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WonderBus Festival organizers reveal financial difficulties with 2024 event

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 10:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Organizers of the Wonder festivals have made an announcement on social media about the status of this year's event.

The online post, a simple graphic with text, begins by assuring fans that Wonder festivals will continue, despite no updates about 2024's event since September. But the statement from the Wonder Festivals Team goes on to explain that finances have become an issue in moving plans forward.

"We've been staging our music festivals for many years," the text read. "It costs a lot of money to run these events and the second half of last year was really tough. As the '23 festival season ended, a few of us were left to cover all the costs. This was different from how things began and continues to be both deeply disappointing and unsustainable."

Get out and do something this weekend in central Ohio, March 21-24

In its plan to move forward, the team noted that it is "reviewing opportunities with new partners-partners who will allow us to become better and stronger." Fans were asked to stay patient and continue to check for updated information.

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"The Wonder fests may take place later than usual, but there are no plans to give up what we started," the message concluded. "Thank you for your continued interest and support."

Previously, the group presented the WonderBus Music & Arts Festival in central Ohio on Aug. 25-27, 2023. The multi-day concert was held on The Lawn at CAS near Olentangy River Road just east of Ohio State’s campus. 

The show was headlined by Pitbull, Demi Lovato and Caamp and included dozens of other performers.

The cost of general admission for the three-day festival was set at $310, single-day admission was $142 and students were offered a discounted rate of $106. Tickets went on sale on March 13, 2023, for the late-summer event.

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There was also a fundraising element to the festival, which benefited "innovation in mental health treatment and research at OSU Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital."

Additionally, another event set to take place on The Lawn at CAS, the inaugural Flavortown Festival spearheaded by celebrity chef Guy Fieri, was canceled earlier this month due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

Categories: Ohio News

Showers arrive later, windy and cold Saturday

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 09:40
Columbus and Central Ohio Weather

Low pressure tracking north of Ohio will bring thickening clouds and showers later in the day after a period of sunshine. Temperatures will reach the low 50s, which is seasonable.

The rain will taper off after midnight, with a few snowflakes mixing in across the north, as readings dip into the mid-30s behind a cold front.

Saturday will be windy and colder, along with blustery northerly winds gusting as high as 30 mph. Skies will start off mostly cloudy, with some breaks of sun in the afternoon. Temperatures will only reach the low 40s.

The weather on Sunday will feature lots of sunshine, as high pressure builds down from the Great Lakes. The morning will be cold, in the mid-20s, but we will warm up to the low 50s.

Monday will be dry and mild, in the low-60s, with an increase in clouds. A storm in the central Plains will move northeast to the Upper Midwest, accompanied by showers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Forecast
  • Friday: Clouds thicken, breezy, spotty showers. High 54
  • Tonight: Light rain, ending as flurries north after midnight. Low 35
  • Saturday: Morning clouds, clearing later, windy, chilly. High 42
  • Sunday: Sunny. High 51 (26)
  • Monday: Clouds return. High 62 (37)
  • Tuesday: Rain. High 59 (48)
  • Wednesday: Showers early. High 53 (40)
  • Thursday: Mostly sunny. High 54 (34)
Categories: Ohio News

Ohio Distillery Trail set for May with tastings, tours and more

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 09:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - A statewide event where patrons can visit several distilleries while sampling award-winning liquor is set for May.

The Ohio Distillery Trail, held by the state Distillers Guild, will take place on May 22 for National Craft Distillery Day. Each distillery involved will offer the chance to try a variety of liquor -- including gin, vodka, whiskey and rum -- through tastings, cocktail bars and more.

Patrons will be able to visit each of the distilleries to try the products while earning points along the way, all to earn prizes. Along with tours, there will also be other experiences for all to enjoy along with full restaurants.

Changes coming this spring to downtown Hilliard

According to the Ohio Distillers Guild website, all destination distilleries involved are members of the guild, which is a non-profit organization that helps with advancing craft distillation in the state.

Some of the distilleries involved includes Watershed Distillery, Echo Spirits Distilling Co. and more. With the launch of the new trail, it joins other another tour put on by the guild including the Columbus Distillery Trail.

To sign up for the Ohio Distillery Trail, follow this link.

Categories: Ohio News

Rockmill Brewery's 12-acre Lancaster property for sale in foreclosure auction

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 08:30

LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio brewery that was on the market for more than $6 million has failed to find a buyer, and is now facing foreclosure with an auction underway.

Rockmill Brewery at 5705 Lithopolis Road NW in Lancaster is currently up for auction through March 25 with a minimum asking price of $2.4 million, according to the 12-acre property's listing on Auction Ohio's site. The brewery, which the Fairfield County Common Pleas Court appraised for $3.6 million, is open during the ongoing auction.

