Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- An Ohio State professor's federal research grant worth nearly $700,000 was cancelled by DOGE on March 11, a university spokesperson confirmed.

Dr. Christina Dyar's research study on the link between cannabis use disorder and LGBTQ+ women received a $699,000 federal grant in 2024. This month, the Elon Musk-led DOGE cancelled Dyar's grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH). See previous coverage of federal grant pause impacts in central Ohio in the video player above.

According to the CDC, cannabis use disorder occurs when people are unable to stop using cannabis even when it is causing problems in their health or social interactions. The NIH and National Institute on Drug Abuse both fund research into cannabis use disorder, especially as marijuana use becomes more common among Americans.

Bill would require adult websites to confirm age of Ohio users

Dyar's project examined how lesbian, bisexual and queer women, and gender diverse people assigned female at birth are at higher risk for cannabis use disorder when compared to heterosexual women. According to the project details, the study would have benefited public health because little is known about cannabis use disorder, and the study would have investigated risk factors.

Today, @NIH cancelled the following grants:

- $620K for “an LGB+ inclusive teen pregnancy prevention program for transgender boys”
- $699K for studying “cannabis use” among “sexual minority gender diverse individuals”
- $740K for examining “social networks” among “black and…

— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) March 12, 2025

Dyar was awarded the $699,139 grant on April 25, 2024. She received her first round of funding for the project in 2023, totaling $715,244. She has also published two journal articles on her research so far this year, both examining the effects of cannabis use.

Dyar is also working on a study examining depression and suicidal ideations among bisexual adolescents and young adults, according to the NIH, which received $815,881 this year.

An Ohio State spokesperson confirmed the grant was cancelled but did not provide additional comments.

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WCMH) — A spur-of-the-moment decision made a lucky Ohio Lottery player $2 million richer.

Andy Zapf stopped at Clarks Pump N Shop on Scioto Trail in Portsmouth to pick up a drink for his ride home, according to a news release from the Ohio Lottery.

“Just for some reason, I decided to buy a lottery ticket, and it happened to be a $2 million winner,” Zapf said. 

Choosing the lottery's $2 million Cashword scratch-off game, Zapf was unaware of how much his prize was actually worth.

“It was a crossword and when I scratched it I thought it was just a $2,000 winner,” he said. 

The top ticket's top prize can be paid as a $2 million annuity worth $80,000 a year for 25 years, or the winner can choose the cash option of $1 million. Zapf took the cash option and will receive around $720,000 after the 28% mandatory state and federal tax is deducted.

Zapf did not mention what he plans to do with his winnings.

Cashword is one of six $30 scratch-off games the lottery offers. The overall odds of winning are 1 in 3.37. As of March 3, two top prizes remain in the game.  

Remaining prizes:
$80K/YR FOR 25 YRS/ 2 remaining
$100,000/ 7 remaining
$50,000/ 6 remaining
$10,000/ 10 remaining
$5,000/ 20 remaining
$1,000/ 138 remaining
$750/ 405 remaining
$500/ 1,010 remaining
$400/ 2,514 remaining
$300/ 6,979 remaining
$250/ 20,026 remaining
$200/ 22,945 remaining
$150/ 39,748 remaining
$100/ 44,016 remaining
$80/ 75,885 remaining
$50/ 140,144 remaining
$30/ 246,156 remaining

HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) - A luxury dog boarding and daycare center with several locations across the country is opening in Hilliard.

K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel is opening its newest 10,000-square-foot facility at 3799 Park Mill Run Dr., according to a spokesperson with the company. The location is owned by Ohio residents Bob and Katie Appleby and is expected to open later this fall.

• Photo by Rob Loud
• Photo by Rob Loud
• (Courtesy: K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel)

The business is described as a hotel for pets, bringing a "resort-style experience" to dog boarding and daycare options, according to the company website. The hotel brings a variety of amenities to furry friends from high definition TV's showing Dog TV or Animal Planet, to premium dog beds and boarding suites.

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K9 Resorts also offers outdoor play yards, indoor playrooms and more that your dog can enjoy, whether you're going on vacation or just need to drop off your pet for the day. Right now, the company has 45 locations across the country.

• Groundbreaking held for new K9 Resort in Hilliard. (Courtesy: Ferguson Construction)
• Groundbreaking held for new K9 Resort in Hilliard. (Courtesy: Ferguson Construction)

The Hilliard location will be the only facility in Ohio for the company, as its North Olmsted center recently closed and does not have a reopening date, according to its website.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio residents would be required to upload photo ID or other age-verifying documentation to access adult websites if a recently introduced bill becomes law.

