Ohio News

Watch a previous report on Dotson's guilty plea in the video player above.

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Pickaway County man could spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to the killing of two people in October 2023.

Marty Ray Dotson Jr., 44, of Orient, was sentenced Wednesday to 26 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to a murder and a voluntary manslaughter charge in January. Dotson was given 15 years to life for the murder charge and 11 to 16 1/2 years for the manslaughter charge, to be served concurrently.

On Oct. 23, 2023, Pickaway County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a body found around 10:50 p.m. at Whispering Pines Mobile Home Park on U.S. Route 62, according to the sheriff's office. At the scene, deputies found Craig Dewitt, 58, and Cory Moore, 22, dead in a bedroom.

An autopsy revealed both Dewitt and Moore suffered multiple stab wounds, the sheriff's office said.

Dotson was originally charged with four counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, two counts of abuse of a corpse and one count of kidnapping.

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- The former Circleville chief of police and former acting chief will be receiving thousands of dollars to voluntarily retire and resign.

Former Circleville Police Chief Shawn Baer and former Acting Police Chief Douglas Davis will voluntarily step down from their positions, per ordinances passed on Wednesday, April 10 at a special council meeting.

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

This comes after a month of allegations including harassment and intimidation, leading to both being placed on administrative leave with pay for their alleged misconduct. Those agreements state that both of the internal investigations have not been completed but will end, without findings, as soon as all parties sign it.

After an executive session, NBC4 was directed to the city’s employment counsel, Benjamin Albrecht. He refused to go on camera and instead gave a printed statement, which reads:

"The City of Circleville has voted to authorize the Mayor to execute Separation Agreements with Chief Gary Shawn Baer and Deputy Chief Douglas Davis of the Circleville Police Department. The decision to enter into Separation Agreements with Chief Baer and Deputy Chief Davis was made to avoid further disruption in the City's Police Department and minimize future legal costs incurred by the City. The City looks forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Circleville. The City shall have no further comment."

Benjamin Albrecht

While Albrecht would not go on camera, one councilmember did speak up and said he is disgusted.

"I'm sad. I feel like there's no justice," Councilmember Zack Brooks said. "I voted no. I don't think that we should have done that. I think that, you know, I think our citizens would much rather see us investigate these matters than give them a payout and move on."

Family still looking for answers 10 years after woman’s disappearance

Brooks has spoken out alongside the former public safety director who was hired and fired in one week, he said because he tried to hold the police department accountable.

Now, Brooks said he is the one trying to get some accountability.

"We really do need new leadership in the department," Brooks said. "We need to clean it up as quick as possible. But I am disgusted that we're just going to give them a slap on the wrist and let them get away with $70,000 a piece."

Some Circleville residents came out to the meeting hoping to make their voices heard.

"Nobody will listen. They do as they please. I don't know what else to say," Circleville resident Diana Draise said.

Brooks said he plans to continue pushing for answers and hopes someone on the state level gets involved.

"We need to have new leadership," Brooks said. "There's no denying that. So at least the best thing out of this is that we'll start to look for new leadership and hopefully have a quick turnaround."

The separation agreement states that both Baer and Davis will not seek re-employment with the city.

Brooks shared that the voluntary retirement for both men will happen on April 11 and he believes the signing of these agreements is being finalized on April 10.

Family still looking for answers 10 years after woman’s disappearance

NBC4 was hoping to speak with additional city councilmembers, the mayor or the law director on camera. However, they directed us to the city attorney who again gave us that written statement copied above.

The full separation agreements that are being executed with Chief Baer and Deputy Chief Davis can be found here: 

Doug Davis Deputy Chief Separation and Release Agreement ordDownload Doug Davis Exhibit A Agreement Separation and ReleaseDownload Gary Shawn Baer Exhibit A Agreement Separation and ReleaseDownload Gary Shawn Baer Police Chief Separation and Release agreemt ordDownload Immediate New Release for Shawn Bear and Doug Davis 4-10-2024Download

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio’s former public utilities chairman, recently indicted as part of the state’s biggest corruption case in its history, was found dead Tuesday, and a day later some of the state’s top officials provided statements.

