COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A woman who disappeared shortly after winning money in the lottery and a college student who vanished weeks before his car was discovered in the Arizona desert are among the hundreds of missing people from Ohio.
Monday marks National Missing Persons Day, which is dedicated to raising awareness for those who have disappeared. While a majority of missing persons cases are solved within a few days, others remain cold for years. Currently, over 1,000 Ohioans are missing. Here are some of their stories.
Lori BoffmanOn Aug. 5, 2006, Boffman, a 45-year-old woman who had won $1,000 in the Ohio Lottery the previous day, vanished. She was last seen driving away from her residence on Holly Drive in Girard at 6:30 p.m. accompanied by a friend. She left her purse, diabetes medication and personal identification at home, according to The Charley Project, a nonprofit missing persons database.
What Intel's 2024 fiscal results could mean for the Ohio One plantDuring the ride, Boffman was driving so erratically that the friend who was with her asked to be let out of the car, so she dropped him off and continued driving alone. At 5:30 a.m. the next day, her blue 1992 Mercury Sable was found on the lawn in front of a library near Shehy Street in Youngstown. Police determined the car had been involved in a minor traffic collision. The keys were in the ignition, the engine was running and the door was open. Her eyeglasses were found in the car and she has never been heard from again, the nonprofit stated.
At the time she went missing, Boffman had recently started a new diabetes medication and was still adjusting to it which may be related to her disappearance, according to The Charley Project. Today, she would be 63 years old. Anyone with information regarding her disappearance may contact the Liberty Township Police Department at 330-759-1511.
Janis PringleOn Aug. 14, 2003, Pringle, 32, was last seen at her Dayton apartment around 3 a.m. In the months after her disappearance, Pringle did not pick up her social security checks, according to The Charley Project.
In October 2003, Pringle’s sister, Michelle Napier, 29, also disappeared from her own Dayton apartment. Her body was found wrapped in a tarp near a wooded area in Harrison Township in May 2004.
Missing persons advocate on what to do if loved one disappearsNapier’s homicide remains unsolved and law enforcement has never publicly specified if they believe the two incidents are related. Police have not released further information regarding their cases.
Today, Pringle would be 53 years old. Anyone with information regarding her disappearance may contact the Dayton Police Department at 937-333-1070.
Bianca DamanikOn Jan. 12, 2005, Bianca Damanik, 2, disappeared from Beachwood. She was allegedly abducted by her mother, Elfarida Damanik, 29, two weeks after her father was given custody of her.
Bianca’s father has claimed he's heard from Elfarida since she abducted the child. She allegedly called and emailed him to request money, but refused to let him contact Bianca or tell him her exact whereabouts, according to The Charley Project.
The Ohio Attorney General's Office states the pair is believed to have left the country and traveled to Indonesia, where Elfarida was born. Today, Bianca would be 22 years old. Anyone with information may contact the Macedonia Police Department at 330-468-1234.
Ashley NorahNorah disappeared at 17 years old after she was last seen in Columbus on June 1, 2002, according to the Ohio Attorney General's Office. She has never been heard from again, and police have released very few details in her case.
Can headlights be too bright? What Ohio law saysAt the time of her disappearance, her ears were pierced and she had braces on her teeth. Norah also had a birthmark on the back of one of her legs. Today, she would be 40 years old. Anyone with information about Norah’s whereabouts may contact Columbus police at 614-645-4545 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 614-461-8477.
Trinia WilliamsWilliams was last seen in Columbus on Sept. 16, 1992, when she was 18 years old. Williams had a 4-month-old daughter at the time, whose father was incarcerated and had never met her, according to The Charley Project.
A former inmate who knew William’s baby’s father contacted her and offered to take her baby to visit her father in jail. On the day she was last seen, the man picked up Williams and her child from a Columbus residence. The next day, he returned and gave the baby to a family member, but Williams was nowhere to be found. He claimed she had gone to use a pay phone and never came back, according to The Charley Project. The man she was with the day she went missing is now dead. Friends and family have never heard from her again.
Today, Williams would be 50 years old. Anyone with information regarding her disappearance may contact Columbus police at 614-645-4545 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 614-461-8477.