The foreclosure includes the sale of two separate sites on Rockmill's property, but does not feature the brewery's furniture, fixtures or equipment. The first site makes up the brewery's main operations with five buildings totaling more than 9,000 square feet home to a taproom, an event space, a chapel, a pond and picnic grounds.

Rockmill Brewery at 5705 Lithopolis Road NW in Lancaster is currently up for auction through March 25. (Courtesy Photo/Rockmill Brewery) Polaris restaurant to be bulldozed for new Chick-fil-A; eatery’s gear auctioned

The second site is a 5,080-square-foot, two-story home built in 1900 and remodeled in 1981, the residence of the brewery's current operators, Austin Caulk and Taylor Scribner. The home includes three bedrooms, four full bathrooms, three half bathrooms, three fireplaces and a three-car detached garage.

Rockmill's foreclosure comes after founder Matthew Barbee attempted to sell the brewery for $6.75 million in 2022, though a deal was never reached. Barbee, who now lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico, bestowed the brewery's day-to-day operations to Caulk and Scribner last year.

Barbee launched the brewery in 2010 on his mother's more than 23-acre farm and expanded in 2016 with the opening of Rockmill Tavern in Columbus' Brewery District. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic fizzled Barbee's momentum, the tavern closed in 2022 and the Lancaster brewery's patrons dwindled.

Caulk and Scribner were hiking last year in Lancaster when the couple stopped at Rockmill for a beer. Columbus Monthly reported the pair took a walk to the property's chapel where Caulk proposed to Scribner, leading them to inquire with Barbee about getting married at the site.

Changes coming this spring to downtown Hilliard

Caulk and Scribner soon became interested in also purchasing Rockmill from Barbee, though a sale has yet to go through. Still, the couple is aiming to revive the brewery and told Columbus Business First they'll be bidding on the property during the foreclosure auction.

Rockmill is one of several central Ohio breweries facing turmoil since the pandemic, including 1487 Brewery that permanently closed in February after its former chief operating officer pleaded guilty to stealing more than $200,000 from the company. Smokehouse Brewing Company in Grandview Heights closed in January after 25 years of business.

Categories: Ohio News

Man indicted in nightclub shooting that killed two, injured four

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 07:06

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

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus man has been charged with murder in connection to a nightclub shooting that killed two people and left four injured one year ago.

Kalen King, 31, is facing two counts of murder and three counts of felonious assault for the shooting that occurred at a club called Tha Plug in the 1500 block of South High Street just after 5:10 a.m. on March 18, 2023, court documents show. King's arraignment in Franklin County Commons Pleas Court is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday.

At least six people people were injured in the shooting with one man, later identified as Antwaun Artis, 21, pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The other five victims were taken to various hospitals with a man dropped off at Nationwide Children's Hospital in a private vehicle, police said. That man, later identified as Jayden Peacock, 22, was pronounced dead at 6:05 a.m.

  • According to a police dispatcher, officers were sent to the 1500 block of South High Street just after 5:10 a.m. on reports of a shooting. (NBC4/Delaney Ruth)
  • According to a police dispatcher, officers were sent to the 1500 block of South High Street just after 5:10 a.m. on reports of a shooting. (NBC4/Ronald Clark)
  • Two men died and four people were injured after a shooting Saturday morning at a club in south Columbus. (NBC4/Delaney Ruth)
  • According to a police dispatcher, officers were sent to the 1500 block of South High Street just after 5:10 a.m. on reports of a shooting. (NBC4/Delaney Ruth)
  • According to a police dispatcher, officers were sent to the 1500 block of South High Street just after 5:10 a.m. on reports of a shooting. (NBC4/Delaney Ruth)

According to police, the remaining four victims were all in stable condition with two at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and two more at Grant Medical Center. Those victims were identified as a 36-year-old man, a 42-year-old man, a 29-year-old man, and a 27-year-old man.

Categories: Ohio News

Man charged for shooting, killing 64-year-old woman in southeast Columbus

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 06:30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus man has been charged with murder after a 60-year-old woman was shot and killed in the Driving Park neighborhood on Thursday.

Authorities responded to the 1700 block of E. Sycamore St. at 11:28 p.m. on Thursday on report of a shooting, according to the Columbus Division of Police. Officers found Marchelle Freeman, 60, suffering from a gunshot wound before she was pronounced dead at 11:42 p.m.

Stewart Butler, 64, was detained at the scene and has been charged with murder. Police said the preliminary investigation revealed domestic violence as a possible motive.