“I just really feel sad for the family,” Speaker of the Ohio House Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said. “It’s a really difficult situation, that’s what I will say about that.”

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“It’s a tragedy obviously, whenever someone takes their life,” Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said. “Beyond that I don’t think it’s really appropriate for me to comment.”

Sam Randazzo was the chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) as a multi-million-dollar bribery scheme to bail out FirstEnergy played out. He was indicted on both state and federal charges in connection to the case and pleaded not guilty. He was most recently indicted on the state charges back in February.

“What I think is particularly tragic is that the lives and livelihoods of individuals and families have been destroyed because of this corruption,” Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said.

Randazzo died by “suspected suicide,” he is the second player in this scheme to reportedly take his own life.

“I was shocked, like everybody else, and saddened,” Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Don’t want to see anybody go like that.”

Two other players in the case were indicted on state charges alongside Randazzo.

“I don’t think it effects our case,” Yost said. “Our case will move forward, we are not dismissing any charges, we are not dismissing any defendants.”

Before his death, Randazzo’s assets were frozen, Yost said he thinks that will remain the case.

“Both the federal and state prosecutors are doing their jobs," Yost said. Tragic outcome but no body bears responsibility for his actions except him."

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Yost did decline to comment on whether future indictments are likely but did say Randazzo’s death will not impact any investigations. Despite the convictions, and lives lost, parts of House Bill 6, the legislation at the center of the scandal, still stands. There has been a bipartisan effort to fully repeal HB6 in the Statehouse for more than one year. The bill has had zero hearings.

“The culture of corruption here has tentacles that are very long in the halls of the statehouse and state government,” Russo said.

Stephens said he thinks the state needs to move forward, and work on legislation to improve “baseload power” in order to ensure both the lights stay on for everyday Ohioans, and companies that want to locate here have the infrastructure to do so.

“[House Bill 6] was passed five and a half years ago, I guess five years ago, you know, after it has been reviewed and vetted, and we've had other energy bills,” Stephens said. “I think that's just so far in the past that we need to look at what we are doing dealing with today and five years from now is much more important.”

While Stephens said he thinks the state needs to move forward, Huffman and Russo said a repeal is a possibility.

“I never think that we should say because something happened five years ago or 20 years ago, that we should say we're not going to talk about it anymore. It's the Ohio revised code, it's been revised,” Huffman said. “So, you know, I think we always continue to look at these things and, and that certainly would be on the table.”

Columbus ‘Zone In Gallery’ helps show city’s proposed changes

And Russo said not only does she support a repeal, but also thinks there is a need for new anti-corruptions laws.

“It's difficult to move forward when we're still learning things about this corruption scandal and when people are still paying for this corruption scandal,” Russo said. “We have an environment that is ripe for another corruption scandal in the future.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Despite ten years having passed since a Columbus woman was last seen, a central Ohio family is not giving up hope in their search for her.

April 10 marks a decade since Jayme Bowen went missing. She was 22 years old at the time.

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“She was here and then she’s gone and nothing," said Sue Samples, Jayme's aunt. 

Sample said the past ten years feel more like 25 or 30 because the family is always thinking about Jayme.

“She was a social butterfly, she would leave the house and call back in to see if anybody called her before she even got down the front steps, so for her to just vanish and never make contact with nobody, not Jayme," Sample said.

Jayme was last seen in the Merion Village area around Stewart Avenue and Washington Avenue, not far from Parsons Avenue, according to her family members. 

They said she was planning on walking from one relative's home to another. She has "George III" tattooed on her neck, according to the attorney general's missing persons web page. 

“She was like my best friend. She was like my shadow. And I just miss her, bad," said Nancy Bowen, Jayme's mother.

Over the years, the family has held balloon releases and other gatherings hoping to keep the community aware of their loved one. 

Despite a decade passing, they want people to continue to keep an eye out.

“If they do know something I would appreciate it if they’d step up, call anonymously, I don't care what you do just please say something," Samples said.