Scott HilbertHilbert was last seen in Cincinnati on March 13, 1988. The 19-year-old was on spring break from Morehead State University in Kentucky and left a note on the refrigerator for his parents, saying he was going to visit his friends for a few days at Ohio State University in Columbus.
Hilbert never arrived. His family reported him missing on March 21, when he did not return home in time to start his college classes again at the end of spring break, according to The Charley Project.
Ohio bill would require retailers to accept cashOn April 1, the family car he was driving, a black 1984 Ford Tempo, was found in the Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness in Arizona near the Utah border – about 1,700 miles from his home. An unknown individual had attempted to push the car off a cliff, but the car got caught on a tree, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Some of Scott's belongings, including a suitcase he packed for Columbus, were found scattered in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Today, Hilbert would be 55 years old. Anyone with information regarding his disappearance may contact the Union Township Police Department at 513-752-1230.
Carla LoseyDuring the evening of New Year’s Eve 2002, Losey, 20, was last seen leaving her place of work at the now-closed El Grotto bar in Columbus. She was accompanied by an unidentified male when she left the building. Police have not publicized further information surrounding her disappearance.
At the time she went missing, she was wearing all black including a black leather jacket. Her identifying characteristics include a mole above the right side of her lip and below her right eye. Today, she would be 42 years old. Anyone with information about her disappearance may contact Columbus police at 614-645-4545 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 614-461-8477.
Josie MeadowsMeadows was last seen in Huntsville on March 2, 2017, when she was 18 years old. Law enforcement has made very little information public regarding what led up to her disappearance but said she may be in need of medication for an unspecified reason.
Today, Meadows would be 26 years old. Anyone with information about her disappearance may contact the Logan County Sheriff’s Office at 937-599-3333 or leave an anonymous tip through the county’s website.
Melissa and Jasmine CollinsOn Aug. 8, 1991, Melissa Collins, 17, and her 8-month-old daughter, Jasmine, left their Akron apartment to go to the grocery store, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Melissa did not take any of Jasmine's baby items with her when they left, and had prepared her bottles for when they got back.
Ohio sues two car dealerships over title, other violationsAn individual who claimed he last saw the pair is a suspect in the case, according to The Charley Project. The Akron man, who had a criminal history including violent and drug offenses, was allegedly staying with a woman who sublet her apartment to Melissa at the time.
In February 1992, six months after the mother and daughter disappeared, the suspect died by suicide at 37 years old. The pair has never been found.
Today, Melissa would be 51 years old and Jasmin would be 34. Anyone with information on their disappearance may contact the Akron Police Department at 330-375-2530.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Columbus gas prices fell below the $3-per gallon threshold last week, but it may be short lived, experts say.
According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in the Columbus area, the average price at the pump fell by 12.9 cents per gallon last week to reach $2.90, which is 14 cents-per-gallon lower than the national average. The current price is 30.1 cents per gallon lower than four weeks ago and 16 cents lower than this time one year ago.
The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.69 a gallon on Sunday, while the most expensive was $3.29, a difference of 60 cents per gallon. In Ohio, the average price of gas also dropped by 12.1 cents from $2.96 per gallon to $2.84 per gallon
Nationally, gas prices fell slightly, by 3.5 cents per gallon, to reach $3.04. The price of diesel also fell 2.4 cents, settling at $3.63 per gallon.
Head of petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan said on top of future expectations of a rise in seasonal demands, tariffs imposed with neighbors north and south of the United States could result in a price hike, especially in the Midwest.
“A new trade war has already triggered retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, escalating tensions,” De Haan said. “For now, I expect a slow but modest impact on fuel prices, particularly in the Great Lakes, Midwest, Rockies, and Northeast U.S.— all markets that rely heavily on Canadian crude oil or refined product imports from Canada."
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Currently, over 1,000 people are missing in the state of Ohio.