Police are asking anyone with information to call 614-645-2557.

Categories: Ohio News

Driver charged after crashing into deputy cruiser, COTA bus stop in north Columbus

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 06:03

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A driver has been charged with a felony after crashing into a deputy's cruiser then striking a COTA bus stop and a utility pole in north Columbus on Friday morning.

The cruiser was parked on the east side when it was hit at about 3:30 a.m. on Friday, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. The driver then continued moving, and a short pursuit ensued before they crashed into a COTA bus stop stop and a utility pole at Cleveland Avenue and East 4th Avenue.

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

Five occupants, including an infant, were in the car and were evaluated on the scene by medics, the sheriff's office said. The infant was transported to a local hospital as a precaution, while two others were transported for minor injuries.

The driver was charged with felony fleeing, and the sheriff's office said additional charges are pending. The southbound lanes of Cleveland Avenue between East 4th and East 5th avenues are closed as the crash remains under investigation.

Categories: Ohio News

Daycare with locations across U.S. to build first Ohio academy in Columbus

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 06:00

DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) -- A daycare boasted as the "innovators in educational child care" with locations across the east coast is expanding with its first Ohio academy in the Columbus area.

The New Jersey-based daycare chain, Lightbridge Academy, is aiming to build the new location on a 1.68-acre site near the intersection of Frantz Road and Blazer Parkway in Dublin, according to the proposal reviewed by the Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission on March 7.

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The site would feature a 12,411-square-foot, single-story daycare located in the north portion, while a 7,000-square-foot playground would be found to the west. Nearly 60 parking spaces would occupy the southern portion of the site, fulfilling the typical requirement of one parking space per teacher plus one space per six students.

  • Lightbridge Academy aims to build the new location on a 1.68-acre site in Dublin. (Courtesy Photo/Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission)
  • Lightbridge Academy aims to build the new location on a 1.68-acre site in Dublin. (Courtesy Photo/Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission)
  • Lightbridge Academy aims to build the new location on a 1.68-acre site in Dublin. (Courtesy Photo/Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission)

With more than 150 locations across the eastern U.S., Lightbridge claims its centers are "more than just a day care," providing "a stimulating learning environment and comprehensive curriculum for infants, toddlers and preschoolers." The academy is known for offering extended hours, back-up care and even special events like "Parent's Night Out."

"My wife Julia and I are parents of three sons and eight grandchildren. We know first-hand the struggles of the working parent," states found Guy Falzarano on the company's site. "Which is why we made it our mission to provide the kind of support, education and care that cannot be found anywhere else in the child care industry."

Changes coming this spring to downtown Hilliard

Lightbridge will return to Dublin's planning and zoning commission for review of the site's final development plan before construction can begin.

Categories: Ohio News

Ohio to welcome one of country's largest solar farms despite local resistance

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 05:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Madison County will soon welcome one of the country's largest solar farms, but some local officials aren't happy about the project.

Savion, a solar and energy storage company, submitted a project application to the Ohio Power Siting Board in 2022. It proposed an 800-megawatt solar-powered generating facility and 300-megawatt battery storage facility occupying about 4,400 acres along State Route 29. The property, owned in part by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, spreads across Deercreek, Monroe, and Somerford townships. At a March 21 OPSB meeting, the board gave Savion the go-ahead to move forward with the Oak Run Solar Project.

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Despite OPSB staffers recommending the board approve the project application, some local entities expressed hesitation. The Madison County Board of Commissioners decided against the project in 2022 in a two to one vote. Deercreek, Monroe and Somerford townships have also opposed it. During a meeting to approve the project, two local officials spoke against the solar farm.

"The county commissioners have received countless phone calls, text messages, emails, letters, in opposition to this project," Madison County Commissioner Chris Wallace said. "I just want to state clearly on the record, that if this board is to approve this project, they would be doing so in the face of strong local opposition. I think, spitting in the face of Madison County voters."

According to a website for the Oak Run Solar Project, it is intended to provide economic development opportunities to harvest the sun as a stable cash crop. The project is estimated to create $250 million in tax revenue for Madison County over its expected 35-year operational life, with millions expected to go to local schools and the county as a result. Hundreds of construction and dozens of long-term jobs are expected to come to the county as part of the development.

Despite the income potential, a Somerford Township official raised concerns about farmland being taken out to accommodate these types of projects.

"We in Madison County feel that our contribution to alternative energy has certainly been met or exceeded," Somerford Trustee Jim Moran said. "Current prime farmland including approximately 6,000 acres or more are being developed now. If Oak Run is approved, it will push that number over 12,000 acres. If every county in the state of Ohio would contribute that kind of acreage to this type of energy production, the prime farmland taken out of production would be astronomical."