Under House Bill 84, dubbed “The Innocence Act,” pornography websites and any website that hosts content that is “obscene or harmful to juveniles" would have to verify its visitors are at least 18 years old. The legislation is sponsored by Reps. Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.).

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“In Ohio, businesses that primarily sell or rent adult content are legally required to verify the age of their customers,” Demetriou said at the bill’s first hearing in February. “The Innocence Act brings this commonsense safeguard into the 21st century."

Under the bill, Ohio users of adult websites would have to prove their age through a copy of a government-issued photo ID or another personal document, such as proof of a mortgage or employment. Companies would be required to “immediately” delete such documents after the age verification is complete unless the user has a subscription or account. 

The bill would create a first-degree misdemeanor penalty for each day an adult website fails to verify Ohio users' ages. A first-degree misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine per conviction.

The legislation would also establish the right for parents to file a civil lawsuit if a minor is given access to pornographic materials online. In the scenario where a minor in the state falsifies their way past the age verification, the website owner would be protected under the law, as long as they made a genuine attempt to verify the user's age. Children who attempt to access porn would not face penalties under the bill.

If the bill were to pass, adult websites would be responsible for using a system to monitor the location of its visitors to ensure Ohioans' ages are verified.

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Demetriou cited multiple studies in support of the bill, including a 2010 study in the scientific journal Aggressive Behavior, which found exposure to violent X-rated content led to an increase in self-reported sexually aggressive behavior.  He also noted other findings, including studies that linked porn to heightened feelings of social isolation and sexist attitudes toward women. 

“As young children gain more and more access to digital content like this, states like Ohio must act to protect them from harmful materials, as we have with physical media,” Williams said. “By passing HB 84, Ohio would join Texas, Utah, and Kansas in enacting legislation to protect minors from pornographic materials online.”

The bill would additionally increase penalties for revenge porn -- or releasing sexual content of someone without their consent -- as well as deepfake porn, which uses existing photos of someone to create sexual materials using artificial intelligence.

Under the legislation, creating deepfake porn would be classified as a fourth-degree felony for a first offense. For repeat offenders or offenses involving minors, the charge would be upgraded to a third-degree felony. Revenge porn would be classified as a fifth-degree felony, which would be upgraded to a fourth-degree felony for a repeat or child-oriented offense. 

These crimes are currently classified as misdemeanors under the law, which Demetriou said is “far too lenient given the serious harm they inflict."

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In the previous General Assembly, Demetriou introduced similar legislation under the same name. The bill received support from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, the Women's Liberation Front, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association and Center for Christian Virtue.

The only opponent testimony came from Gary Daniels with the American Civil Liberties Union. Daniels only spoke out against the age-verification portion of the legislation, saying over history such laws have been weaponized against movies, magazines, video games, sex education and more. 

“There is something to be said about parental control and not involving government, law enforcement, courts, and incarceration,” Daniels said. “Software that filters and/or blocks online content is widely available and inexpensive, much of it free. This allows parents to limit or block access for their own children without requiring the same be done for all minors and without burdening adults.”

The previous bill received four hearings but ultimately did not pass by the end of the legislative session. 

Currently, 19 states have passed laws requiring age verification to access online pornography, according to The Age Verification Providers Association. Some adult websites have gone dark in these states, including PornHub, which has blocked access to users in regions that require age verification.

HB 84 was assigned to the Technology and Innovation Committee, where its second hearing will occur on Tuesday. The bill has 25 Republican and three Democrat cosponsors.

WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) -- The city of Whitehall is considering two resolutions to protect immigrants and transgender residents amid state and federal crack downs toward both groups.

Councilwoman Amy Harcar introduced a resolution supporting immigrant rights and protections and a resolution designating Whitehall as a safe place for gender affirming healthcare on March 11. However, she said she wanted the draft resolutions to receive community feedback before city council voted on them.

"I know that these are not simple issues, and I do want to make sure they are well thought out before things move forward," Harcar said.

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Harcar wanted citizen input and to look at Whitehall data to make sure the legislation best serves the community. With council's approval, Harcar is forming a subcommittee within the Community and Elder Advocacy Committee, which she chairs, to gather more information.

After some discussion, councilmembers determined she would speak with residents and community members with no more than one additional councilmember. Members of city council said this allowed citizens to be the primary contributors, and having fewer councilmembers allows the meeting to remain unofficial and free from public record laws.