Lori Davis has been an advocate for missing people since 2006, offering guidance and support to over 100 families whose loved ones have vanished, including those of Brian Shaffer and Tyler Davis. She has also completed a training program for victim advocates through the Ohio Attorney General's Office and helped bring attention to numerous unsolved disappearances. View NBC4's previous coverage of the Brian Shaffer March for the Missing featuring Lori Davis above.
What Intel's 2024 fiscal results could mean for the Ohio One plantIn her nine years of experience, she has developed tips on what to do if a family member goes missing, and how to maximize the chances of bringing them home.
Record all the detailsThe first thing Davis said she would do when a loved one goes missing is try to remember as many details as possible about what the person looked like that day, such as what they were wearing. Family members should write this down along with the person’s physical characteristics, including their hair color, eye color, tattoos, scars or any other identifying characteristics.
“Get as many details as possible about the situation where they were last seen, what their mental status was,” Davis said. “Were they angry? Were they fighting with someone?”
Davis recommends collecting photos to give to law enforcement, and ensuring that those images accurately reflect what the person currently looks like. Davis said once some or all of that basic information is collected, she would contact the local police department where the person went missing.
Contact law enforcementIndividuals should contact law enforcement quickly when they have reason to believe a loved one is missing, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. There is no law in place in Ohio or nationally requiring a 24-hour waiting period to report someone missing. Davis said sometimes police departments will have a preference to do so.
Ohio sues two car dealerships over title, other violations“Sometimes, they'll be told, you know, well, you have to wait so long,” Davis said. “I would push back on that and say I still want a report taken.”
Davis said she recommends advocating for a Missing Adult Alert, Ohio's statewide emergency alert system for seniors, if the person is at least 65 years old or has a mental impairment. Parents of missing minors can also push for an Amber Alert, but law enforcement must have reason to believe an abduction has occurred and the child is in danger in order to send one out.
While some families may be hesitant to disclose drug use or mental health issues, Davis said she recommends being as honest as possible.
“If you go looking for me and I have no drug use … you're probably going to look in different areas then you're going to look for someone that might have those issues,” Davis said. “That way you're spending your time looking in the areas that might be most useful.”
If law enforcement is adamant about waiting a period to look for the missing individual, Davis recommends traveling routes they may have recently taken, especially if the missing person was last known to be driving.
Ohio bill would require retailers to accept cash“Look for any signs that a car could have went off the road and look in areas that you don't even feel like a car could go off the road,” Davis said. “I would gather as many friends, family, everybody that I could get to start looking.”
Davis said she has been involved in cases where family members have retraced the missing persons' steps and found them themselves.
“If they went missing from an apartment or their own house or something like that, I would treat that as a crime scene,” Davis said. "I would not let people come in and start staying there while they look. You never know what evidence might be in that location.”
Family members should reach out to law enforcement “very frequently” and ask about what specifically they are doing, according to Davis. They may decline to provide information citing an “open investigation.” In that instance, Davis suggests asking pointed questions, such as if the family should be collecting DNA or taking any specific actions to help.
Enter the missing person in databasesThe National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, is a database of missing people and unidentified remains. The program provides a singular national resource for law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners and the general public. Dental records, fingerprints and DNA profiles can also be uploaded to the database. NamUs has helped solve tens of thousands of missing persons cases through identifying remains.
Davis said she would ask police if they are going to enter the missing person in NamUs. If they are not, family members can enter the individual themselves.
Yes to caribou, no to crocodiles: A list of which exotic pets you can own in OhioDavis also recommends contacting the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to get the missing person listed in the state’s database. This can also help law enforcement easily access and compare missing people with unidentified remains, as well as publicize the case.
If the missing person is under 18, Davis said family members can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The nonprofit provides support to families and lists missing children in its national database.
Public awareness and supportPublic awareness can be crucial in solving a missing persons case since it gives more people the opportunity to recognize the individual. Along with trying to get news coverage, Davis said she recommends creating missing persons flyers and posting them around the area.
“Make sure you're always in a buddy system at least, if not in a bigger group,” Davis said. “We've had great success in that, actually.”
Social media can also be a helpful resource to garner attention, Davis said, but it can also have its drawbacks.
