Ohio News

For previous coverage of this story, see the video player above

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Police have apprehended an armed and dangerous sex offender with two kidnapping accusations who has been on the run since escaping police custody in June.

In June, the registered sex offender escaped custody after being accused of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend. Two months, another kidnapping accusation and two officer suspensions later, Quintell Bagley, 38, has been arrested.

Bagley was apprehended Friday afternoon at an address on Cornell Drive in Lima, over 90 miles from where he was last seen near Eureka Avenue and West Broad Street in the Hilltop neighborhood two weeks ago.

Bagley first escaped police custody June 13 after being apprehended for alleged kidnapping, and he resurfaced again in Columbus Aug. 2 after allegedly kidnapping his ex-girlfriend again.

Grove City police responded to reports of a missing woman in June before eventually finding her at a Grove City gas station. Bagley was arrested a short time later, and an investigation revealed he had surprised the woman, determined to be his ex-girlfriend, taken her from her home and forced her into his vehicle.

After his arrest, Bagley was being walked from a Lancaster hospital to a police cruiser when he ran away into nearby woods. He then attempted to carjack someone, but abandoned the vehicle. He was not seen again until early August, when he returned to the same ex-girlfriends house and kidnapped her again. The woman was able to escape without injury.

The two Grove City police officers who were transporting Bagley when he escaped were suspended Aug. 5. Both received five-day suspensions for "performance failures" while escorting Bagley.

Bagley had previously served 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and felonious assault in 2012. He also had to register as a Tier II sex offender, although three counts or rape, two counts of felonious assault and one count of kidnapping were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A lawsuit filed against the city of Columbus over how it handled the ransomware attack that led to personal information being leaked onto the dark web now includes a new group of potential plaintiffs.

Two Columbus law firms, Cooper Elliott and Meyer Wilson, filed the lawuit on Aug. 9 on behalf of two unnamed Columbus police officers, with one saying his Social Security number had been stolen and with the other saying that, as an undercover investigator, he now had to fear for his safety. The lawsuit was filed as a class action to potentially allow for others to join.

On Friday, the lawsuit was amended to include not only city employees but potentially any person who may have been affected by the data leak.

City seeks to shutter downtown Columbus night club

The move comes after a cybersecurity expert approached NBC4 Investigates, showing how he had started to access the leaked data, hours after Mayor Andrew Ginther had said he was told it was either encrypted or corrupted.

Since then, that expert, Connor Goodwolf, has been attempting to identify anybody who may have had their information stolen. He's determined that police officers, city employees, court witnesses and City Hall visitors are among the people who may have information about them on the dark web.

With the information, crime victims could be at risk of being exposed, and others could have lines of credit opened in their names. For each group, there are steps they can take to protect themselves.

"The expanded class now represents not only city employees, but every individual affected by the breach," a statement from the law firms read. "Many in this community, including law enforcement officers, face a heightened risk due to their professions. The City’s recklessness could have life-altering consequences for those whose data is now exposed."

After NBC4 reported on Goodwolf's findings, Ginther said the effort to protect city employees and residents continues. And it appears that may now include help from the state.

Gov. Mike DeWine said Friday that members of the Ohio National Guard had been deployed at the city's request. He didn't specify which force, but the Guard does have a section with expertise in cybersecurity that was established under DeWine in 2019.

"The great thing about the Guard is these are citizens," DeWine said. "They have other jobs, most of them. We have some in the guard who have an expertise in this area. And we have deployed them over the last several years to a number of cities around the state. And we will certainly certainly continue to do that when requested by a local community."

The data was leaked onto the dark web after it was stolen from city servers and no one purchased it at auction.

Read the amended lawsuit below.

004.-First-Amended-Complaint-8-16-2470Download

Central Ohio Weather and Radar

A disturbance over the Upper Midwest will track east across northern Michigan and slow down, keeping the weather unsettled, with scattered showers and storms through the weekend.

There is a marginal risk (Level 1 out of 5) for a strong storm or two, containing gusty winds and small hail.

Morning showers will shift east by mid-afternoon, with skies generally cloudy in a humid southerly flow. A few more scattered showers and storms are possible later in the day and tonight.

Temperatures will reach the low 80s, with breaks of sunshine. A few showers are possible overnight, with morning readings near 70.

A storm system will hover over northern Michigan through the weekend. After a period of sunshine on Saturday afternoon, additional showers and storms are likely during the heat of the day, shifting east later in the evening.

Instability will wane later in the weekend, although a few scattered showers are possible Sunday, and skies will remain mostly cloudy. Temperatures will be in the low 80s in the afternoon.

The weather will turn cooler and less humid next week, with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s. High pressure will build in from the northwest, bringing sunshine and dry weather all week.