As is, Harcar said the legislation she introduced should be considered a rough draft. She pointed to Westerville's ban on conversion therapy as part of her inspiration. Westerville became the 13th Ohio city to ban conversion therapy, or anti-LGBTQ+ practices that claim to change a person's sexual identity or gender orientation, in February. See previous coverage of Westerville's new resolution in the video player above.

"They're primarily pulled from what other some cities and municipalities have done to offer some protections for some members of the community that may be particularly vulnerable," Harcar said.

Harcar's immigration resolution affirms the city's commitment to help all residents, regardless of immigration status. According to the U.S. Census, 15.7% of Whitehall residents are immigrants or refugees, amounting to about 3,100 community members. If passed, Harcar's draft would have the city refuse to use Whitehall resources to aid federal immigration enforcement.

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Harcar's gender-affirming care resolution would ensure Whitehall would not prosecute any person or group seeking gender-affirming care, and would not cooperate with state or federal forces working to do so. If passed as written, it would protect access to gender-affirming care within city limits.

The resolution would also ban conversion therapy, allow Whitehall residents to use the restroom of their choice and reaffirm the city's stance against Ohio's SAFE Act. The SAFE Act was signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine and bans gender-affirming care for minors and transgender student-athletes from participating in women's sports.

Although the SAFE Act is state law, both resolutions were approved as legally appropriate by City Attorney Brad Nicodemus on March 6.

Mayor Michael Bivens said the legislation is still in its initial stages as it moves forward. Council decided the updated version will be read for consideration at an April 15 meeting, giving Harcar and her committee about a month to reform the legislation for Whitehall.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A bipartisan group from Ohio's congressional delegation, including Sen. John Husted and Rep. Jim Jordan, is calling on NASA's headquarters to relocate to the Buckeye State.

In a March 11 letter, the delegation argued moving operations from Washington, D.C., to Ohio would "enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and fiscal responsibility" of NASA, given the space administration is evaluating potential alternatives ahead of the current headquarter's lease expiration in 2028. Along with Husted and Jordan, the letter is signed by Sen. Bernie Moreno, Reps. Marcy Kaptur, Michael Rulli, Troy Balderson, Mike Carey and several others.

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"While we recognize that other states may pursue similar proposals, Ohio presents a uniquely advantageous case due to its rich aerospace heritage, lower operational costs, and central role in the nation's technology and defense sectors," the letter argues. "Ohio is the historical home of aviation and ideally suited to lead NASA into the next frontier of both aeronautics functions and space exploration."

Moving operations from Washington D.C. to Ohio would "enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and fiscal responsibility" of NASA, the letter said. (Adobe Stock)

Addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Administrator Designate Jared Isaacman, the Trump administration's pick to lead NASA, the letter notes that Cleveland is home to the NASA Glenn Research Center and could offer significantly lower operating expenses than Washington.

The move would align with "border efforts to decentralize federal agencies and reinvigorate regions outside the beltway," the letter said. The group argues placing NASA in the "Heart of it All" would reinforce Ohio's national leadership in space exploration, given the state is "the heart of America's aerospace industry and a critical hub for advanced technology."

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Ohio's delegation also notes that few NASA headquarters employees currently work in-office, so consolidating near an existing field center would streamline agency functions while ensuring access to necessary infrastructure. The letter reiterates that the Glenn Research Center and its Lewis Field site at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport offer extensive office space and redevelopment opportunities, "making them ideal locations to accommodate NASA headquarters operations."

"[The Trump administration] has signaled a commitment to reshaping the federal workforce by moving administrative agencies out of Washington D.C., promoting a return-to-office culture and improving government efficiency," the letter said. "A relocation of NASA headquarters aligns with these objectives by encouraging in-person collaboration while reducing unnecessary federal overhead costs."

The effort comes after Ohio politicians launched a failed campaign in 2023 for President Biden to choose the state as the next home for the U.S. Space Command. In June of that year, the Ohio House passed a resolution urging the federal government to pick Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton as the new Space Command.

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Ultimately, Ohio didn't make the shortlist for Space Command's headquarters, which included other "reasonable alternatives" like Albuquerque, New Mexico; Cape Canaveral, Florida; and San Antonio, Texas. Biden announced the headquarters would remain where it had already been stationed in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Still, another bipartisan Ohio group urged the U.S. Space Force last year to select the state as the headquarters for a testing mission designed to evaluate the capabilities of the force’s squadrons.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- State data shows nearly 90% of students enrolled in Ohio's voucher program this year are not low-income qualified, a dramatic turnabout from the program's stated initial purpose.

Ohio's K-12 voucher program has made headlines recently as lawmakers consider trimming millions in state funds for public schools while expanding funds for state vouchers. Ohio offers five voucher programs, which provide state scholarships for students to attend private school. Of them, EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion have the largest participation by far.