Can headlights be too bright? Are Christmas lights allowed on cars? What Ohio law says“Be cautious because people out there are keyboard warriors,” Davis said. “They will say anything they feel at that moment, they will accuse people, they will say the brother did it, the sister did it and they do not care whose feelings they hurt and they do not care how they slander somebody.”
Podcasts can also be a valuable tool, but Davis said families should do their research to ensure the podcaster has pure intentions and that they are okay with their style of storytelling. Davis also suggested reaching out to other families of missing people for support and advice.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Police serving a warrant in North Linden eventually arrested a man who barricaded himself inside his home Sunday evening.
After a nine-hour standoff, which began Sunday after noon at around 3 p.m., Columbus police took the man into custody and discovered at least five vehicles that were registered as stolen from outside of Franklin County, parked in the driveway.
School complaint leads to Delaware County drug bustThe suspect surrendered after barricading himself at his home on East Blake Avenue, near Linden McKinley High School. Police were there to serve a warrant, but the suspect did not leave his home.
A Columbus SWAT unit was called to the home, where the alleged stolen cars were discovered and the incident ended peacefully.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Intel announced its final financial results for 2024 last week, including updates to its Foundry division, the part of the tech company responsible for central Ohio's $28 billion dollar semiconductor chip factories.
According to Intel’s financial results, the company was down 2% overall, making $53.1 billion in 2024 compared with its $54.2 billion revenue in 2023. Although the results were not positive, they did beat many fiscal analysts' predictions for where Intel would land at the end of 2024. These were the first financial results reported since former CEO Pat Gelsinger's surprise retirement in early December.
Ohio sues two car dealerships over title, other violationsIntel executives Michelle Johnson Holthaus and David Zinsner are serving as co-interim CEOs and said Thursday they did not have any updates in the ongoing search for a new CEO. In their interim roles, the pair said they know Intel Foundry will need to stabilize and improve, but they remain optimistic going forward that they will be able to complete projects like the New Albany plant.
Intel Foundry is the name for Intel’s semiconductor manufacturing business, and it encompasses Ohio’s Intel plant. When Intel's Ohio project was first announced, company officials said the chip manufacturing facilities could be completed as early as 2025, which will not be met. The project's timeline was adjusted to finish construction between 2026 and 2027, becoming operational between 2027 and 2028. See previous coverage of the delayed timeline in the video player above.
Holthaus also serves as CEO of Intel Product, which is separate from the Foundry division. She was less optimistic than Zinsner about the future of Intel in the semiconductor industry and said AI will be an attractive market for Intel, but she is not happy with where the company currently stands in the artificial intelligence market.
"Intel Foundry will need to earn my business every day, just as I need to earn the business of my customers," Holthaus said. "Having said that, I am confident in the Intel Foundry team’s ability to support my current and future product roadmap. And I’m excited to do more business with them as their process technology continues to advance. A stronger Intel Products, combined with a more competitive Intel Foundry, is a recipe for success for Intel overall."
Ohio bill would require retailers to accept cashZinsner said he has met with Intel Foundry partners and possible customers, and left those conversations with clearer guidance and feeling encouraged. He said the Foundry will have to improve its financials and spend its money wisely. He said the Foundry division hopes to break even by the end of 2027.
"I remain very optimistic on our opportunity at Intel Foundry," Zinsner said. "The pervasive growth of AI is driving accelerating and unprecedented demand for silicon and there continues to be an unmet need for greater choice and overall manufacturing capacity in the industry today."
Part of Intel's funding concerns was a delay in receiving CHIPS Act funding, a federal program providing funds to strengthen American semiconductor manufacturing. A coalition of advocacy groups and interested parties CHIPS Communities United (CCU) had a news conference on Thursday before the financial results debuted. CCU leaders and representatives from four states where Intel will invest CHIPS Act funding spoke out about Intel's financial troubles, asking for protections to ensure taxpayers don't end up paying for the difference.
"I am not a financial analyst, but I think it’s a sign your company is in trouble when the stock market reacts positively to reports of a $126 million loss and a third straight quarter of declining revenue," CCU Coalition Director Judith Barish said. "Our message is the same: The federal government and the state of Ohio have committed billions to the company, despite its well-publicized financial woes. We expect Intel to live up to the commitments it made to taxpayers for those subsidies."