Forecast

• Friday: Clouds mixing with sun, scattered showers, storms. High 82
• Tonight: Mainly cloudy, isolated showers, humid. Low 70
• Saturday: Partly sunny, showers, storms p.m. High 85 
• Sunday: Mostly cloudy, scattered showers. High 80 (67)
• Monday: Partly cloudy, isolated shower. High 78 (66)
• Tuesday: Sunny. High 77 (57)
• Wednesday: Sunny. High 79 (54)
• Thursday: Sunny. High 82 (57)

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio luxury real estate developer is taking the next steps to continue building out a nearly 475-acre subdivision in southern Delaware.

Romanelli and Hughes' proposal to construct 35 single-family homes within section 13 of the 473-acre Terra Alta development was approved Aug. 7 by the Delaware Planning Commission. The developer's plan will now head to city council for approval before construction can begin.

Dublin City Schools pauses plan to buy Cardinal Health building for $37 million

The proposal calls for section 13 to be built on 20 acres and include ranch homes spanning a minimum of 1,800 square feet and two-story homes a minimum of 2,000 square feet. This section would also feature more than four acres of open green space and two-and-a-half acres for a park.

Romanelli & Hughes' plan to construct 35 single-family homes within section 13 of the 473-acre Terra Alta development. (Delaware Planning Commission)

About 575 homes have already been paved for Terra Alta, which will include about 870 homes once the subdivision is completed. The development is also set to feature a pool, clubhouse, pickleball courts and a full-size park.

Terra Alta is once of several other large developments taking shaping in Delaware. The commission approved in May a proposal to construct the last three of six phases making up Winterbrooke Place, a sprawling subdivision built by M/I Homes, Rockford Homes and Arlington Builders. Plans call for the development’s final three phases to include 84 lots, increasing the subdivision’s total footprint to about 260 homes.

Wawa pitches more Ohio locations as part of 60-store expansion

Addison Rutherford is moving forward with plans to expand its central Ohio footprint by building more than 72 single-family homes across 22 vacant acres. The developer is one of several development companies owned by Jason Friedman — a prolific real estate developer also constructing Delaware’s sprawling 273-acre Addison Farms development.

Maronda Homes is building 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. Fincon Bowtown is developing 132 for-sale townhomes across a 16.8-acre site home to city-owned farmland, located north of Bowtown Road and west of the Village Gate Apartments complex.

For previous reports on this story view the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus nightclub that was the scene of a double murder could have its doors shuttered for good.

According to the Columbus City Attorney’s Office, the Property Action Team has filed a motion of contempt to seek the closure of the Downtown night club, the Avalon Club. The city alleged that the club is subject to multiple violations of court orders, including an order to employ properly licensed security guards.

The City Attorney’s Office said that the club has been the subject of 28 calls to Columbus police regarding numerous fights and two shootings.

Westerville school board member resigns four months before term ends

Most notably, the club was the location of a double murder police responded to a shooting on June 14. Four victims were found suffering from gunshot wounds, including two, Desmond Taylor, 27, and Ceilin Richard Peaks Smith, 36, who were pronounced dead. At that time security staff, employed through Reign Security, were not properly licensed under the Ohio Revised Code.

Two days prior officers responded to a fight that took place in the parking lot. A woman sustained injuries to her head, chest and rib area after two individuals assaulted her.

On June 2, patrons reportedly fired shots at a responding officer in the parking lot. And earlier in the year police responded to multiple shots fired, in which six shell casings were recovered, and an assault by a bouncer, who allegedly gave a customer a concussion.

Other incidents include numerous firearms stolen out of a vehicle parked in the club’s parking lot, vehicle thefts and felony thefts from inside the club, and other assaults.

The City Attorney’s Office said the club has failed to comply with previous court orders from July 2021, July 2022 and March 2023.

A contempt hearing is scheduled for Aug. 27.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - An annual festival featuring different tequila, food and entertainment is returning to central Ohio.

Tequila Fest Columbus is back on Saturday at Gravity, across from COSI, from 3 to 9 p.m. Tequila Fest will feature more than 50 different tequilas at the event, from Teremana, 1800 and Prospero to Mi Campo, Tres Agaves, Don Julio and more.

Along with tequila sampling, patrons can also enjoy a variety of taco and beer specials, margarita bar, live music, entertainment, raffles and more. Known as the "biggest tequila event" in Columbus, the festival is also held in other cities including Cleveland, Cincinnati, Phoenix and Willoughby.

Get out and do something this weekend in central Ohio, Aug. 15-18

Tickets are on sale now and patrons must be 21 years and older to attend the fest. The event is also selling VIP tickets right now, which includes early check in at 4 p.m., sampling from the VIP tequila table, build your own taco bar and other amenities that are not included with the general admission ticket.

For additional details on Tequila Fest and to purchase your tickets, follow this link.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio hotel is now under new ownership after the property was sold for $10 million to a hospitality company.

Miamisburg-based AAAR Hotels closed on the sale to buy the Cambria Hotel at 9100 Lyra Drive in Polaris on July 18, according to the Delaware County Auditor's Office. Wilcare Delaware, the hotel's previous owner, had operated the Cambria since purchasing the property for $1.8 million in 2011.

