building, Edwards noted. And he blamed the property management for a nearly $10,000 burglary, which resulted in Edwards having to replace all of his point-of-sale systems.
Because the building's storefronts use magnetic locks, his team had no control over the OH Pizza and Brew's security or when the doors would shut.
"Over Christmas, they didn't lock the doors. We got burglarized," Edwards said. "He came in, thought we were open and wanted to use the restroom. We got him on camera. He looked around, he sat there for 30 minutes, walked around in my kitchen, grabbed pretzels and just started eating them. … Lo and behold, he took our registers."
Ohio Uber driver killed in shooting after being sent to pick up scammer’s packageEdwards owner said that he has avoided involving attorneys or officially going through Franklin County courts to put his rent in escrow, and instead has directly negotiated his rent factoring in shutdowns with the owner. More recently, the owners initiated court proceedings to put OH Pizza and Brew in rent default, according to Edwards.
The management company, Colliers, suffered from payment issues with the owners as well, Edwards said. It left and then returned after the owners paid them for an additional month, but as of Monday, Edwards said the property owners had not paid Colliers beyond that.
AEP Ohio's communications team told NBC4 that it couldn't discuss individual customer accounts like the one for the Key Bank Building. However, they did share that the utility provider had withdrawn disconnection orders for the skyscraper and had no plans to do so as of Tuesday.
One of Edwards' biggest concerns through the issues at the Key Bank Building has been his employees' wellbeing and was part of his decision to get them to a new location.
Ice Cube's return rounds out 2024 Ohio State Fair concert schedule"It sucks because … when my staff looks at me, I want to be able to tell them 'Hey, I've got your back. We're doing this together,'" Edwards said. "When the riots were going on Downtown, I was standing right there with them."
For the future, OH Pizza and Brew is looking for another location Downtown, rather than a long-distance relocation, Edwards said. He asked customers on social media to "please be kind as the next couple days, weeks or months will be bad."
"We've had a lot of suitors try to get us elsewhere, and my biggest thing is, for the staff, I want to be there for them," Edwards said. "So I want to keep it as close as possible. … We're going to stay open until we find a better place."
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio State Fair concert schedule is complete with a world famous rapper returning to Columbus.
Rap icon Ice Cube, who performed at the 2022 Ohio State Fair, is returning as he headlines the final announcement of concerts. The 2024 Ohio State Fair will take place from July 24 to Aug. 4 with Ice Cube scheduled to perform on July 30 at 7 p.m.
2024 Sonic Temple Festival schedule at Historic Crew Stadium releasedThree more concerts were announced Tuesday as well. The All-Ohio State Fair Band and Youth Choir is set for an afternoon performance on July 28. Eagles tribute band Hotel California will perform on July 30 in the afternoon before Ice Cube. The final concert of this year's fair will be country singer Jamey Johnson with special guest Southhall on Aug. 3.
The fair's final show will once again be the champions livestock auction, which will take place on Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets for the remaining concerts will go on sale on Friday with prices varying for each show. Each concert ticket includes admission to the fair. Follow this link for ticket information. All concerts will take place at the Celeste Center.
Ohio State Fair concert scheduleCOLUMBUS (WCMH) – A Columbus police officer was hospitalized after a two-car crash south of Downtown early Tuesday morning.
According to a sergeant on scene, an officer was responding to a call when they were struck by another vehicle and pinned to the side of a building near the intersection of South 3rd Street and Columbus Street in German Village. The crash occurred at around 12:45 a.m.
One dead, driver runs from northeast Columbus crashThe officer was taken to Grant Medical Center in stable condition. No injury information was provided for the other driver or what led up to the crash.
Watch a previous NBC4 report on the lawsuit against Hilliard schools in the video player above.
HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) -- Several central Ohio parents suing Hilliard City Schools allege a student suffering from "severe emotional trauma" was pressured by teachers to adopt "a new name and identity as the opposite sex."