The top 10 best restaurants in the Columbus area, according to YelpIntel was first promised CHIPS Act funding in 2022 but was not approved until late 2024 when the U.S. Department of Commerce said it was giving Intel $7.8 billion. Zinsner did confirm Intel has already received $2.2 billion of its CHIPS Act funding, $1.1 billion in December and another $1.1 billion in January.
Eleonora Akopyan with Intel Foundry Communications said progress continues in Ohio, but said Intel has no new updates at this time.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - President Trump addressed his tariffs on Sunday from his home in Florida saying Americans could "feel some pain" from price hikes as a result of the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico and the 10% tariff on China.
Tariffs are essentially a tax paid by the country importing the goods, which in this case would be the United States. Typically, they are used to spark domestic manufacturing of specific products; however, Trump used tariffs in his first presidency and recently as a political tool. Trump used a 25% tariff on Colombia to force them into accepting immigrants being deported from the United States.
Trump threatened the tariffs against Mexico, China, and Canada on the campaign trail prior to the election. Economics professor at Cedarville University Dr. Jeff Haymond said this allowed companies to prepare for such a tariff.
Trump: Potential pain caused by tariffs ‘worth the price that must be paid’"He's been talking about for quite a while, even during the campaign at some level. And so, a number of industries that use foreign goods have already bought up and built up inventories," Haymond said Sunday.
Several small businesses in Columbus on Sunday are prepared for these tariffs to impact their business. Clothing boutiques, grocery stores, vape shops, and even a candy store in the Short North expect at least some of their prices to go up.
"A large selection of our stores actually imported from various countries and it was pretty expensive already and it's going to go up and it's not going to be good,” Leo Russ with Rocket Fizz in the Short North said. “When the prices go up for us, the prices go up for the customers. Nobody likes expensive candy."
Economists predict consumers will foot the bill for these tariffs, but Haymond believes only time will tell if that becomes necessary.
"I suspect, in the very near term, maybe two weeks to a month in that current timeframe, not much of an impact, but the longer this goes on, all of our goods are going to be more expensive,” Haymond said. “My expectation, though, is that Mr. Trump's going to find a way to declare victory quickly. He does. He recognizes that he was elected to keep prices down and this, if anything, is going to make prices go up.”
Are Christmas lights allowed on cars? What Ohio law saysMeanwhile, central Ohio consumers are yet to see any significant price hikes due to the recently enacted tariffs but are feeling the effects of uncertainty.
"I know that they're making gas prices go up,” Columbus resident Jayden Woods said. “All the food's going up. It's messing up the economy, for sure. Honestly, it affects my pockets and really makes me want to just get out of the country."
Trump's tariffs are set to be in full effect by Tuesday.
DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A complaint from a parent about a vape has led to a drug bust in Delaware County.
According to a Sunday social media post by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, a resource officer at a county school district received a complaint from a parent who said they were upset their child was able to get a vape.
Ohio sues two car dealerships over title, other violationsThe resource officer discussed the complaint with a detective on the county’s Delaware County Drug Task Force, and after investigating, warrants were executed on two residences and one car.
The sheriff’s office said law enforcement officers found 180 pounds of marijuana, 5,644 THC pens, 14 grams of LSD, mushrooms, heroin, four guns, and more than $2,000.
There is no word on arrests or charges.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The aftermath of two plane crashes in the same week is still being felt across the country, especially with an increase in concerns surrounding flight safety. NBC4 spoke with a psychiatrist at OhioHealth for some advice on how to manage flight anxiety before your next trip.
“It’s really important to remember that tragedies like this are extremely rare and it’s easy to watch that news story and think it’s something that happens frequently but it's not,” said Dr. Megan Schabbing.
Student, attorney among Ohioans killed in D.C. plane crashShe said it’s not uncommon to experience an increase in flying fears after tragedies like these. Schabbing recommended reminding yourself of the fact that crashes are uncommon. The last commercial airline crash was nearly 16 years ago.