Wawa pitches more Ohio locations as part of 60-store expansion

"This stunning hotel is a fantastic example of our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction," said AAAR in a social media post after the deal closed. "With its modern amenities, comfortable rooms and exceptional service, Cambria Polaris is the perfection destination for business and leisure travelers alike."

The four-story Cambria spans more than 88,000 square feet and is home to an indoor pool, several meeting and event rooms, a fitness center and an American fare restaurant named 9100 Tavern and Grill. The hotel boasts proximity to Eddie Merlots, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, Twin Peaks, Polaris Grill and other Polaris Fashion Place restaurants.

Dublin City Schools pauses plan to buy Cardinal Health building for $37 million

AAAR was founded in 2008 and has ballooned its portfolio to beyond Ohio with nearly 25 hotels across Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Kansas, Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. The company most recently bought a Holiday Inn Express at 155 Holiday Drive in Wilmington for $7.6 million, Clinton County Auditor's Office records show.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As students head back to school, drivers need to be extra aware to keep kids -- and their bank accounts -- safe in school zones.

According to Ohio law, speed limits drop to just 20 mph in school zones. As school zone speeding laws are in effect to protect children who might be near a road, reduced speed times will vary from school to school, so it is important to be diligent.

School zones should be marked clearly with signs indicating the start and end of school zones. If you do not see signage but can clearly see a school, stay on the safe side and slow down. 

What are school zones?

Ohio law defines school zones as the portion of a street or highway passing a school that sits along that roadway, and school zones typically follow school property lines. Some school zones may emphasize their boundaries with lights or flashes, but Ohio law does not require districts to have any special notice indicating when school zones are in effect.

School zones can also expand past property lines if there is a crosswalk within 1,320 feet of the school that children use frequently. In these cases, school zones can extend up to 300 feet in both directions of the crosswalk to ensure student safety.

Rose Hill Elementary in Reynoldsburg and Annehurst Elementary in Westerville are just two examples of extended school zones, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. According to ODT data, many cities and townships in Franklin and Delaware counties do not have extended school zones; however, drivers should always check for extended school zone boundaries.

List: 2024 back-to-school dates What happens if you speed in a school zone?

If Ohioans speed in a school zone, they will most likely receive a minor misdemeanor and a citation. Typically, a first or second violation in Ohio is accompanied by a fine of up to $150. If a driver goes over 35 mph in a school zone and it is their first or second speeding violation in a year, they can be fined up to $250.

Consequences increase further if a driver has had other speeding violations in the past year, per typical Ohio law. However, school zone speeding violations have a doubled maximum fine, meaning things can get pretty expensive.

Generally a third speeding violation within a year in Ohio is considered a fourth degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and fines of up to $250. If a third violation happens in a school zone, fines can reach up to $500.

If an Ohioan has four or more speeding violations within one year, they usually face a third degree misdemeanor and punishments that can include up to 60 days in jail and up to $500 fines. In a school zone, a fourth or further violation can cost drivers up to $1,000.

Central Ohio native shares how 'Shawshank Redemption' changed his life When are school zone limits in effect?

Generally, Ohio law states school zone speed limits are in effect during recess, and when children are leaving or arriving. These times can vary from school to school, and drivers should be on alert whenever they pass a school during the typical school day.

Some school zones may indicate specifically when reduced speed limits are in effect, like signs that list hours and days when drivers are expected to slow down. Other speed limit signs may use vague verbiage like “when children are present,” indicating reduced speed anytime children may be on the sidewalk or trying to cross the street.

School zone violations can bring also citations even if drivers do not see immediate consequences. According to Ohio law, officers do not have to be present at the time of the speeding violation to issue a citation.

Many school zones have traffic cameras, and Ohio law states tickets can be issued based on traffic footage if the offense is severe enough. Typically, this is any speeding violation of 10 mph or higher above the limit caught by a camera. In a school zone, the limit is just 6 mph over the 20 mph limit, or anyone going 26 mph and above through the regulated zone.

Opening date set for food hall and market in Columbus

Generally, it is a good idea to slow down when nearing a school, especially during hours that school is reasonably in session. Even if a driver does not see signage, if they can see students they should slow down and stay safe.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Downtown pizzeria has been shut down again after a truck crashed into its exhaust fan for the second time since December.

OH Pizza and Brew is temporarily closed, owner Luke Edwards announced in a social media post Wednesday. Edwards cited a semi running into the restaurant's exhaust fan as the reason. The pizza shop at 88 E. Broad St. will stay closed until the fan is fixed.

Recently, the pizzeria closed for a nearly identical reason.

The restaurant announced in December it would be temporarily shut down because a box truck had hit its exhaust fan. At the time, it said the repairs would not be a quick fix. Based on social media posts in the weeks after, it had reopened by mid-January.