Nine Hilliard parents say school officials "treated the child as the opposite sex" without parental consent after "diagnosing" the student with gender dysphoria, according to the filing in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Ohio. The complaint claims the district deceived the student's parents, while the child's "condition spiraled out of control" and led to a suicide attempt.
Ohio passes rules banning gender transition surgery for minors"The district's acts were reckless because district officials are not qualified -- and are specifically denied entitlement to -- make diagnoses and treatment decisions for somebody else's child," the parents' second amended complaint filed on April 1 argues. "Such acts will inevitably lead to harm."
While referring to the student as "an opposite-sex name" in school, teachers referred to the child in the presence of their parents with pronouns consistent with their "biological sex," meaning the sex listed on the student's birth certificate. The parents only learned the district "treated [the student] for gender dysphoria" when a school secretary sent the child a postcard, the complaint claims.
Hilliard City Schools did not respond to NBC4's request for comment, but said a previous version of the parents' suit consisted "of thread-bare assertions, innuendo, rumor, and spurious legal conclusions." Hilliard Superintendent David Stewart previously said the filing was "filled with misstatements of fact and mischaracterizations."
Still, the parents are now seeking damages and are asking the court to deem the district's "policies" unconstitutional. The group says, through "professional therapy and counseling," that the student and their parents now understand the child's "problems were not gender dysphoria."
This student's alleged experience is one of several reasons the parents said they are concerned the district is "hiding their child's gender dysphoria from them," the complaint states. The group asks in the filing whether the district could "affirmatively deceive parents" if said parent is not a "safe person" because they don't support the LGBTQ+ community.
Former Delaware daycare operator faces a judge on 17 child abuse charges"'Support' for '[LGBTQ+] youth or issues' is a matter of personal opinion," the parents state. "Thus, a district official's opinion of whether a parent is a 'safe person' could arise from judgments related to a parent’s constitutionally-protected practices, such as practicing certain religions, expressing certain political views."
The suit also renews calls on the court to stop district teachers from wearing LGBTQ-supportive badges that read "I'm Here" with a Pride flag design on the front, a request made in the parents' first complaint against the district filed in January of 2023.
Teachers were given permission to continue wearing the badges in 2022 after some parents expressed concern over a code on the back that could lead to websites inappropriate for children. School officials said in January of last year they discussed the possibility of students accessing inappropriate material, and agreed that the codes should be covered so that they would not be visible. The district said at the time it was not aware of any student accessing the QR code or materials.
"Any teacher who chose to wear one of the badges clearly understood that the resources at the link were intended for adults, not students," Stewart said in a statement in 2022. "The resources are provided for teachers’ personal growth and professional development."
The April filing also raises the issue of surveys allegedly given to students, asking which pronouns they prefer at school and which pronouns students prefer the teacher use when speaking to parents, a second renewed claim that was made in the original 2023 filing. However, school officials said the survey was not a practice of the district. Stewart said he made clear to administrators that the district does not support surveying students on this topic or in this context.
Ohio Supreme Court asks for name of officer who killed Ta’Kiya YoungAnother claim made in the first filing said school officials were allowing "activist teachers" to facilitate conversations on sexual orientation and gender identity with children as young as 6 years old without parental consent. The complaint had said teachers were taking specific actions to hide these conversations, calling the situation "a recipe for indoctrination and child abuse."
However, this language was removed from the parents' most recent filing. At the time, the district said "making broad-brush accusations such as those in this lawsuit detract from the district's mission and the educational efforts of our dedicated staff and teachers."
Happy Tuesday!
We start the day off on a dry note, with gradually increasing cloud coverage. We'll see highs warm into the middle 70s, with a light breeze. A warm front then lifts north through the state this afternoon, and we'll see a few spotty showers as a result, between about 2-5 PM for Central Ohio, and lingering just a bit longer for our eastern counties. This is not a day where everyone will see showers, but some of us will.
As a result, we've got an isolated severe threat, mainly for strong winds and hail.
More rain then arrives overnight and into Wednesday. Expect showers and rumbles during the morning, then some dry time through the middle of the day, before more rain and thunderstorms arrive along a cold front during the afternoon and evening. We will see a slightly higher, 2-out-of-5 risk for a strong to severe storm during that timeframe.