The EdChoice program began to help low-income students in struggling districts, but the EdChoice-Exp program made it so any Ohio student could get at least a partial scholarship, regardless of income. The expansion rapidly increased scholarship enrollment, but most of the recipients are not low-income eligible. See previous coverage of vouchers in the video player above.

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According to state data, fewer EdChoice and EdChoice-Exp participants qualified as low-income this school year when compared to last. Further, according to a report from the General Assembly, 17% of EdChoice-Exp scholarships go to the state's top earners, all making more than $200,000 per year. This means the third-largest percentile of scholarship participants are among the top 8.4% wealthiest households in Ohio.

Wealthy recipients receive less state money, so payments to top tax bracket participants only made up 3% of all voucher payments, $11 million. Proponents of scholarships say helping low-income students isn't the only goal of vouchers.

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"This is about more than economic need. This is about providing all families with a choice and flexibility in education," Donovan O'Neil, director of Ohio's chapter of Americans For Prosperity, said.

Scholarship participation skyrocketed once universal vouchers were implemented. However, private school enrollment did not follow the same trend, indicating that many of the students who embraced universal scholarships were already affording private school beforehand.

Many Democratic lawmakers, public school advocates and teachers' unions point to state data like this to say vouchers no longer help low-income students and instead defer money from public schools.

“Ohioans deserve to live in a state where everyone can succeed. That means fully and fairly funding public schools rather than handing out vouchers to private or unregulated charter schools," State Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) said.

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Vouchers also cannot help all Ohio students. Eight counties -- Carroll, Champaign, Hardin, Holmes, Meigs, Morgan, Noble and Vinton -- have no eligible EdChoice voucher schools, representing around 35,000 students, according to U.S. Census data. Comparatively, there are only 21,184 low-income eligible EdChoice and EdChoice-Exp students this school year.

"There is a lack of supply of schools that accept these dollars, especially in rural communities," O'Neil said. "Maybe the numbers aren't capturing lower-income families in rural areas simply because the option is not available."

Nearly 1 million students are participating in the EdChoice-Exp voucher program this school year. Ohio lawmakers will continue to debate school funding budget choices in the House, then the Senate before implementation this summer.

MARYSVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) - A convicted child sex abuser will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.  

Garry Lee Giles, 82, plead guilty to five felony counts of gross sexual imposition after he was indicted for rape, gross sexual imposition, and distribution of pornography in Jan. 2024.  

"He'll be 106 years old before he can get out of prison,” Union County Prosecutor David Phillips said. “We don't think he's going to make it out and really, that's our goal. This case is particularly disturbing because not only was it a no remorse, but he really tended to blame the kids for everything.” 

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Phillips has been lead prosecutor in Union County since 2005. He's led the prosecution of many child sex abuse cases, but this one stands out because of the defendant's behavior.  

"One of the particularly disturbing things, from my perspective, is his focus on blaming the children,” Phillips said. “He, repeatedly to the detective, even the pre-sentence investigation blame the children for this. Now we're talking between 5 and 9 years old.” 

Phillips said at least three other alleged victims of Giles came forward during the investigation. They accused Giles of sexual abuse dating back at least 45 years. Phillips believes he got away with the abuse until now, including the two victims who came forward last year, since 2019. 

"Sometimes in the inter-family situations, it's not reported or it's not even if it is reported, it's not disclosed to authorities," Phillips said. 

He had this advice for parents to teach their children, empowering them to stand up for themselves. He calls it the "No. Go. Tell" method.

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"Say no, go leave the situation if they're able to do so, and then tell a trusted adult as soon as something happens,” Phillips said. “That's something that's easy for kids to remember. Yeah. No, Go and Tell.” 

How does an alleged abuser go unchecked for so long? Dr. Kristin Crichton with Nationwide Children's Hospital has been working with child sex abuse victims and survivors for about 15 years. She said the biggest thing when it comes to child sexual abuse is belief.  

"It may come out slowly and it may not fully make sense, but the most important thing for children that have experienced sexual abuse is that the person that they tell believes them,” Crichton said. “Ask open-ended questions and believe what they tell you. Try and always be a safe space for your child to come to. So, you know, as a parent, making sure the kids know that they're not going to get in trouble if they're seeking help or if they're seeking guidance. We know from research that the best way to help kids recover from abuse is to have a supportive environment.” 

Crichton said what parents can look for in their children to tell if something may be off. She said there are often signs of abuse and it starts with behavior.  