Wawa pitches more Ohio locations as part of 60-store expansion

When this previously happened, OH Pizza and Brew received little assistance in repairing its exhaust fan. Edwards said in the post that "neither the company that hit it or my insurance covered anything last time." He hoped it would be different this time but wasn't holding his breath.

Trucks crashing into fans aren't the only issues plaguing the restaurant as of late. In April, Edwards took to social media to announce his plans to relocate the shop after six years at the Downtown storefront. He said that ever since a new owner purchased the property, it had become a "nightmare." Edwards' reason for being dissatisfied with the building included instances where maintenance work on the skyscraper forced him to close his store. In May, the 88 East Broad tower was placed into the control of a court-appointed receiver.

Edwards was not able to be reached for comment.

View the player above to watch previous coverage.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The first law enforcement agency to use therapy dogs in Ohio is now helping departments across the country establish their own programs. 

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office started a therapy dog program in 2017, after Deputy Darrah Metz urged the department to get its first therapy dog: Mattis K. Nine. Mattis was also the first law enforcement therapy dog in Ohio and the sixth in the nation. 

“We have wonderful dogs that we use for the bad guys, whether it's sniffing out drugs or bombs, explosives, suspect apprehension, tracking and trailing,” Metz said. “But we didn't really have anything focused on the good guys, which are the people that we serve -- victims of crime. So that's how the therapy dogs all came about.”

• Metz and Mattis (Photo courtesy/Franklin County Sheriff's Office).
• Sunny being officially sworn in as a therapy dog for the sheriff's office (Photo Courtesy/Franklin County Sheriff's Office).
• The sheriff office's puppies in training: Mando and Brook (Photo Courtesy/Franklin County Sheriff's Office).

The sheriff's office has one sworn-in therapy dog, Sunny, and two new puppies in training, Mando and Brook. Mattis died in late July from end-stage liver failure, but his legacy lives on through the expanding program. In the beginning, Metz said Mattis was mostly used to help the sheriff’s office connect with the community – but an inquiry from the FBI changed the course of the program. 

“The vast spectrum of their uses in the beginning, I would say, it was all public relations,” Metz said. “Six months in with Mattis, we got that one phone call from the FBI that asked us to assist the young victim who had witnessed his uncle's murder, and that changed everything for us.”

Metz said while the sheriff’s office will always bring dogs to community events to interact with the public, their focus shifted to victim advocacy, mental health and trauma support.

Teacher support plan detailed for Bexley schools

In one instance, a Franklin County prosecuting attorney was attempting to interview an 8-year-old victim of sexual assault, who was having trouble communicating what had happened to her. After bringing Mattis in, she began to whisper the answers to the questions to the K-9, recounting two years of abuse.

“It really became an investigative tool, in the fact (that) these dogs were putting people at ease enough to tell their stories so that justice could be served,” Metz said.

The sheriff’s office said since the program’s inception, it has received several requests to assist victims from various local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. The program has begun holding multiple classes a year to help train dogs for departments across the country – so far, they have held 11 classes, helping train canines for 140 different law enforcement agencies, according to Metz. 

• (Photo courtesy/Franklin County Sheriff's Office)
• (Photo Courtesy/Franklin County Sheriff's Office)
• (Photo Courtesy/Franklin County Sheriff's Office)

The dogs go through extensive obedience training, as well as “high-distraction” training, where they are desensitized to numerous noises and environments. 

“Because of the things that we do in policing, they have to be able to hold commands in very, very demanding environments when there's lights and sirens and gunshots and courtrooms where they might be on the stand for three to six hours at a time with the victim,” Metz said. “So our dogs are trained to the nth-degree, so I'm very, very confident in any dog that comes through our program is going to be able to perform well.”

The program is entirely funded by community partners, who donate money to vet care, grooming and equipment for the dogs. Partners include Franklin County Children’s Services, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as local restaurants and businesses. 

Second chance hiring programs help fill Ohio's workforce

“We have places and restaurants that do golf tournaments for us and raise money, and that money is utilized for our dogs' equipment,” Metz said. “And one of the things that we always said is we wanted it to be a program that we wanted to provide to our community, not something our community had to pay for.”

As for what’s next, Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said he hopes to have the “largest therapy dog program in the country,” not for bragging rights, but to continue helping others. 

“We've seen that time and time again in my career where you go on a run, you go to a traumatic event and there's a gap, there's a void," Baldwin said. "You want to do something for the people that are suffering and you have nothing you could do. … These therapy dogs have really filled in that need in a lot of cases. It's just been spectacular, and to be able to expand that and continue that program and share it with others is what we're about.”

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- After 25 years of service, a Westerville school board member is retiring this month, four months before her term was set to end and amid an ongoing ethics investigation.

Nancy Nestor-Baker announced her retirement Tuesday night at a Board of Education meeting, which she said will take effect Aug. 31. Board President Kristy Meyer said the board will soon publicize an application process for those hoping to fill the rest of Nestor-Baker's term, which was supposed to end Dec. 31.