Main threats will be strong winds and large hail, with an isolated tornado chance.
Thursday will be dry, and we start to clear up. We'll see some sunshine, with highs dropping back near 70.
We then start Friday off with a few spotty showers during the morning, then clearing into the afternoon. Highs fall back to the middle 60s for Friday.
-McKenna
KILEVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) - A railroad crossing in Madison County is beginning to crumble only a month after repairs.
The crossing on OH-161 between Dublin and Plain City sees thousands of vehicles per day. According to the Ohio Railway Commission, almost 10,000 vehicles cross that stretch of tracks daily. However, the last count at that location took place in 2004.
Superman movie filming in Ohio to cast locals as extrasRoger Spring began making calls to CSX Railroads in 2023 as the crossing condition began to deteriorate. He saw chunks of concrete the size of bowling balls lying in the road at times.
NBC4 spoke to Spring and several other people who travel that route on OH-161 every day in late February. Two weeks later, on March 7, the crossing was closed. Repairs were made that day, but Spring and several others quickly noticed it wasn't holding up.
"It's really bad,” he said. “You still have to slow down. Not quite as bad as it was before, but you still need to slow down a good bit. Well, it probably only took about three weeks. Concrete reinforced with rebar between the rails and on each side of the rails, on the road, sides of the rail and about three weeks after the repairs were made. That's roughly speaking, the one of the concrete sections started to break out.”
The crossing presents several dangers. One person said their tire that was popped after driving over the crossing with loose concrete and steel. Other stories of rear-end accidents and near collisions have been told as well. One major issue is the difference in the speed at which drivers approach the crossing. Some drivers slow down to approach. Others maintain a speed around the speed limit of 55 miles per hour.
"They're going to slow down, but the problem is, when they slow down, the guy behind them may not necessarily," Spring said.
Local pizza and pub to open new location in Grandview Heights this summerThis can cause a situation where one car slows down significantly to cross the track, and then begins to accelerate on the other side. Their brake lights are no longer engaged while they accelerate but are still traveling much slower than the 55-mph speed limit. Another driver who travels over the crossing at full speed can find themselves far closer to the car in front of them than anticipated as they cross the track.
Spring was skeptical when he saw how much time the crew spent on the repairs that day, which was about six hours.
"When I saw that they didn't make any repair to the rails in terms of reinforcing the underside of that, I did not think this would hold up well, of which has proven to be the case,” he said. “The concrete that broke out had already broken down to the rebar. So they put asphalt on top of that.”
Fixing the approach and crossing for a railroad is the responsibility of the railroad company, according to Ohio law. During the March 21, 2024, meeting of the Ohio Rail Development Commission, Executive Director Matt Dietrich addressed the public concern with the deterioration and condition of railroad crossings in the state. He said:
"The surface conditions of rail grade crossings continue to be an issue for communities. Standalone grade crossing surface projects are difficult to address in Ohio. By Ohio law, which dates to the early 1950s, grade crossing surfaces are the responsibility of the railroad. However, deteriorating conditions can result in safety concerns for vehicular traffic. Federal safety funds can only be used when there is an identified safety concern. As a result, the Rail Commission must wait for PUCO inspectors to identify the crossing as a concern before we can engage the railroad about doing a project. Additionally, by policy we do not want the public to pay 100% of the costs for a project that is, by state law, the railroad’s responsibility. Therefore, we negotiate with the railroad to balance the railroad responsibility under state law with the safety concerns of the traveling public. It is a less than ideal situation because PUCO has no enforcement authority even if they find issues at the crossing. Because concerns about surfaces is an issue that is getting more attention from the public, I wanted to provide background of the situation and the Commission’s role in addressing those issues."
Now, a month after temporary repairs, many in the Plain City area are talking about plans for a permanent fix this summer. In a community Facebook group, one person posted that they were told CSX was going to shut down the road at the crossing in Kileville for seven to ten days for reconstruction during the summer. Just the thought of a permanent fix has other residents like Spring hopeful.