"The biggest one to look for is a change in behavior,” she said. “So, a lot of times kids will start kind of withdrawing from regular daily activities. They may appear scared or anxious. They can also kind of seem depressed. Alternatively, some kids may act out. A child not telling right away is, is unfortunately very common. It can take days, weeks, months, even years for children to be able to explain what happened to them." 

Crichton agrees with Phillips’ “No. Go. Tell.” method. She said setting boundaries for your children is important, as well as empowering them to make decisions about their bodies.  

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"Even if the child is being approached by an adult that wants to give them a hug, if a kid doesn't want a hug, it's okay to say no," she said. 

The data surrounding child sexual abuse is startling. Crichton said, "We know that over 90% of perpetrators of child sexual abuse are known to the child. So, not a stranger, someone they know. And about 35% are a relative.” 

Experts suggest calling law enforcement or child protective services immediately if a child reports sexual abuse. 

HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) -- A huge development in Hilliard has been in the works for years now and project leaders said the end of construction is near.  

TruePointe will be a mixed-use development filled with apartments, office space, restaurants and more. People in and around Hilliard have been asking for a place where they can live, work and play, and TruePointe is meant to be just that.  

TruePointe is currently a huge construction zone off of I-270 in Hilliard on Trueman Boulevard and a company called Equity is in charge of the project.  

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“This is really important real estate on this side of town because this is the last freeway frontage here,” Equity CEO Steven Wathen said. “In fact, some of the very last freeway frontage anywhere in central Ohio, so we had to do it right.”  

The development will have apartments, condos, office spaces, restaurants, a hotel and more. Hilliard leaders said the development will fill a huge gap the city has been missing. 

“You think of Bridgepark, Easton or even Short North, one of the reasons those areas are so successful is because you have all of the amenities without needing to get in a car,” Hilliard Economic Development Director David Meadows said. 

Hilliard has seen a population boost over the last few decades, but Wathen said the economic boost hasn’t been quite as big.  

“It’s becoming a major urban city and it was lacking a lot of amenities; it’s literally a restaurant desert,” Wathen said. “We’d like this to become a center of activity for this side of town, Hilliard in particular but way beyond that.”  

Wathen said Hilliard leaders and community members alike have been supportive of the TruePointe development, and he said he knows residents are anxiously awaiting the grand opening. He said some of the restaurants, apartments and offices spaces will be opening within the first few months of 2026.  

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“We had tremendous community support, not just from residents who wanted to see these things come to the community, meaning the restaurants, things that this area really doesn’t have enough of, but also our city leaders here in Hilliard have been fantastic to work with,” Wathen said.  

“I think the great thing about TruePointe is now Hilliard can be a destination for all those restaurants and amenities that you may travel to go to,” Meadows said.  

A brunch restaurant, coffee shop and hair salon are all slated to be open at TruePointe. Wathen said even more restaurants and amenities will be announced over the next few months, many of which will open early next year.  

Learn more about the project by clicking here. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A family is grieving after a 14-year-old boy was shot and killed early Saturday in Franklinton.  

The Columbus Division of Police is still working to determine who is responsible.  

The boy’s family is holding a candlelight vigil Monday in his honor. 

Police said that just before 1:30 a.m. Saturday, officers were alerted to a shooting on Dana Avenue in the Franklinton section of the city; the victim, Braiden Johnson, was found there. Police said several people at the scene were detained and a family member rushed Johnson to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

A neighbor who wanted to remain anonymous said she was shaken by the incident. 

“It's very scary to have something like that happen in front of your home and stuff, but it does weigh on my heart very heavily that it was a 14-year-old boy,” she said. “I would see them play basketball here and stuff like that.” 

Brenda Johnson lost her son to gun violence several years ago; she now uses her story as a community activist, something she did Monday at a local school where she spoke with fifth-eighth grade students about the dangers of gun violence. 

“We just have to stop it and, like, speaking to the youth and telling them my stories and my grandkids stories just, like, it really touches home because my grandkids are the same age as them, so they put themselves in my grandkids' shoes,” Johnson said.  

She and her husband were awake and heard the sirens Saturday night. 

“I have two 14-year-old grandkids, so putting myself in nurse shoes, I couldn't imagine, and that night that had happened, my husband and I were up late because we were remodeling, and we heard all the sirens going by and we both knew it wasn't good. It was a lot,” Johnson said.  

Police said two people were arrested in connection to the shooting. However, they did not specify charges, saying the case will be presented to the Franklin County prosecutor’s office.

GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, Ohio (WCMH) — The city of Grandview Heights is in the process of determining the next steps for its sidewalk program and wishes there was more time before decisions are made.  