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The OPSB allowed a representative to respond to concerns, which included the point that not all of the community opposes the project.

"Obviously, there was a lot of opposition to this," Nick Walstra from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio said. "What we have to take into consideration is the evidence that was presented. It wasn't necessarily unanimous opposition, there were some local leaders who expressed some support."

The project will feature an array of solar panels to be ground-mounted on a tracking rack system. It will include transmission lines, access roads, underground and overhead electric collection lines, weather stations, battery storage containers, and other facilities.

More than 44 miles of access roads are proposed for the facility. Solar modules from the project would be set a minimum of 300 feet from non-participating residences and 150 feet from adjacent roads and non-participating property boundaries.

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A document outlining the project credits Senate Bill 52 from Ohio's 134th General Assembly for making the solar farm possible. SB 52 provided new opportunities for county commissioner and township trustee participation in the siting of solar projects in the county, according to the document. The document said the facility was grandfathered under SB 52, except for certain board member provisions.

Shell, more commonly known for its oil and gas ventures, acquired Savion as a subsidiary in 2021. The project has been under development since 2019. With the board's approval, it now moves one step closer to construction, which Savion has said could start in 2025.

Categories: Ohio News

Ohio bill would increase penalties for fleeing from police, stunt driving

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 04:30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A bill making its way through the Ohio legislature would increase penalties for both fleeing from police and participating in stunt driving. 

House Bill 56, sponsored by Reps. Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Phil Plummer (R-Dayton), passed the House with bipartisan support in December and is going through the Senate. 

Under the legislation, activities such as donuts, burnouts, drifting, wheelies and tire-squealing, as well as allowing a passenger to ride partially or fully outside of a vehicle, would be classified as “stunt driving” and subject to enhanced penalties. 

The bill would classify stunt driving as a first-degree misdemeanor, and anyone found guilty of participating would have their license suspended for at least 30 days and up to three years. Any car involved in the act would be subject to seizure and forfeiture. The bill also states anyone rendering assistance to street racing, stunt driving or street takeover would be equally charged as participants.

“When you have situations where communities have several hundred people gathering at intersections, and multiple cars doing very dangerous stunt driving in the center of major intersections, and then all of the sudden multiple parties fleeing police, people are getting hurt, lives are being lost, property damaged,” White said. 

White said the legislature was approached by local law enforcement, prosecutors and elected leaders wanting to take action against reckless driving, which she said the state is seeing an increased frequency of. 

“In Montgomery County, separate from recent hooning incidents, there have been at least five recent incidents where people have been fleeing from police that have resulted in serious injury or death and so our local communities are asking for more tools,” White said. 

The bill would also make fleeing from the police a fourth-degree felony; it is currently a first-degree misdemeanor. 

“Typically, fifth-degree felons don’t go to prison -- they get probation -- so we try to take it to fourth-degree, where we may get some prison time out of the judge," Plummer said. "We've got to draw the line in the sand and tell these people, if you run from the police and put people at risk, we’re going to hold you accountable. There’s going to be a consequence.”  

If there is serious physical injury to a person or property, the charge would become a third-degree felony. 

“Just last summer in Englewood, next to me in my district, there was a police chase, and they killed an elderly lady who was just walking down the sidewalk, getting her exercise, so that’s the kind of stuff we’re trying to eliminate,” Plummer said. 

The bill would also mandate that police departments have a written pursuit policy. The bill does not specify what must be in the policy, but that departments must consider best practice recommendations from the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board or a similar law enforcement accrediting entity. All officers in a given department must be trained from that department’s policy.

“We’re going to try to hold the police accountable, at least give them the tools they need, but definitely hold the criminals accountable,” Plummer said. 

The bill has two more hearings in the Senate; if passed, it will head to the governor’s desk. 

Categories: Ohio News

Crash involving FedEx truck leaves one in critical, closes all I-70 lanes in west Columbus

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 03:56

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is in critical condition after a crash involving a delivery truck on Friday morning in west Columbus.

Authorities responded to I-70 East beyond I-270 at about 3:03 a.m. on Friday after report of a two-car crash involving a FedEx truck, according to the Columbus Division of Police. All lanes were briefly closed and one person was transported to Grant Medical Center in serious condition.

(NBC4 Photo/Ronald Clark)

The scene had cleared by 6 a.m. on Friday, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Categories: Ohio News

Unlivable Latitude Five25 apartments listed for sale, seeking major rehab

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 03:30

Watch a previous report on the Latitude Five25 settlement in the video player above

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – An East Side apartment complex whose tenants were evacuated over a year ago due to unsafe living conditions is on the market, ready for rehabilitation.