Jayme also has two sons. The family hopes after ten long years, someone will help bring them closure.

“I need that because the not knowing literally makes you crazy," Bowen said. "I do want to keep her memory out there and still keep their eyes open and pay attention. I know it's been forever but I still feel she’s out there somewhere."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Columbus Division of Police at 614-645-4545.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said it has uncovered a shoplifting ring behind a string of thefts across central Ohio over the last three months.

Now, detectives are asking for the public’s help in shutting down the ring for good.

One suspect, Mark Long, is behind bars and faces 21 charges related to the thefts.

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Detectives said small, local convenience stores gave Long a “shoplifting list” which he took to large stores like Target and Sephora. Long then allegedly stole those items on the list, usually including perfumes, electronics and more.

Surveillance video below shows two members who detectives are involved in the shoplifting ring in action.

Long then took those items back to the smaller convenience stores to sell at a discount, the sheriff’s office said.

Detectives said these kinds of thefts eventually affect consumers.

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"So if you're looking to get an item, what used to cost $19 may be $22 now because we have almost $30,000 of associated retail crime just with one individual," Franklin County Sheriff's Det. Caleb Loposser said. "That cost is effectively pushed on to the consumer down the road."

Sheriff’s detectives haven’t named the small convenience stores and are looking for three people of interest and a suspect vehicle, a red Hyundai Tucson, pictured below.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus hasn’t made rules about where people can live or where they can build a business in 70 years, and city leaders say it’s time for that to change and they want the community to be involved.

The “Zone In Gallery” at 141 N. Front Street in Downtown Columbus is officially open. This is an interactive experience where residents can learn about the city’s proposed zoning changes and how it will impact them.

More towers, less parking: The zoning code changes that could reshape Columbus for ‘generations’

Mayor Andrew Ginther said the gallery tells a story of where the City of Columbus was 70 years ago when the zoning code was made, where the city could go, and where city leaders want it to go.

“If we want it to be dynamic and inclusive and to make sure that regardless of what you do for a living in our community, that you can afford to live here,” Ginther said. “So I think this crisis has really, I think, created the awareness in the community that we have to do something different and we have to change.”

People can talk directly with city planners to learn more about the plans. The gallery includes interactive maps to show you where changes could happen. It also details the proposal to bring up the housing supply – both market rate and affordable housing – as well as adding more density and height.

“Sprawl is not a strategy, and we've been sprawling for several decades. It's now time for us to be really purposeful,” Ginther said.

He said if the city continued on its current path, only 6,000 homes would be built in the next 10 years. The new plans would project 88,000 homes being built in that same period.

Columbus leaders propose changes to city’s zoning code

This is around 44 percent of the needs to meet the growing demand. Ginther said they also hope to draw in the rest of the region to help tackle the housing supply crisis.

Members of the housing coalition, who work directly with those most impacted, had their first look at the gallery Wednesday.

“I love the presentation here,” said Bob Bitzenhofer, the board chair for the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio. “All of the graphics, the maps, everything, is has been fantastic. I think most of all that the commitment to date and the commitment going forward for public input and public engagement in really making this a code that the residents of the city of Columbus are, you know, shaping so that we're getting, you know, the residents are getting the code that they want.”

Bitzenhofer said he believes people will find this gallery an interesting way to learn about the future of the city. Ginther said it is critical to hear from the public before making decisions.

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“It is really important for people to offer feedback over the next 60 days. I like to say the time for study analysis research has come to an end. It's time for us to act. This is a decade of action. We're going to act, but we want the community to be engaged and be part of this process as well,” Ginther said.

The gallery will be open six days a week at least until the beginning of June. At least two people from the city planners office will be there at all times. The city said walk-ins are welcome but appointments are encouraged. 

Columbus City Council is expected to vote on the zoning proposal in the summer.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As NBC4 celebrates its 75th anniversary since launching on air, the station is paying tribute to a remarkable broadcast pioneer in Ohio who paved the way for modern journalists.