"I've given it a lot of thought and even though -- actually, because -- I love this place and the good work that goes on here, I have decided that this 25th anniversary is the time for me to retire from public service," Nestor-Baker said at the meeting. "Business and personal demands have increased substantially and will continue to do so."

Teacher support plan detailed for Bexley schools

The resignation comes amid those demands, and an ongoing ethical investigation. She said the decision was wholly unrelated to a pending ethical investigation into a conflict of interest in her decision making as a board member.

"My decision to leave the board was not based on anything that might be going on with that," Nestor-Baker said.

Although she said it is unrelated, the investigation could still affect Nestor-Baker and could even result in felony charges. In August 2023, Nestor-Baker had conduct brought before the Ohio Ethics Commission after it was determined she voted on three measures that concerned her daughter, Caley Baker. Baker has been with Westerville schools since 2007, and she is currently the principal of Hanby Elementary.

"Voting to award a public contract, including employment, to a family member is potentially a fourth degree felony in Ohio," Executive Director of the commission Paul Nick said, speaking generally. "Using your authority to benefit a family member is potentially a first degree misdemeanor in Ohio."

Why flags in Ohio are flying at half staff

The Ohio Ethics Commission's investigations are considered private and confidential under Ohio law, so Nick said they were unable to comment publicly on this investigation as it is ongoing.

Nestor-Baker voted on a one-time payment, two-year contract and three-year contract of Baker's, despite abstaining from voting on other measures concerning her daughter, including her contract as gifted coordinator and various contract changes.

“Clearly, there were times that I believed it was improper to vote, and times that I believed it was proper to vote," Nestor-Baker said at a special board meeting last August called to address this investigation.

Nestor-Baker then confirmed she had contacted a lawyer and would be abiding by their guidance. She told NBC4 she has not received any updates nor has she been alerted to any pending updates from the Ohio Ethics Commission. According to Greg Viebranz, the district's chief communications officer, the district has also not received updates regarding the investigation.

30 electronic scooters pulled from the Scioto River

Nick did say many factors affect the length of an investigation, and there are four possible outcomes: claims are dismissed as unsubstantiated, a confidential notice of a potential violation, a settlement agreement -- which would be public record -- or referral to a prosecutor. Prosecutors can decide or decline to file charges, which would also be public record if filed.

Investigation aside, Nestor-Baker has a rich history with Westerville schools. She graduated from Westerville High School and served her 25 years on the school board in two continual terms: 1991-2005 and again from 2014-present. Within that time she served six terms as board president and four as vice president. The Aug. 26 regular board meeting will be her final meeting as a board member, Viebranz said.

Viebranz said applicants looking to fill the empty board seat must be at least 18, U.S. citizens, district residents and registered voters.

As for what Nestor-Baker plans to do once stepping down, she told NBC4 she will spend more time at her family business.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The National Association of Elementary School Principals has a new president who may be familiar to Columbus residents. 

Next school year, Avondale Elementary principal April Knight will take on that new position. In this new role she hopes to show all of Columbus City Schools and the state of Ohio she is ready to lead.  

“I think being in this position and coming from Columbus City Schools is an indication that we as a district are doing good things,” Knight said. 

CDC: Students with lice no longer need to be sent home early

Knight has been working for CCS for over 20 years. She said she wants everyone to still feel like she is there though she will have a new position.  

“I hope they understand that I'm going to do my best to represent CCS and to represent our administrators,” Knight said. “I want them to feel free to reach out to me if there are specific concerns that they want to be passed along to the the highest level of the U.S. Department of Ed.” 

Knight will be traveling all around the U.S. trying to build support for educators and advising other teachers and principals. Knight wants this moment to be an inspiration for everyone in Columbus.

Bexley schools announce new support initiatives after two teachers resign

“I want them to see that, you know, just this small principal from a district in Columbus can actually achieve something like that,” she said. 

Knight will finish this school year as principal of Avondale Elementary, but she is excited for this new chapter.   

“You know, this is something I would have never in my wildest dreams figured I would be doing but it is absolutely the pinnacle of my professional career,” Knight said. 

Knight will assume the presidential role in the 2025-2026 school year. 

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- Just one day after the Circleville Police Department placed acting Deputy Chief was put on administrative leave due to misconduct allegations, a Circleville City Council member is speaking out.

Councilmember Zack Brooks represents Circleville’s third ward. He said he learned about acting Deputy Chief Jon Farrelly’s leave on Wednesday with the rest of the city’s population. Circleville police announced the decision via Facebook.

Police said Farrelly’s leave is part of an ongoing investigation. Brooks shared what police told him Farrelly is accused of.

“There was a report made by a citizen that the acting Deputy Chief of Police had solicited her for some kind of prostitution while in uniform," Brooks said. "So obviously that’s kind of a startling accusation.”