The Latitude Five25 apartments are for sale for a “negotiable” price, according to a listing of the complex posted Monday. The offering memorandum compiled by a local real estate firm highlights the complex’s proximity to Downtown, desirable views from its balconies and amenities including a basketball court and cyber cafe.

But first-time flippers need not apply; the court isn’t going to allow just any buyer to take over the storied pair of 15-story towers.

“It’s going to be a hands-on project, and it needs somebody who knows how to do the rehab and manage a property, an inner-city property,” said Skip Weiler with The Robert Weiler Company. “We can’t have somebody, an out-of-town owner, who ignores it, does not maintain it, doesn’t manage it.”

The Robert Weiler Company was hired by New Perspective Asset Management, the receivership group overseeing the complex, to find a buyer to make the property inhabitable again. Whoever purchases the property will be undertaking an extensive task.

The apartments have been vacant since December 2022, when the city ordered residents to vacate the property due to burst water pipes and a lack of heat. But the pair of towers on Sawyer Boulevard, visible from Interstates 670 and 71, had been under the city’s scrutiny long before that for repeated bug infestations, feces-contaminated stairwells and other unsanitary conditions.

Last February, a judge ordered the owners, New Jersey-based Paxe Latitude, to pay nearly $4.4 million in fines and outstanding utility fees, including $2.5 million to compensate the former tenants. The court also found that in trying to rehabilitate the building, the owners hired contractors who didn’t comply with law or industry standards when handling asbestos, leaving many residents’ belongings contaminated with the cancerous fibers.

The owners, who launched a failed bankruptcy claim in New Jersey, never paid the $2.5 million contempt fee. In January, the lender financing the owners of the Latitude Five25 apartments entered into a $1.5 million settlement with the city in lieu of paying the $2.5 million. That money is intended for former tenants, many of whom lost property due to the asbestos contamination.

Who is the right buyer for Latitude Five25? Someone with “deep pockets,” Weiler said. He’s biased, he said, but he’d prefer the apartments go to a local group who can be attentive to the property.

Any buyer will need to be approved by the court before the apartments can change hands. And while there’s no requirement that the buyer preserve the existing structures, Weiler hopes whoever purchases the 392-unit complex decides to renovate, not demolish.

“I think it’s too many units, too large a building, and too valuable a building to be knocked down,” Weiler said.

Proposals are due at 5 p.m. May 31 -- and Weiler said he's already seen a sizeable amount of interest. He hopes to enter contracts by June or July, with a sale finalized within months.

Categories: Ohio News

Mild with rain today, cooler for the weekend

News Channel 4 - Fri, 03/22/2024 - 02:38
Columbus and Central Ohio Weather QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:
  • Today: Sct'd PM rain, high 60
  • Tonight: Sct'd showers, low 35
  • Saturday: Gradual clearing, breezy, high 44
  • Sunday: More sunshine, high 52
  • Monday: Partly sunny, breezy, high 65
  • Tuesday: Rain showers, high 59
FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Friday!

We start the day off on a dry note, with temperatures quickly warming, up near 60 by this afternoon. We will be much more mild, but we've got a cold front on the way this afternoon. That front and area of low pressure will bring us some rain shower activity. Most of that scattered rain arrives between about 3 and 5 PM, and continues in rounds the rest of the day and early overnight.

For Saturday, we start with an isolated early morning shower, then we'll see clouds during the morning, and gradual clearing into the afternoon. We will be much colder Saturday, with highs dropping back to the middle 40s and a strong breeze.

Sunday is our nicer weekend day, with more sunshine, and highs warming back to the lower 50s.

We warm up on Monday, with highs back into the middle 60s and breezy conditions. We will see more cloud coverage with a few peeks of sunshine.

Tuesday is the next day we'll be eyeing for more widespread rain, as another cold front works into the region. That rain looks to clear up into early Wednesday.

-McKenna

Categories: Ohio News

Assessments to find out why Franklin County students are falling behind

News Channel 4 - Thu, 03/21/2024 - 21:06

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – For the first time, a Columbus area nonprofit is carrying out a test to see why so many children in Franklin County are not ready for kindergarten.

Right now, Future Ready Five says kindergarten readiness in the area is a significant crisis: more than half of kids in Franklin County are not ready for kindergarten.

Report names Columbus as most polluted major U.S. city in 2023

Future Ready Five is hoping to change that, and this week their first pilot assessments kicked off. These will work to figure out why kids are falling behind and how they can be helped. 