Ann B. Walker, who turned 100 last November, was the first woman in management in Columbus television history and the community service director at NBC4. She previously worked at WKVO Radio and the Ohio Sentinel before going on air. During her time with NBC4, she conducted groundbreaking interviews with Martin Luther King Jr., senators, congressmen and President Jimmy Carter, whom she eventually worked for as a public affairs advisor at the White House.

Ann B. Walker. (NBC4 File Photo)

After all of her years in broadcasting and public service, local producer and journalist Ron Bryant made her the subject of a documentary detailing her life, told from her perspective.

Watch part one of "Queen Mother" in the video player below:

Walker earned the name "Queen Mother" for the village of Mozano, Ghana, and Bryant used that same title for his documentary honoring Walker's life.

"The beauty of it is she is the queen mother, and that's why we named it that," Bryant said. "We knew that we had something that was going to be beneficial, that was going to be something that could be representative of the entire community. And everybody that came along afterwards, as I said before. So we knew that this was going to shine."

Ann B. Walker as the queen mother for Mozano, Ghana. (Courtesy Photo/Ron Bryant)

Walker recalled the prophetic words shared by a previous woman with the same position in Mozano, which led to her receiving it from the king of Ghana.

"In 1923, the queen mother said 'One day, this village will have a queen mother that comes from across the water' ... They began looking for one, and my name kept popping up," Walker said.

Watch part two of "Queen Mother" in the video player below:

Bryant also captured Walker's message to the young people of today, and what helped her in her life's work and service.

"You've got to know who you are within yourself," Walker said. "Don't let others judge you, don't let others set your standards."

The documentary maker also gathered impressions of Walker from community leaders like Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, who referred to her as a "legend."

"For me, that is someone who walked around this building -- city hall -- with power, 40 years ago, 50 years ago, when no one else looked like her," Harding said.

Watch part three of "Queen Mother" in the video player below:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One of the legendary American rock bands will finally be coming back to Columbus after multiple delays for its farewell tour.

Aerosmith announced it has a new date for its concert in central Ohio with special guests The Black Crowes for its "Peace Out" farewell tour. The show will be at the Schottenstein Center on Jan. 13, 2025.

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The original concert date was Jan. 23, 2024 but a September concert where lead vocalist Steven Tyler suffered vocal cord damage forced numerous shows to be postponed.

This is the first time since 2012 Aerosmith will perform in Columbus. Tickets for the concert go on sale on Friday, April 12 at 10 a.m. Anyone who purchased tickets for the previously scheduled show will have those tickets honored. Those with previous tickets will receive more information at a later date.

Aerosmith will have two other Ohio shows prior to its stop in Columbus when the band goes to Cleveland on Sept. 29 followed by a Cincinnati concert on Oct. 17.

Formed in 1970, the Boston-based rock group is the best selling American rock band of all time with four Grammy Awards and a 2001 induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The band is also part of a select group of performers to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show when they headlined the Super Bowl XXV halftime show in 2001 with NSYNC, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – Two suspects arrested for a north central Columbus murder faced a judge Wednesday.

Kiante Lee, 27, and Terrell Thomas, 29, are both charged with murder after 24-year-old Dedrick Robinson was shot and killed early Tuesday morning in the Farmington neighborhood.

According to Columbus police, Robinson was taken to Grant Medical Center a little after midnight in critical condition after being struck by gunfire at an apartment complex in the 2700 block of Brentnell Avenue. There, police said, officers found Robinson lying outside an apartment suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at 2:38 a.m.

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Multiple witnesses reported that Robinson fired a shot from a handgun into an apartment before Lee and Thomas reportedly came outside and the three exchanged gunfire. Video evidence of the shooting as well as shell casings and handguns were recovered from the scene.

Police said several apartment units were also struck by gunfire and soon after 1 a.m. officers detained Lee and Thomas from a nearby apartment complex on Genessee Avenue a few blocks away from the shooting.

One person died after a shooting at a north central Columbus apartment complex, April 9, 2024. (NBC4/Ronald Clark)

At an arraignment hearing Wednesday, Lee was issued a $2 million bond. Thomas, who was also wanted by police from a separate incident, was also issued a $2 million bond.