WATCH: Drone footage shows Intel's progress in New Albany

This comes just months after Circleville’s Chief of Police Shawn Baer was escorted off the property and put on leave in March. Just weeks later, acting Police Chief Doug Davis was also placed on leave. Both were accused of misconduct and harassment and they both voluntarily resigned in April, receiving around $70,000 each in their separation agreements.

Brooks said he was unhappy with how the situation was handled in April, but the department was earning the public’s trust back when the news about Farrelly broke.

“It obviously brings a lot of uncertainty back to our police department, especially at a time when we were kind of starting to get back to a place of normalcy,” said Brooks.

The councilmember said he wants people to know that the Circleville officers can still be trusted, even as the department deals with yet another scandal this year.

Dublin schools pauses plan to buy $37M building

“We have a lot of really good men and women who are trying to do the best job they can and it’s just a shame that the leadership has had so many issues and kind of (dragged) their name through the mud, so to say,” said Brooks.

The news about Farrelly came as a shock to Brooks. Now, he said he wants open communication from the city and the police department, both for himself and the people of Circleville.

“I just hope for transparency,” Brooks said. “I hope for regular updates from the administration and just to kind of keep everybody in the loop so that the people of Circleville know that something is being done about this and it’s not just going to be thrown out, kind of like the last case was.”

Councilmember Brooks said he believes acting Police Chief Kenny Fisher is handling this situation well. He also said the city is in the process of hiring an outside consultant to do a review of the Circleville Police Department.

Sponsor:  Consultancy Media for

Even if you think you’ve gotten everything on your child’s back to school list, there’s a chance you’ve forgotten something.  Whether they’re heading to their first day of kindergarten, or moving into their first dorm room, lifestyle expert Joann Butler makes sure you are set.

NEW ALBANY, Ohio (WCMH) -- New drone footage shows the progress being made on Intel's Ohio One plant as construction continues on the New Albany site.

The footage shows a bird's eye view of the massive construction site for the upcoming semiconductor manufacturing facility in Licking County. In May, Intel released renderings of the plant previewing an aerial perspective of what it would look like upon completion. This drone footage shows the much anticipated project still has a long way to go to reach that point.

Rendering of Intel's Ohio One facility being built in New Albany. (Courtesy Photo/Intel Corporation)

Work on the plant is said to be finishing between 2026 and 2027, with the fabs expected to come online between 2027 and 2028. That's a delayed timeline from its originally projected 2025 opening. When the delay was confirmed in March, a report signed by Vice President and Ohio Site Manager Jim Evers said the company continues to make "great progress" on its plant in New Albany's Silicon Heartland.

As construction continues, Intel and the Ohio Department of Transportation have been conducting a transportation project of giant equipment necessary to the construction of the semiconductor plant. Called super loads, some of the shipments have weighed up to nearly 1 million pounds. The oversized shipments are carrying air processors.

Wawa pitches more Ohio locations as part of 60-store expansion

Some uncertainty has shrouded Intel recently, as the company sees its stock prices plummeting. On Aug. 1, the company announced it would be cutting 15% of its workforce amidst a loss in the second quarter with a small revenue decline. This led to shareholders filing a lawsuit against Intel for misrepresenting the success of its in-house chip manufacturing. These developments are not expected to impact the New Albany project.

For more on Intel in Ohio, click here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One Columbus nonprofit was on a mission this summer to keep kids learning and have an impact on their future.

Thursday, the Family Adolescent and Child Community Engagement Services, or FACCES, summer program gathered youth participants' families to reflect on their growth.

“The reflection is just to invite the community in and the people who supported the program to reflect on this great work that the children did through the summer is all about the children,” FACCES founder Melissa Johnson said.

Serving around 50 youths this summer, Johnson said FACCES was one of the recipients awarded funding by the city of Columbus’ investments in summer youth programming. The reflection day included an original play performance by the kindergarten through fifth grade group, while the high school students were hard at work cooking their ceremonial meal from scratch. 

30 electronic scooters pulled from the Scioto River

Johnson said she hopes the kids leave the program feeling motivated and knowing this is a safe space to express their feelings.

“We're reflecting here at FACCES (on) what they want, what we want them to be, who they want to be, to help their community, their friends, that they're loved," Johnson said. "And we want them to be happy about life and things that are to come for them during the school year and even after they leave school."

Johnson said some of the high school participants worked in the summer program making money to support themselves and their families. She said a few were even given offer letters to keep up their jobs during the school year.

Johnson said FACCES continues to support the kids throughout the school year with after school programming where kids will be provided with dinner and tutoring services. 

GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) – As the school year gets underway, school and safety leaders in Gahanna are asking students to slightly change how they cross a busy road to get to and from Gahanna Lincoln High School.

The Gahanna Division of Police and school administrators said this is being done with safety in mind. Due to the ongoing construction of the new high school, the crosswalk across Havens Corner Road by the Gahanna Community Congregational Church, or GCCC, is closed and being removed.

"We’re very intimately connected to the crosswalk and to all of the construction it being right across the street," said Pastor Robb Tarr with GCCC. 