This has been in the works for months and is something Columbus City Council invested in earlier this year. 

This week pre-k students in 14 child care centers sat down and took a test that will help experts figure out where kids are struggling and what will be the best way to help them improve. 

"We're testing the theory that if we focus on the first five years of life and really do what we can, we think it can make a difference, not just with third-grade reading scores, graduation rate, career attainment, college attrition rate," Future Ready Five CEO Mario Basora said. 

A mom of a child who went through the test this week spoke with NBC4. She said she is glad her child had a chance to participate. 

"I thought it was pretty cool because it's getting the kids ready for kindergarten," Pre-K Mom Charity Dimalata said. "So I think it's a good program."

A Blessed Child Learning Academy was one of the centers carrying out the assessment.

"We have learned that this area definitely needs help all day long, hands down," Owner and Director of A Blessed Child Learning Academy Stephanie Walker said. 

65% of children in the county are not ready for kindergarten, but that number is even higher for minority communities.

"That means we have a universal problem. So universally, we need to make sure that kids are getting adequate exposure to basic literacy skills, and particularly the science of reading," Basora said. 

The next step is to review this data and create intervention strategies for each center. 

"The fact that this is a new pilot program we're all learning together is exciting as well because of the fact that we can all put our heads together and share what needs to be done as far as what's next for the kids and what's best for them academically," Walker said. 

The goal is to get to a place where there is a plan for each child that Future Ready Five works with. 

Categories: Ohio News

National Guard helps with tornado cleanup in Logan County

News Channel 4 - Thu, 03/21/2024 - 17:30

LAKEVIEW, Ohio (WCMH) – The Ohio National Guard is in Logan County, working to help rebuild the communities devastated by the EF-3 tornado that hit one week ago. 

Since then, community members have come together and pitched in to get the rebuilding process underway. 

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The Ohio National Guard has been out here for days, doing their part to help out the residents that lost everything. According to leaders, being able to help is rewarding, but this tragedy hits home for them. 

On Sunday, after declaring a state of emergency in 11 counties across central Ohio, Gov. DeWine activated the Ohio National Guard to help officials in Logan County. 

“We mobilized just an initial assessment team initially and then by that afternoon, we had a full equipment package with an advanced team here on site,” said Colonel Tim Grady, task force commander with the Ohio National Guard. 

Their mission is to restore access to public infrastructure in support of the Logan County Emergency Management Agency along with other local authorities. 

The amount of debris on U.S. Route 33 in Lakeview has been prohibiting traffic, however significant progress has been made so far. 

“It's cleared up immensely and we're doing everything we can to request resources from the state and coordinate all of that so things get moving very quickly and safely,” said the emergency manager with the RED HORSE Unit, Alexandria Dye. 

The Ohio National Guard is trained and ready to help if and when a disaster strikes, but to see such devastation in their home state, hits hard.

“The thing that hits me the most is everybody out here is a drill status guardsmen,” said Chief Master Sgt. Mark Schneider, “They left their jobs and their families to come here to volunteer, to help. So they're all volunteers in my eyes as well, not necessarily here to do a job or make a pay, you know, have a paycheck.”

“It's hard to see houses completely gone. People are struggling, but that's what we're here for, to make the transition to recovery a lot easier, a lot simpler and effective,” said Dye.

Leaders said they’ve been a part of major operations around the world, but in the few days they’ve been here, they’re amazed by all the support Logan County has received. 

“The way that this community has come together, local contractors, local agencies, other counties stepping in to assist the law enforcement officers and how well that the synergy that they've established it just amazes me,” said Schneider. 

The Ohio National Guard plans to stay out in Logan County for as long as their services are needed. 

“We live here, we are in and of the community. Majority of our folks are citizen soldiers, citizen airmen, they have civilian lives. These are our families, these are our fathers, mothers, brothers, daughters and sisters. And it's tough, but we're proud to be able to help," Grady said.

Gov. Dewine has requested FEMA Damage Assessment teams to survey 11 counties in Ohio, one of which is Logan County. He believes this is the next step in helping these communities recover.

Categories: Ohio News

Report names Columbus as most polluted major U.S. city in 2023

News Channel 4 - Thu, 03/21/2024 - 17:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – For the second year in a row, IQ Air’s World Air Report names Columbus as the most polluted major city in the U.S. Community members said they are shocked to hear this news.

“That's very hard for me to believe. Obviously a little bit upsetting. I came from Pittsburgh two years ago and the city does feel a lot cleaner than Pittsburgh. Just makes me want to kind of get out there and do something to make it better,” said Kelsey Rzymek.