“Air travel is generally very safe,” she said.
If you find yourself worrying before your flight, Schabbing said to find ways to take your mind off of it.
“Read a book, call a friend or go take a walk,” she said.
Once you’re on board, she said to come up with ideas to distract yourself like watching a movie that makes you laugh or playing a game on your phone.
Grove City resident unites community to help homeless people and their pets“Get on that flight and have a game plan for what you’re going to do to keep your mind occupied and to sort of go to that happy place,” Schabbing said.
If you catch yourself worrying, try to rationalize.
“When you start worrying worrying worrying. Remind yourself that air travel is safe. People travel all the time. I’ve traveled by myself all the time. It’s a safe way to travel,” she said.
Schabbing noted that there is a difference between being nervous for your next flight and having a phobia.
“If you are in a position where it’s almost impossible for you to get on that plane or the thought of getting on the plane or the action of getting on the plane causes you to have severe heart racing,” she said.
If it gets to that point, Schabbing said to seek help. She recommended contacting your primary care doctor first to make sure there are no underlying medical conditions.
(AP) -- Chip Kelly is returning to the NFL as the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the decision said Sunday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t announced the hire.
Ohio State quality control football coach under investigationKelly was the offensive coordinator on Ohio State's national championship team this past season after previously serving as the head coach at Oregon and UCLA as well as the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.
Watch Kelly during a press conference before the national title game in the video player above.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- This week on The Spectrum:
Hear from Dr. Amy Acton and why she wants voters to send her to the governor’s office.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Two central Ohio car dealerships are in the state’s crosshairs after allegedly not providing titles to dozens of customers who purchased vehicles.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed lawsuits against Way 2 Go Auto Sales in Franklin County and Starfleet Cars in Delaware County for violations of the state’s Consumer Sales Practices Act and Certificate of Motor Vehicles Act; Way 2 Go Auto is also accused of violating the state’s Odometer Rollback and Disclosure Act.
According to Yost, 20 complaints were made against Way 2 Go Auto Sales related to title issues, misrepresentations about salvage vehicles, return policy issues, and odometer discrepancies.
Starfleet Cars is accused of failing to transfer titles to several customers after they bought cars. In total, the attorney general’s office is working to resolve 32 complaints against the dealership.
Yost’s office is using $138,135 from the state’s Title Defect Recision Fund to reimburse the customers who said they didn’t receive titles from Starfleet Cars. The fund helps customers who encounter title issues when buying a vehicle.
Anyone who believes they have been the victim of deceptive retail practices is encouraged to reach out to the office’s Consumer Protection Section by clicking here.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Columbus police continue to search for leads in a 2021 homicide that occurred a year after another fatal shooting at the same address.
According to Columbus police and Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, one man was found shot dead on Feb. 5, 2021, in a south Columbus home at the intersection of Reeb Avenue and South High Street. For a previous report on this story view the video player above.
Officers responded to the Reeb-Hosack residence where two shooting victims were found. One, 28-year-old Fred Thomas, was unresponsive and pronounced dead at 12:53 a.m. The other victim was taken to Grant Medical Center in critical condition and recovered.
The location of the shooting is where another man was shot and killed just two months prior. No suspects have been identified in either incident.
Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for any information leading to the arrest and/or indictment of the person(s) responsible for this crime. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477 or visit www.stopcrime.org and submit your tip.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – From Asian restaurants to steakhouses, a list outlined by Yelp reveals what the company considers to be the overall best eateries in the Columbus area.
Taking the No. 1 spot is Alqueria Farmhouse Kitchen, located at 247 King Ave. in the Dennison Place neighborhood. Alqueria’s menu frequently changes, and currently features items such as burgers, fried chicken and smoked mozzarella ravioli.
“Alqueria surpassed my expectations ten fold,” one Yelp-user wrote. “You can tell that their food is authentic farm-to-table and is just incredibly fresh.”
Coming in second place is High Bank Distillery, located at 1051 Goodale Blvd. in Grandview Heights. The eatery, which describes itself as an “elevated yet casual” pub, serves dishes such as pizza, blackened shrimp pasta and a spicy chicken sandwich. Reviews compliment the restaurant’s “delicious” cocktails and “wonderful” service.