Friends plead for answers as hit-and-run victim is taken off life support"It's nice that we will have finally, hopefully a permanent fix," he said.
NBC4 reached out to CSX Railroads, Ohio Rail Development Commission, and Plain City officials to try to confirm whether or not construction was planned for the reconstruction of the railroad crossing. That information has not yet been confirmed as of Monday night.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus woman is in Israel and was in the heart of Tel Aviv’s Democracy Square Saturday night when the warning went out – that Iranian missiles were on the way.
Marcy Fleisher, the owner of a Columbus PR firm, was part of a rally in support of the hostages in a crowd of about 10,000 people.
Biden meeting with his national security team as US pledges ‘support’ for Israel against IranShe traveled to Tel Aviv to take part in a week-long volunteer mission. The Saturday rally was also a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who many Israelis believe is a roadblock to peace.
“It was a remarkably powerful event,” Fleisher said. “It was peaceful, it was united. At one point, someone shouted the names of each of the 130-plus hostages and the crowd together chanted, ‘Bring bring them home now.’ It was really it was something.
“But at about 10:30 or so, the mood quickly shifted and I was standing next to a man who was translating most of the Hebrew and he said to me that the Ministry of Defense has gone on the air in Tel Aviv and they are telling everyone to go home immediately, that they believe the threat from Iran is imminent and we need to take shelter,” Fleisher added. “That was probably the first time I was afraid.”
Fleisher says she made her way back to her 11th-floor hotel room, then helped a young family seek shelter in the concrete stairwell.
Superman movie filming in Ohio to cast locals as extras“In our hotel are a number of Israeli families from the north and next door to me is a family with two little kids,” she said. “When I went into the hallway going to the stairwell, they were there too, so I helped them go down 11 floors with a baby and a stroller and a suitcase filled with formula, and I think that’s when I was most nervous. (I) realized this is how the people of Israel live, and frankly that’s how the people in Gaza live. It’s how the people in Ukraine live. This is the most heartbreaking reality I have ever experienced.”
Fleisher was in Israel as part of a mission with the Jewish National Fund to do things like pick fruit and prepare kosher meals for Israeli soldiers. The official mission was canceled, but she said half of the 150 participants stayed on, determined to help out this week in any way they can.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Faith leaders and law enforcement in Bexley are putting meaning to the phrase “better together.”
They have formed a group to discuss safety at places of worship. This group includes faith leaders of all denominations.
Former Delaware daycare operator faces a judge on 17 child abuse chargesThe group formation comes as tensions are rising in the middle east once again after Iran launched a major drone attack on Israel Saturday.
Bexley Police Chief Gary Lewis said the goal of these meetings is to make sure each place of worship has a plan in place for any kind of emergency.
“It really was just a matter of bringing all faith based clergy, their leadership together and talking about best practices, what systems they may or may not have in place,” Lewis said.
Chief Lewis said their first meeting was a few weeks ago. He said we live in a world where this safety at places of worship is a serious concern. He said they are using FEMA's guidelines to create the plans. They are talking about active threats and even natural disasters. He said he didn't realize how vulnerable we really are until having these open conversations.
Chief Lewis said since Bexley has a very dominant Jewish population, much of this idea stemmed from anti- semitic incidents in the area following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
”We have three synagogues and nearly a two-and-a-half square mile with two adjacent to us. So that is a very high priority to us as well as the other places of worship here and making sure we partner and work together,” Lewis said.
Julie Tilson Stanley is the President and CEO of JewishColumbus. They are one of the organizations involved in the meetings.
“Unfortunately, when there is a tragedy in a community or around the world, it gives you a moment to pause and reflect and understand what are the opportunities to learn more,” Tilson Stanley said.
She said they are thankful for their relationship with local law enforcement.
“We walked out with a sense of possibility on what partnership can look like and how stronger communication and working together makes everyone safer,” Tilson Stanley said.