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The report is placing a lot of blame on the wildfires in Canada spreading to the midwest last June.

NBC4 spoke with Brandi Whetstone, the Associate Director of Sustainability at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, to better understand the report. She said the report is a bit misleading.

“Further from reports that we've produced with this data, we've actually seen an overall trend of improvement in air quality over the last 30 years. And while that can vary from year to year due to outside factors like wildfire smoke,” Whetstone said.

Whetstone said MORPC tracks air quality in Columbus everyday with the EPA. She said they are looking for ozone and particle pollution.

Whetstone said it is correct that air quality did get worse from 2022 to 2023. She said with significant growth in central Ohio, it’s something they are keeping an eye on.

“That means there's a lot of things that we can be doing. We're not perfect, but we can be doing a lot more to improve air quality, and that can include things like reducing driving, you know, using carpooling, transit, even biking and walking to nearby destinations," Whetstone said.

Whetstone said other ways to reduce pollution is by switching to battery powered outdoor equipment instead of gas powered.

Community members NBC4 spoke with said they already feel inspired to make that change.

“So just making sure that people realize how important it is and then kind of voicing that too,” Rzymek said.

Whetstone said air quality is something that can impact your health especially if you have asthma or other respiratory infections. Click here to learn more about MORPC’s air quality alerts. 

Categories: Ohio News

Ohio Republican infighting stalls legislation, changes could come

News Channel 4 - Thu, 03/21/2024 - 16:30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Republican infighting has stalled several pieces of legislation and led to one of the messiest primary elections lawmakers and experts say they have seen in decades.

With primary elections in the rearview mirror, some changes could come, and some legislation might move forward.

Root Insurance executive sentenced for embezzling $10 million from Columbus-based company

“Hang onto your seatbelts, it is going to be a wild ride in the Ohio House,” Democratic Strategist Brian Rothenberg said.

The Republican infighting is between House Republicans and also between chambers.

“I really hope they solve their family feud and figure out all of the barriers to getting things done so that we can get things done,” Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) said.

Because of the “family feud,” several incumbents had primary challengers; four of them lost.

“I don’t think that changes anything,” DeWine said. “I think we have a big task ahead of us still in the legislature, marijuana needs to be dealt with, Delta 8 needs to be dealt with, we have a capital bill that needs to get passed. So, we have a lot of things to do.”

But the four lost seats could open the door to new leadership in the Ohio House next year. Current speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) will likely face off against current Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima).

In theory, Stephens has the votes to keep his title, but experts say the path is not clear for either leader.

“It just wasn’t enough, it wasn’t enough of a landslide for Huffman to claim that he is going to be able to take over the whole thing,” Rothenberg said. “Stephens has less of a stranglehold in being able to maintain that, so it’s not clear with either of them.”

In a statement, Stephens said they are "in a strong position” to expand the Republican majority in the House.

Stephens was elected because Democrats teamed up with 22 Republicans to do so. Some Republican house members said that they stand by that, because Stephens was the best fit for the job and has proven so this past year.

“I certainly am committed to making sure, whether it’s me or anyone else, that whoever is elected speaker is elected by the majority of the majority caucus,” Huffman said.

“Counting votes is often a moving target so I think it would be incredibly naive to count votes now,” Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said.

But because of the infighting, several bills have been stalled and weaponized. For example, Senate Bill 83, a higher education overhaul bill, has been stalled in the House.

“The House continues to focus on good policy our members can proudly talk about to their constituents back home,” Stephens said in a statement. “We will see where the legislation stands when members return now that the primary season is over.”

If Huffman is speaker next year, that bill would likely get through each chamber a lot quicker. Huffman said if the house does not pass it this year, should he become speaker, they likely would not make as many concessions on it.

A massive spending bill is being also being stalled, that one by the senate.

“I think most legislators are going to be able to sit down and get these things worked out,” Huffman said. “Some more contentious issues maybe not, but spending $850 million, usually you can get agreement on that.”

Categories: Ohio News

Interstate 270 north reopens after total shutdown from east Columbus crash

News Channel 4 - Thu, 03/21/2024 - 16:02

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A crash on Interstate 270 through the Eastland neighborhood temporarily left the northbound lanes of the highway shut down.

The Ohio Department of Transportation confirmed the crash and closure just north of U.S. Highway 33 Thursday evening. Highway cameras showed the scene of the wreck around 5:45 p.m., with emergency crews in the middle of the lanes. One car crashed into the back of another on the overpass.