Grandview Heights City Council has a special meeting on Monday night. The agenda packet includes a two-and-a-half-page list of properties and the cost of sidewalk replacement associated with those addresses. The prices listed range from about $400 to more than $5,000 depending on how many panels have been identified as needing to be replaced.

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“I feel like it's minor, I’m a very minor situation," Diane Mountz said about the sidewalk work deemed necessary in front of her home. "I do have one I know that has a crack but I fill it with that cement filler and it's fine." 

The list called for one sidewalk panel by her home to be replaced. Under Grandview's program, property owners can pay the city the listed price or hire a contractor. 

“I hope the city will reconsider. Our taxes are so high anyway, I would hope they would be able to cover that," Mountz said.  

In a statement, the city of Grandview Heights said per state law, sidewalk maintenance is the responsibility of the homeowner. 

“That is something that's been done in the past it's just been a very long time and I'm sure there are a lot of people who have moved in since then and weren't aware of the program," Councilmember Michelle Kozak said. 

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Kozak said she'd like to talk with city staff and other council members about if the city covering the cost of sidewalk repairs for owner-occupied single-family homes would be possible. She also had concerns about the timeline for Monday's vote. 

“I just want the residents to be able to have a voice in this and have enough time to come and let us know what they think about it so and just for council too; it's not really a lot of time for us to have found out about it Friday and then be expected to come in tonight, and you might want to do some research," she said.  

The city also said it covers the cost of repairs to sidewalks if trees cause the damage. The statement also said the city will grind down trip hazards to extend the life of sidewalk panels before needing to replace them. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Should Ohio schools at all levels have any components of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)? That is a question that is being debated at the Ohio Statehouse right now. 

“It is a distraction from the work and the real issues that we are facing in higher education, that we are facing in K through 12,” Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said. 

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“I think, generally speaking, that the dam is broken on the issue,” Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said. “People realize that often that subject matter was really used as a political cudgel to beat down your opponents or to intimidate people.” 

Senate Bill 1, poised to pass the Ohio House this week, makes sweeping changes to higher education, including the elimination of DEI; in some cases, the bill threatens to pull funding for noncompliance. Opponents of the bill point out that DEI practices support more than some people realize and not just Black Americans. 

“But also, with veterans, with those that are disabled, there's lots of lots of areas of support regarding DEI,” State Sen. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) said. 

“If it's people of color, women, people from the LGBTQ community, veterans, people with different abilities, who's left that is supposed to be getting everything? Who’s left,” Ohio House Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) said. 

If Senate Bill 1 does pass the statehouse this week, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said while he reserves the right to wait and see the final version, he plans to sign it.

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In addition, Senate Bill 113 and its identical House Bill 155 would eliminate the practice in K-12 public schools. Huffman said it is about making sure that Ohio students’ values align with their parents. 

“We need to make sure that parents and families are the primary informers to their children, of the way they think life should be,” he said. “All of those, again, are nuanced answers and interactions when your kids go off to school for 6 hours a day.”    

“I think it's a witch hunt like it was at the upper levels,” Antonio said. “We're still fighting some kind of weird hate culture war and now using words like diversity, which is part of the foundational beliefs of our society to be inclusive, include everybody in.” 

Huffman said while, in general, he believes in local control and allowing school boards to make their own decisions in areas like DEI, “sometimes rights of individuals are trampled upon by local governments” and that is when it is up to the state to step in and make a change like this.    

As Republicans work to eliminate DEI, some Democrats are fighting to preserve it. House Bill 165, for example, creates a new implicit bias course for teachers and allows for reimbursement for taking it.

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Implicit bias is a large part of DEI training, and the course, under this bill, would cover the following, at least: a definition of implicit bias, examples of implicit bias in action and a method of identifying susceptibility to unwanted bias. 

That bill was just introduced last week, so has yet to have a hearing. 

Fourth part of four-part Diagnosis: Columbus, looking at expansion projects across central Ohio's major health systems as they respond to the region's population growth and job expansion. Read the first part -- on OhioHealth's $1 billion expansion -- by clicking here; read the second part -- on Nationwide Children's Hospital's expansion -- by clicking here; read the third part -- on Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's new medical tower -- by clicking here.

DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) – Modern hospital design aims for one key objective: efficiency.

"You're looking at your adjacencies to save steps. You're looking at how that space is put together," Genevieve Lescalleet, facilities planner for Mount Carmel Health System, said.

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When Mount Carmel laid out the plans to build its fifth hospital in central Ohio, Mount Carmel Dublin, efficiency shaped the site selection process and most of the interior structure.