Thomas was then issued a $25,000 bond on charges of assault, theft, aggravated menacing and two counts of domestic violence stemming from a 2022 incident in which he allegedly threatened and choked a woman before stealing her phone at the Columbus Park Apartments on the southeast side of the city.

Both suspects are scheduled to appear in court on April 19 for a preliminary hearing.

NEWARK, Ohio (WCMH) – A former Newark police officer is facing multiple charges accusing him of inappropriate behavior with a minor.

According to Licking County Municipal Court records, Steven Carles is facing one charge of menacing by stalking and three counts of disseminating harmful material to a juvenile. The charges stem from alleged incidents between Carles and a student at the Career & Technology Education Centers (C-TEC) in Licking County.

A criminal complaint from October 2023 states that Carles, who was also a School Resource Officer at C-TEC, sent a pair of inappropriate images of himself to the student during the summer of 2023. The alleged images, plus one video, contained the captions “1-0”, “2-0”, and “3-0”, which the victim interpreted as Carles noting he had sent her one, two and three images, while she had sent him zero.

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The 17-year-old victim told Newark police that she noticed Carles would give her a lot of attention at school by asking questions, and that once he slid his hand across her back which “grossed her out."

That summer, the victim alleged that Carles sent an Instagram message after he said he saw her driving. In June, Carles reportedly sent the victim a mirror picture with his shirt off. One or two weeks later, Carles allegedly sent a video with him shirtless, and a towel wrapped low around his waist. The third image, according to the complaint, was an image of Carles with his shorts worn low.

The victim further explained that Carles, who was later working as a school resource officer at Newark Middle School, told her sister at the middle school to tell the victim, “Hi” and that he wanted to attend a football game to watch the victim cheer during the current school year.

The report also noted that the victim said Carles “liked” many of her social media posts. She told police that she deleted the images but shared them with a friend to keep a copy, “in case anything happened in the future.”

On Oct. 19, 2023, Carles was placed on administrative leave until investigations into the reports concluded. He turned in his badge and handgun and was interviewed by detectives, who stated that Carles did not want to comment and asked to speak to a union representative. During that conversation, a detective noticed on the victim’s phone that Carles blocked her Instagram account.

Carles was interviewed again with an attorney present one week later. While police said he admitted to sending the images and video and agreed they were “not right”, he denied any perceived intentions. He also denied ever touching the victim, speaking to the victim’s sister and had no explanation of the photo captions with the numbers, “1-0”, “2-0, “3-0.”

Newark police conducted a separate interview with the C-TEC director and the current school officer, who the victim’s friend had shared one of the images with. The image was shown to the Newark detective, matching one of the photos the victim had described in earlier statements. The victim’s friend also confirmed to detectives that they remembered the photo. Both the officer and the victim’s friend explained they had the same perception of the photo captions.

The complaint included a screenshot shared with detectives from the victim’s friend’s phone. It read as follows:

Officer Carles: Haha I get it. I could be more descriptive and detailed but what fun (is) that.

Victim: No explain

Officer Carles: (Two laughing emojis) sent u two old man pics 2-0

Victim: What’s the 2-0 mean

Officer Carles: Haha omg (name) get with it (laughing emoji and another emoji)

Victim: I honestly don’t get it (laughing emoji)

Officer Carles: “View photo” (Officer Carles sent victim another photo 3-0)

On Nov. 1, the Newark detective leading the investigation received a phone call from Carles, who asked for an update on the investigation. An offer was made to him for another interview, which he declined.

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On Nov. 8, the detective interviewed the victim’s sister, who confirmed allegations that Carles spoke with her, asking her to tell the victim “Hi” and attending a football game to watch the victim cheer. The sister also reportedly told detectives that the victim advised her not to share any personal information with Carles.

According to the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy portal, Carles was employed as a Zanesville police officer from November 2016 through May of 2018. He then became a Newark officer from June of 2018 until February 2024, and was employed as a school officer between 2021 and 2023 within the Newark school district. He is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

Watch a previous NBC4 report on H.B. 183 in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A bill to ban transgender students from using restrooms aligned with their gender identity is heading to a vote in the Ohio House of Representatives after advancing at the statehouse on Wednesday.