As of 6:45 p.m., the cameras showed a tow truck had moved in and taken both cars away from the overpass. Crews reopened two lanes of I-270, but kept the right lane closed. Columbus police dispatchers confirmed emergency crews took two people to local hospitals in stable condition after the crash.

Root Insurance executive sentenced for embezzling $10 million from Columbus-based company
  • A highway camera shows the northbound lanes of Interstate 270 closed. (Courtesy Photo/Ohio Department of Transportation)
  • A highway camera shows a traffic jam in the northbound lanes of Interstate 270. (Courtesy Photo/Ohio Department of Transportation)

Another highway camera showed a traffic pile-up in the northbound lanes and on-ramp. The Ohio Department of Transportation noted there would be at least a nine-minute travel delay beginning at mile marker 45.

Investigators had not shared the cause of the crash as of 6:45 p.m.

Categories: Ohio News

Ohio utility company warns of scammers sending fake checks

News Channel 4 - Thu, 03/21/2024 - 16:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A local utility company is warning the public about a re-emerging scam. 

Better Call 4 first told viewers about it in October, but five months later, it continues to make the rounds, targeting customers and noncustomers alike.

Root Insurance executive sentenced for embezzling $10 million from Columbus-based company

"We're not trying to scare customers, you know," said Amanda DePerro with Columbia Gas of Ohio. "We don't want customers to be nervous, but we do want them to be cautious."

That was the warning from Columbia Gas of Ohio, when they first spoke with NBC4 last fall. Back then, some noncustomers had reached out, concerned about letters and checks they received that appeared to come from the utility company.

"The first person who reached out to us, they're from Maryland," DePerro said. "And they reached out to us toward the end of September (2023), and they had received an $8,500 check in the mail, claiming to be from Columbia Gas. And then, a few days later, someone from Seattle, Washington reached out and said, 'I received a check for $3,800.'"

The checks also came with letters, instructing the recipients to deposit the checks at their banks. Then, email back copies of the deposit slips. But in an alert on its website, Columbia Gas of Ohio stated, "these checks are fraudulent, and do not come from us."

Fast forward to March 2024, and the company is once again sharing that message, as more people reported receiving more of these checks.

"If we're sending you a check in the mail, we're gonna let you know," said DePerro. "If something comes that is out of the blue, that should be your first red flag."

The second red flag?

"The letter was just not professionally written," DePerro said. "You can kind of see those errors in the spelling."

Columbia Gas said it does frequently reach out to customers, but if an individual is ever in doubt about whether the letter, call, email or in-person visit they receive is legitimate, they should take a step back before acting. 

"If you want to double check, please give us a call, please reach out, and we can verify that person's identity, or you know, a letter in the mail, we can confirm whether it came from us,” DeParro said.

For current customers, there is no threat to personal information, as long as the customer doesn’t respond to the scheme. Again, reach out to the company first with any concerns.

Categories: Ohio News

How to ensure kids view the eclipse safely

News Channel 4 - Thu, 03/21/2024 - 15:05

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The total solar eclipse is less than three weeks away and people across central Ohio are preparing themselves and their children for safe viewing.

Glasses are needed for eye protection during the eclipse, but it may be harder for kids to understand why they are necessary.

Ohio mother and daughter reunited after 54 years

“The reason to take this seriously is that if you look at a partial eclipse, you can get permanent, instant and severe eye damage,” said Dr. Sean Gallagher, a pediatrician at Central Ohio Primary Care in Worthington.

Kids may be tempted to look at the sun without their safety glasses on April 8 so Gallagher said the way a parent speaks to their kids about safety is key.

“Tell their children what’s going on but use language that they can understand to kind of get the message across that we definitely need to take this very seriously,” said Dr. Gallagher.

For parents who are worried about their kids keeping the glasses on, there are some arts and crafts projects to do with kids before the solar eclipse. One is cutting a paper plate in half and then gluing each half to the top and bottom of the glasses. This way if a child tries to pull the glasses down, the sun will be blocked by the paper plate.

Another DIY project parents can use to help their kids safely view the eclipse is with a box pinhole projector. NASA describes how to make one here.

“It’s an event that you want to err on the side of caution for, for sure. But so long as reasonable safety precautions are taken, it can be safely viewed,” aid Dr. Gallagher.

If a parent fears their child may have stared at the sun, there are some signs to look out for eye damage.

“If their child seems clumsy or they are bumping into things or sitting closer to the television than they usually do,” said Dr. Gallagher. “Parents might just need to pay attention to see if they’re bumping into things.”

If a parent needs glasses for themselves or their kids, all Columbus Metropolitan Library locations have them for free while supplies last.

For more information about safety for all ages during the eclipse, click here.

Categories: Ohio News

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