CDC: Students with lice no longer need to be sent home early

Since construction of the new school took away parking, students have been parking in the church lot, then crossing the street at the former crosswalk. Instead, the district and city are now asking students and other pedestrians to cross about 100 yards away at the intersection of Havens Corner and Hamilton Roads.

“Hopefully students are being careful, drivers are continuing to be considerate and not just presumptuous and rushing through and we’ll get through the transition without too many issues," Tarr said.

The main intersection students and community members are now being asked to cross at is fully equipped with pedestrian signals.

“It’s just an overall message to drivers and pedestrians to exercise due caution and be aware of their surroundings," said Lt. Ethan Moffitt with GPD. 

Dublin schools pauses plan to buy $37M building

School families were sent a letter about the changes. Jenifer Calrtider has lived in a neighborhood by the school for about 20 years. She said the decision to get rid of the crosswalk near the church is a good one.

“Glad to see the crosswalk is closed for safety reasons and hopefully the students will adhere to that," she said. "I’ve talked to other residents. The ones I've talked to, we all agree for the kids' safety, the students' safety, it's best to remove this crosswalk."

Tarr and Caltrider both said they want drivers to pay extra attention. Tarr said he's curious to see if students do what they're used to and use the old crosswalk, or walk a bit extra to the main intersection.

“Even if it's a little inconvenient remember to watch out for yourself, and being five minutes late to class because you went up the block is better than getting clipped by somebody and who knows what type of injury they might deal with," Tarr said. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Making reforms following the state's biggest bribery scandal has been a slow path forward, but Ohio lawmakers are working to close that chapter and move forward with new energy legislation.

“It's a balancing act when you look at moving forward with trying to decarbonize and how we achieve that, while at the same time having the power we need to keep the lights on and expand,” Chair of the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee Rep. Dick Stein (R-Norwalk) said.

It is estimated that by 2027, reserve energy with Ohio’s energy transmitter, PJM, will be gone, meaning during peak demand times Ohioans may not see the lights go on when they flip the switch. It takes four to eight years to build up a reserve margin.

“So, if you're going to have no reserve margin in three years and it takes you four to eight years to build any new generation capable of supplying meaningful loads. Like they said in the movie, ‘Houston, we've got a problem,’” Ohio House Majority Floor Leader Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) said.  

New records uncovered from Columbus data leak

There have been debates within the statehouse about what type of energy Ohio needs in order to move forward but most efforts have either stalled or have only made it through one chamber.

“This is life threatening stuff,” Ranking member of the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee Rep. Casey Weinstein (R-Hudson) said. “(We need) to diversify it rapidly, create more energy, get it on the grid faster to improve reliability and reduce outages for Ohioans.”

“At some point we have to figure out how to get more generation on the grid in order to be able to assure that we have the reliability that everybody is just coming to take for granted,” Stein said.

Wind and solar are one example of a debate within the statehouse to move Ohio’s energy forward.

“We're being shut out of that while we're doubling down on coal and natural gas that is failing us from an economic and a reliability perspective argument,” Weinstein said. “When it's nighttime, maybe we get a wind last night, then you can tap that storage and that's what western states are doing to reduce their outages and to reduce costs and to increase reliability.”

But Stein said he does not think it is not enough to rely on that energy alone.

Second chance hiring programs help fill Ohio's workforce

“We can certainly use more wind and solar across the PJM region. The reality is, in order for the reliability we need, we need thermal generators,” Stein said.

There are some bi-partisan efforts, like an energy efficiency bill that was stalled for more than a year and now sits in the Senate.

“We got that through the house, albeit unfortunately narrowly. And that is going to go over to the Senate,” Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) said. “We've been assured by President Huffman that it will receive attention in the waning days of our session.”

There is also a bill to support natural gas, which passed the House on party lines. So, with this urgency, why has nothing made it to the finish line yet? It depends on who you ask.

“The holdup is within our state. Power siting has become so difficult and bureaucratic here,” Weinstein said. “It's preventing steel from getting in the ground around rooftops to provide for homegrown energy that's on private landowners’ lands or that's on people's roofs that that reduces their dependance on the grid.”

“Number one, it's complicated. And there aren't many people that have spent the time and to understand the complicated dynamics of this whole industry.” Seitz said. “Number two, there's been an awful lot of fear over doing anything that looks like we're trying to help the utilities because of the concern over what happened with FirstEnergy.”

There has been an effort to repeal the remaining portions of House Bill 6 but that has not had a single hearing since being introduced in March 2023.

30 electronic scooters pulled from the Scioto River

“We need to repeal the rest of HB6. I’ve been a broken record on this,” Weinstein said. “Stop charging Ohioans $500,000 a day for legacy energy sources and bring on new energy that costs less that increases reliability and reduces inflation for Ohioans.”