House Bill 183 passed with a vote of 10 to 5 out of the Higher Education Committee on Wednesday, and would prohibit schools from allowing trans students to use a bathroom that doesn't correspond with the gender assigned to them at birth. The bill states institutions are required to set separate facilities based on a student's "biological sex," meaning "the sex listed on a person's official birth record."

The legislation drew more than 110 opponents to submit testimony against it last fall, including Cam Ogden, a trans college student who said they were sexually assaulted on campus and now uses the women's restroom to avoid running into those who attacked them.

"Addressing this committee, I feel that same fear again. I'm afraid of how you will choose to treat me and the other students here today because we're transgender," said Ogden. "Across the state, transgender youth are afraid of you."

Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond), one of the bill's primary sponsors, previously told NBC4 he has been contacted by constituents and school superintendents who requested such legislation. Bird said he doesn't "view this as controversial," and thinks "parents of all political backgrounds want their children to be safe in the restroom."

Bird said he collaborated with lawmakers to refine the bill's language, including adding an exemption for custodians or an individual responding to an emergency to enter a restroom that does not align with their identity. The newest version of the bill would also prohibit the construction or maintenance of any all-gendered restrooms in schools.

Brendan Shea, an Ohio Board of Education member who was one of 33 proponents to submit testimony in support of the bill last fall, agreed the bill is "an issue of safety," and pointed to a precedent set by the board when it approved a resolution in December 2022 that rejected proposed federal protections for LGBTQ+ students.

“It’s an issue that distracts from academics,” Shea said. “I too often hear from concerned parents, constituents and administrators. It’s a distraction for them. Enacting HB 183 will help take that difficult situation off their plate.”

Still, Beryl Brown Piccolantonio, a former Gahanna-Jefferson School Board president who was appointed to the House's fourth district seat earlier this year, testified in October the Gahanna board was concerned the legislation "would hurt some of our most marginalized and vulnerable students" and "impact our staff who are already under significant pressure and stress."

H.B. 183 also prohibits schools from letting students share overnight accommodations with students of the opposite "biological sex." Institutions would still be allowed to offer single-use facilities and the bill would not apply to children under 10 being assisted by a family member, or to someone helping a student with a disability.

Minna Zelch also testified in October and said her trans daughter has been using the women's restroom for years without incident. Zelch said statistics show, in cases where harassment or assault does take place, the trans person is more likely to be the victim, not the perpetrator.

"Putting aside for the moment the fact that God also made intersex people, who happen to represent a much greater percentage of the population than transgender people and are conveniently ignored in all of these arguments, a human being’s very existence is not something that should ever be up for debate," said Zelch.

However, Rep. Beth Lear (R-Galena), the bill's other primary sponsor, said during the bill’s first hearing that modern education teaches children's feelings should be "constantly affirmed," including feelings of identity regardless of whether they are "rooted in reality."

"Boys cannot become girls, and girls cannot become boys," Lear said. "The modern issue of gender is not a social construct, but the idea you can change your gender is."

The legislation marks the first statewide proposal in Ohio aiming to restrict bathroom use by trans students. However, the debate has been elevated to a federal court in Ohio after Dayton-area parents and students sued a school district for allowing trans students to use communal restrooms consistent with their gender identity. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Buckeyes' newest coach will address the media for the first time on Wednesday as the spring football game approaches.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day will be joined by new running backs coach Carlos Locklyn for a news conference on Wednesday at noon. You can watch the news conference live in the player above.

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The former Oregon running backs coach was hired by Ohio State on April 1 after the departure of Tony Alford, who was hired at Michigan to coach the same position. Locklyn spent two seasons in Eugene with the Ducks and has also been on coaching staffs at Western Kentucky, Memphis, and Florida State.

Locklyn will coach a running backs room that Ryan Day called "the best in the country," that includes TreVeyon Henderson and new transfer Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss. The two will be among many Ohio State fans will watch during Saturday's spring intrasquad exhibition game.