Tilson Stanley said they spend more than a million dollars on security each year. She said with the Jewish community celebrating Passover next week they are on high alert, but there are no known threats at this time.
“We feel very strongly that it is important, especially as the Passover holiday is coming, that you also are able to experience that joy,” Tilson Stanley said.
Chief Lewis said it’s about creating a safe space for all the leaders to openly speak. He said they are in the discussion phases now but hope to implement real world exercises in the future.
He said these meetings are also helping his department have a better understanding of where they are needed.
“I think when you can partner, no matter the faith denomination of the place of worship, when you're looking at that and have those leaders in one room and speaking the same love language, to me that is a critical key and why we've been so successful,” Lewis said.
Chief Lewis said he hopes to have quarterly meetings with the faith leaders. The Bexley Police Department has designated a liaison to make communicating easier.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The friends of a hit-and-run victim are preparing to say goodbye for the last time.
On March 2, John Decker was struck by a car while riding his bicycle just after 11 p.m. on Sinclair Road near Morse Road. His friends said that on Monday, he’s being taken off life support.
"He was always on his bike or the bus, he loves to ride bikes. That was his thing. He didn't like cars," Angela Granata, Decker's friend, said.
Ohio Supreme Court asks for name of officer who killed Ta’Kiya YoungColumbus police, which declined an interview about Decker's case, have no updates and said the video footage they have is too blurry to get a description of the car. That's not uncommon, according to hit-skip incident data NBC4 obtained through a public records request.
In fact, most hit-and-runs that happened in Columbus in the first six months of 2023 went unsolved. In incidents where someone was killed, no cases were solved. Cases in which someone suffered a serious injury were twice as likely to not be solved. and when someone suffered a serious injury, those cases were twice as likely not to be solved.
But the low solve rate is not stopping Decker’s friend from searching for answers.
"We're all in shock because again, this is not what we thought John, what anyone, would die from and our point to the community is, you gotta help us find who did this," Granata said. "It’s sad to see someone so full of life just lay there."
Animal advocates call for change to Ohio law after viral videoGranata said she has known Decker for more than 20 years.
"He was such a sweetheart. Highly intelligent, and he knew the value of life and the value of friendship," she said.
Now, Granata said Decker is being taken off life support. As his friends gather to say goodbye, they are pleading for answers and justice.
"When you see someone on a bicycle or a motorcycle, slow down, let them have the right of way," Granata said. "It may slow you down a couple seconds, but a life is not worth taking because you're in a hurry."
Decker’s friends are offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who hit their friend. Columbus police ask anyone with information
to call 614-645-4767 or submit an anonymous tip to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers by calling 614-461-8477.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Gender transition surgery for minors will now be illegal in Ohio indefinitely unless further action is taken.
At the start of the year, Gov. Mike DeWine signed an emergency executive order to ban those surgeries for Ohioans under 18; that order would have expired at the start of May had no action been taken.
On Monday, the state's Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) adopted two rules into the administrative code to ban those surgeries for minors.
The rules do have exceptions for certain cases, like for someone who was born with a “medically verifiable disorder of sex development” or someone who “needs treatment for any infection, injury, disease, or disorder that has been caused or exacerbated by the performance of gender transition services, whether or not the services were performed in accordance with state or federal law.”
A spokesperson for DeWine said there was a “pretty clear consensus” that allowing minors to have gender-transition surgery should not be permissible in the state. He points to testimony and statements from the state’s children’s hospitals that said these surgeries are never performed either way.
State Sen. Bill DeMora (D-Columbus), who is on JCARR, issued a statement after the vote that said, “These rules have no legal basis, are not helpful, and just further show the depths that Ohio Republicans will go to make Ohio as inhospitable as possible to the most persecuted groups.”
The rules fall under the Ohio Department of Health's purview and will be up to it to enforce.
It will take at least 10 days before the rules take effect.
House Bill 68 is set to go into effect in less than a week; it’s the state’s new law to ban these surgeries and other forms of gender-affirming care for minors. It is being challenged in court, but even if it ultimately tied up in a legal battle, the new rules will still stand.