"We have learned the frontline workers know what works and what doesn't work, so we really went to the voice of our colleagues and asked them, 'What do you think of this space? What are we missing?'" Diane Doucette, president of Mount Carmel Dublin, St. Ann's & New Albany, said.

Mount Carmel Dublin is a $273 million project set to open in April. The conceptual design for the hospital began in 2021, with construction beginning in 2023.

It will house a full emergency department along with ample space for family medicine. A high-profile site was chosen, just off I-270 and Sawmill Road in Dublin.

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"The public today wants to be served in their local community," Doucette said. "In the Dublin community, the percentage of senior citizens is growing at 24 percent. The population here in Dublin is growing at five percent. We look at where is the population is growing and what services can we provide to serve that."

While trauma care will still be referred to Mount Carmel East, this is Mount Carmel's first acute care site in northwest Columbus.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A notice of a missing juvenile led to law enforcement arresting two men from Texas and charging them with human trafficking.

The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force were told by the FBI's Houston office on Thursday that a juvenile victim of human trafficking from Texas was missing in Columbus, per a release from the Ohio Attorney General's office.

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On Thursday night, Columbus police found 27-year-old Timarrea Granderson of Cyprus, Texas, and took him into custody. One victim of human trafficking was found during the arrest.

26-year-old Larry Hill from Houston was taken into custody later that evening. He barricaded himself inside a home in the Sharon Heights area of north Columbus before a Columbus SWAT team arrested him. Two victims, including the missing juvenile, were found during that arrest, and a fourth victim was rescued from a different location.

All four victims, who are from Texas, are being provided service from the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force. Granderson and Hill were each charged with trafficking of a person and compelling prostitution of a minor. They remain in Ohio but will be extradited back to Texas.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus State Community College is readying to break ground on a new 80,000-square-foot academic building.

Columbus' Downtown Commission approved on Feb. 25 the college's collaboration with OhioHealth to construct a new healthcare education building at the southwest corner of Cleveland Avenue and East Spring Street, currently home to a parking lot. The three-story building will be named the "OhioHealth Center of Health Sciences" and is set to break ground this fall. Watch a previous NBC4 report on the center in the video player above.

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"This is an important step forward in meeting our commitment to rapidly scale up home-grown healthcare talent," Martin Maliwesky, Columbus State's senior vice president of academic affairs, said. "This building represents another investment of Franklin County bond proceeds to provide the in-demand skills critical to the ongoing prosperity of our region."

A rendering of the OhioHealth Center of Health Sciences. (Courtesy Photo/Columbus State Community College)

Columbus State said it is using bond proceeds approved by Franklin County residents to fund construction of the $66.5 million academic building bearing OhioHealth's name.

The center will provide upgraded labs, simulation spaces, classrooms and other student success amenities, as Columbus State works with the region's healthcare providers to double the talent pipeline over 10 years. The college announced the project in June 2023 and expects it to open by the start of the 2027-2028 academic year.

The new building is one part of the college's $120 million OhioHealth partnership, which aims to increase the number of professionals in five key fields: nursing, surgical technology, medical imaging, respiratory therapy and sterile processing. OhioHealth touted a $25 million endowment it created to support instructional and administrative needs as college healthcare programs grow.

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After the Center for Health Sciences is completed, Columbus State plans to renovate an existing building, Union Hall, to update further dedicated healthcare education spaces. The college also announced last fall it will invest more than $50 million in other new classroom improvements, including a $35 million Franklin Hall renovation that will yield new classrooms and specialized labs.

Columbus State's new center was one of several construction projects reviewed by the Downtown Commission during the February meeting. Members voted to table Bluestone Brothers Development's request for approval to bulldoze several single-story buildings on the southeast corner of East Rich and South Fourth streets. After demolition, Bluestone Brothers plans to construct a 24-story, 504,000-square-foot tower called "The Estrella."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Low-cost clothing giant Forever 21 will close all U.S. locations in bankruptcy filing, including its nine Ohio storefronts.

The fast-fashion empire has already closed two of its three central Ohio locations in the past five years, leaving only a shop at the Mall at Tuttle Crossing. Forever 21 cited foreign competition, rising costs and rapidly changing trends in its foreclosures.

Forever 21 closed its Polaris location in early 2024 and its Easton location in 2019 after the company first filed for bankruptcy. At the time, the chain was saved by Authentic Brands, Brookfield Property Partners and Simon Property Group, who announced a strategic partnership to acquire Forever 21 from its original owners. Around the same time Polaris' Forever 21 shop closed, Authentic Brands' CEO called the acquisition his "biggest mistake."