Fans will also have a keen eye on the new transfers that will play in scarlet and grey for the first time. New quarterback Will Howard looks to show off his experience as the favorite for the starting job while former Alabama offensive lineman Caleb McLaughlin and safety Caleb Downs look to make an impression in Columbus.

Watch an earlier report on the outlaw of local tobacco restrictions in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus, Cleveland and a dozen other cities are suing to block a recently-enacted state law that would prohibit them from restricting the sale of tobacco -- including flavored tobacco -- within their city limits.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Franklin County court, argues the law violates local governments' right to home rule. Bexley, Dublin, Grandview Heights and other cities that joined the complaint each passed local ordinances restricting the sale of tobacco, whether it be to people under 21 years old or bans on flavored tobacco sales entirely.

"The state has failed to identify any valid state interest in prohibiting local regulation
of tobacco and tobacco products," the complaint reads."

In January, the Ohio Senate completed the legislative override of Gov. Mike DeWine's veto of the local regulation ban, the second veto of such legislation since 2022. Last July, DeWine struck the provision from the rest of the state budget, saying that local bans were “essential” to curb nicotine use, especially among children, without a statewide ban in place.

But in overriding the veto, Republican lawmakers argued that local restrictions would create a messy patchwork of laws for businesses to navigate that would ultimately harm small business owners. Democrats -- and major health organizations -- argued that cities have a strong interest in addressing the harm that nicotine and tobacco have caused to their communities, especially to children and teenagers.

“Stripping cities of their right to make decisions in the interest of residents isn’t just unconstitutional, it’s bad policy that harms public health and undermines the progress we’ve made to reduce tobacco usage and keep these products out of the hands of teens,” Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said in a news release.

Columbus’ flavored tobacco ban went into effect on Jan. 1, outlawing the sale of vapes, cigarettes, cigarillos, chewing tobacco and any other tobacco product that taste or smell like fruit, candy, vanilla, menthol or mint. Worthington and Grandview Heights also banned flavored tobacco in the new year, while Bexley banned its sale in 2020.

But the law also threatens age restrictions on the sale of tobacco that differ from state regulations, the cities' lawsuit argues. Over the past several years, Columbus, Reynoldsburg, and other central Ohio cities have passed ordinances restricting tobacco sales to those 21 and older. From 2016 to 2020, rates of smoking among adults decreased by 14% in Franklin County, according to the Ohio Department of Health, while across the state, rates of tobacco use -- particularly the use of vapes -- skyrocketed among youth.

“The City of Reynoldsburg strongly advocates that local government have a better understanding of the needs of their communities and should be empowered to make those decisions rather than the state government," Reynoldsburg Mayor Joe Begeny said. "We believe in the constitutional principle of home rule rights."

The cities have asked the court to grant a temporary restraining order on the law, which is set to become enforceable in late April, as well as a permanent injunction on the statute.

Read the full complaint below.

Complaint-040924-1Download

LONDON, Ohio (WCMH) - A local pizzeria in London has launched its new way for customers to get a slice.

Ronetti's Pizza, located at 23 South Main Street, officially has a food truck that is offering its pizza outside of its shop in London. Not only will the food truck serve pizza and subs, but customers can also buy from Layla's Sweet Treats Ice Cream as well.

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• (Courtesy: Ronetti's Pizza)
• (Courtesy: Ronetti's Pizza)

According to Ronetti's website, the truck will be located at several spots across Ohio including breweries, events and more. Patrons can also book the Ronetti's and Layla's Sweet Treats truck for events as well.

The pizzeria first started back in March 1969 under brothers George Burke and Jim Nixon, according to the company website. The shop's first location was at 141 Maple Street in London, but later moved to its current location to offer dining and sit-down service.

Along with pizza and subs, Ronetti's also offers salads, appetizers, soups and spaghetti, but the food truck will only serve pizza, subs and treats from Layla's.

For a look at the food truck schedule, click here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

View the player above to see previous coverage.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That is, until last week.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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