Members like Seitz and Stein stand by the policy in HB6. Stein agreed that “the methods used to promote and move HB6 forward were horrendous,” but points to instances like Winter Storm Elliot in 2022 to express why the policy is important.

“What would that have done without the OVEC subsidies that kept two coal fired plants producing another 2400 megawatts of power?” Stein said. “I've talked to many authorities that have said had those power plants been offline, we would have had rolling blackouts.”

As far as the latest in the House Bill 6 scandal, FirstEnergy will not face state criminal charges for its role in the scandal in exchange for $19.5 million dollars. The agreement also requires the company to provide evidence, access to witness and testimony in the ongoing criminal cases ongoing criminal cases against Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling.

“FirstEnergy today is not the company it was five years ago – the corporation has undertaken, and continues to undergo, reforms to strengthen its internal ethics programs, to increase transparency, and promote reporting of questionable conduct by its employees and leadership,” Steve Irwin. spokesperson for the Ohio Attorney General, said. “It has also restructured its board and leadership to remove the individuals responsible for the conduct that gave rise to the House Bill 6 scandal. This is an important step in bringing the disgraced corporate leaders who used their positions of power to betray FirstEnergy’s ratepayers and employees and the people of Ohio to account for their crimes.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Franklin County deputy who was indicted on 58 charges was terminated Thursday, Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said.

Baldwin announced the termination of deputy Charles Davis after an administrative hearing. This comes two weeks after Davis was indicted July 31 on 58 charges, including 32 counts of rape and 26 counts of gross sexual imposition and 11 months after he was first placed on leave.

Davis has been on administrative leave since September 2023 after the Franklin County Sheriff's Office learned of an external investigation by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. He was arrested in Ross County on July 31. However, he was released that same day on the promise he would return for his court date Aug. 26.

Circleville's acting deputy chief of police placed on leave amid ongoing investigation

Davis was not allowed to have any contact with minors outside his own children, and he was supposed to be fitted with GPS monitoring before his release, according to court documents.

His indictment showed half of the 32 rape counts occurred between March 1, 2020 and Aug. 7, 2021. For those 16 counts, the victim was under 13 years old. A victim under 13 is also listed for 13 of the sexual imposition counts.

Baldwin said terminating Davis was necessary due to the severity of the allegations, and said Davis has the right to contest through the judicial process.

Baldwin said the sheriff's office will not make any further comments as the case progresses.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- More is being learned about the data from Columbus city services that was leaked last week onto the dark web. Among those now at risk of having personal information uncovered includes over 12,000 from criminal cases involving children and those who have requested civil protection orders.

NBC4 Investigates has been working with the cybersecurity expert who proved it was possible to access information stolen from the city that was leaked after no one purchased it at auction. This came after Mayor Andrew Ginther said Tuesday that city officials, the FBI and the federal Homeland Security department had determined the information was either encrypted or corrupted.

But that expert, Connor Goodwolf, approached NBC4 with records he initially compiled from the city attorney's office that included the Social Security numbers of crime victims and police officers alike, and a building entry system that included driver's license numbers. The revelation proved that not only were city employees at risk but uncounted civilians who may have gone to municipal court or visited City Hall.

30 electronic scooters pulled from the Scioto River during cleanup effort

Goodwolf has since continued looking through the data as he wants to bring to light who all who might be affected. A goal might include a website where people can look up if they were part of the data leak. He said Thursday he grew up around computers and coding, and he wants to put those skills to use helping others.

"I expect any I.T. person or cybersecurity expert or someone who is an engineer like myself to do the right thing," Goodwolf said. "I'm not being paid for any of this. It's just about doing the right thing, making sure people are safe."

He has now determined the data leak included information from cases involving juveniles and from civil protection orders, sometimes including sealed or expunged records.

The names of over 12,000-13,000 people from cases involving juveniles are listed, a group that includes witnesses and suspects. Juvenile records are typically sealed, but within the leaked data is identifying information that includes Social Security numbers. Goodwolf said the identities of police officers are included, too, and that the leak could potentially expose undercover officers.

And information from over 5,700 protective orders can be accessed, including the names of people who were requesting protection. If you think you might be affected by this, toolkits are available for a crime victim to work on by themselves or with an advocate.

With this information, those able to access it on the dark web could potentially use it against the people who were named, including by opening lines of credit in their names. Steps, including freezing your credit report, could protect people from having their information fraudulently used.

Next, Goodwolf said he is beginning to access data from the city's waterworks department. He wants to know whether it includes details on those who pay utility bills. And he believes the city's security badge system for employees may be accessible, too.

"I would be concerned not just about the cybersecurity, but the physical security," Goodwolf said. "The databases that monitor and control access to all the city buildings were leaked and [are] unencrypted. There's photos, and … there could be references to keycard IDs."

Ginther said credit monitoring had been extended to all city employees. The day after NBC4 reported on Goodwolf's initial findings, Ginther further said he initially had been acting under "good faith … based upon rigorous investigation" and that the effort to protect residents continues.