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Now, the company said it will keep its U.S. website active as it seeks a final bidder and begins closing operations. If the company is able to find a buyer, it may not close all locations. Otherwise, the company said it plans to shutter all storefronts in the U.S. in the coming months.

Forever 21 was at its height in the early 2000s, hitting more than $1 billion in annual sales by 2005. The store joined H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch and Lacoste among favored brands for teens and young adults at the time. However, In recent years, younger generations have begun avoiding fast fashion companies in favor of thrift stores and unique pieces, hurting stores like Forever 21

Forever 21 locations outside the U.S. are managed by other licensees and will remain open and untouched by the bankruptcy filings, the company said.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus-based Tex-Mex chain has plans to open a new location in Pickerington.

Last week, the city of Pickerington announced on social media that a Local Cantina will open on the corner of Columbus and Center streets.

“It's part of our continued investment in the downtown,” the city wrote on Facebook. “We've got plans for parking too. More details will be coming soon, but this is something to get excited about, Pickerington!"

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The new location features two stories and an expansive upstairs patio, according to a rending included in the post. The city has yet to reveal further details such as an opening date, and the restaurant group that owns Local Cantina, Orange Umbrella Restaurants, did not respond to an inquiry for further information.

Local Cantina saw two restaurants close last year, including its locations in Gahanna and the Short North. The chain has 10 locations in the Columbus area, as well as a singular location in both Dayton and Greenway Station, Florida.

Local Cantina, founded in Columbus in 2012, serves a variety of chips and dips, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, desserts and alcoholic beverages.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus City school bus crashed into a ditch along Interstate 270 Monday morning on the city’s east side.

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Columbus police said that one person was taken to an area hospital after the bus veered off the right side of the road and fell on its side on I-270 South just past the Morse Road exit ramp.

A Columbus City School bus crashed along I-270 South, near the Morse Rd. exit in east Columbus, March 17, 2025. (Courtesy/Ohio Department of Transportation)

It was reported that no kids were on board the bus, which crashed just before 9 a.m. Police did not report any other injuries and I-270 South remains open while crews continue to work to clear the scene.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Less than two months after winning a national championship, Ohio State's road to a repeat began Monday morning with the opening day of spring practice.

Coach Ryan Day will address the media after practice about 11 a.m. You can watch his comments live in the video player above.

While Day will enter his seventh season at the helm this fall, the coaching staff looks different from the one that lifted the trophy in Atlanta on Jan. 20. Chip Kelly and Jim Knowles have departed from their coordinator positions. Brian Hartline takes over play-calling duties in his elevated role as offensive coordinator, and Matt Patricia comes in after two decades working in the NFL to lead the defense.

Position competitions are set to take place this spring as the Buckeyes look to replace 15 players who hope to be drafted next month. Among the higher profile ones will be the race to succeed quarterback Will Howard, with Julian Sayin considered the favorite. Returning backup Lincoln Keinholz and newcomer Tavien St. Clair will look to challenge.

A total of 15 practices will take place in the span of four weeks, culminating in a spring showcase April 12 at Ohio Stadium.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Columbus area gas prices likely experienced a what experts call a price-cycle jump, while most of the county continues to see prices fall.

According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in the Columbus area, the average price at the pump rose by 18.5 cents per gallon last week to reach $2.92, though it remains 10 cents per gallon lower than the national average. The current price is one cent per gallon higher than four weeks ago but still 36.5 cents lower than this time one year ago.

Columbus Gas Prices Tracker

The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.35 a gallon on Sunday, while the most expensive was $3.29, a difference of 94 cents per gallon. In Ohio, the average price of gas also rose 11.7 cents from $2.78 per gallon to $2.90 per gallon.

Meanwhile, nationally, gas prices fell slightly, by 1.3 cents per gallon, to reach $3.02. The price of diesel also fell 5.0 cents, settling at $3.56 per gallon.

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The rise in fuel cost was just the second bump over the last eight weeks, bucking the trend of cheaper gas in central Ohio. Falling prices, while good for motorists, can also lead to questions and concerns about long-term ramifications, head of petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan said, depending on the reason for said decline.

"As concerns over tariffs and policy uncertainties grow, gas prices have continued to decline across much of the country, raising the possibility that the national average could slip below $3 per gallon and approach some of the lowest prices seen in years," De Haan said. “This decline shouldn't necessarily be celebrated, as it comes with strong warning signs. When the economy slows, gasoline demand drops— along with demand for other refined products like diesel and jet fuel (and) we've already seen some signals that the months ahead could be challenging.”