Ranked in third place is Pat and Gracie’s, located at 138 Graceland Blvd. in Sharon Heights. The eatery’s offerings include a variety of burgers and sandwiches, as well as pasta dishes.
“Some of the best food in the neighborhood!” One review reads. “It's also reasonably priced while always remaining consistently good. The customer service is delightful.”
!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;rIn fourth place is Chuan Jiang Hao Zai, located at 496 Ackerman Road in Riverview. The restaurant serves menu items such as egg rolls, sesame chicken and wonton soup. Yelp-users praise the eatery’s “authentic” Chinese dishes and “huge” portions.
The fifth highest-rated eatery is Brazilian Grill & Bakery, located at 5818 Columbus Square in Northern Woods. The restaurant’s menu includes empanadas, burgers and Brazilian barbecue. The cafeteria-style eatery also features a grocery shop that sells Brazilian products.
“Brazilian Grill and Bakery is an outstanding Brazilian steakhouse,” one Yelp-user said. “The cuts of meat are perfectly prepared, and the service is exceptional.”
Completing the top 10 best restaurants in the Columbus area according to Yelp are:
Yelp develops its rankings based on a variety of factors, including the average star rating, number of reviews and how recent reviews are.
This list is accurate as of Thursday. Yelp ratings and rankings frequently fluctuate.
This story will be updated with Buckeye Chuck's 2025 prediction
MARION, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio's official weather forecasting groundhog, Buckeye Chuck, will be offering his 45th forecast and telling us when we can expect spring weather to start.
At about 7:40 a.m. on Sunday, the Buckeye State's favorite groundhog will attempt to see his shadow at the Marion County Fairgrounds Colosseum. The event will stream live on Chuck's Facebook page. In five out of the last six years, Buckeye Chuck has not seen his shadow and has predicted an early spring, including in 2024.
Columbus, Central Ohio Weather ForecastSince 1979, Chuck has been Ohio's official groundhog and is an animal ambassador residing at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, behind the studios of WMRN. He boasts a strong rate of correctly predicting the second half of winter with a more than 75% success rate.
Buckeye Chuck's accuracy towers over Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania, who is around 40% accurate and will also offer his prediction Sunday. Unlike Chuck, Phil has only predicted an early spring twice in the last five years. Chuck and Phil's predictions have been identical in the past two years.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has the only adult verified burn center in the region and it's making history. It's the first health system in the world to use a new treatment called Cohealyx for burns and deep cuts.
The product is a collagen-based skin substitute that's designed to stimulate skin growth and blood vessel formation in patients with wounds that go through multiple layers of skin.
Burn surgeons Dr. John Loftus, MD and Dr. Ariel Rodgers, MD said the use of Cohealyx is followed by a skin graft from an area of the body with healthy skin.
"Just think of a piece of felt that melts into the skin with saline and then you place it on the patient's wound and let it heal in and then five days later you should be able to graft," Dr. Rodgers, MD said.
Studies found that Cohealyx was able to produce tissue faster than other products which take 2-4 weeks until a skin graft. Debbie Boyer was the first patient to ever receive the treatment.
"I burnt my hand on the stove," Boyer said. "I was cooking and my sugar dropped instantly, and I ended up on the floor. I didn't know I burned it until I woke up."
Boyer was sent to Wexner's burn center with a third-degree burn.
"It was full thickness or meaning all through the layers of her skin down to the fat part of her arm," Dr. Rodgers, MD said.
According to Dr. Rodgers, MD, Cohealyx reduces a patient's time in the hospital.
"The other substitutes would take about 21 days to actually get to the point where we can actually skin graft them; however this took five and she left the hospital in a week and a half instead of a month later," Dr. Rodgers, MD said.
Cohealyx also allows doctors to care for more people.
"It decreases the time in the operating room for us to apply the product, so instead of being able to take care of one or two patients a day, we could go to four to six patients a day because of how easy it is to use," Dr. Loftus, MD said.
Boyer said the treatment has been a life saver. "If this wasn't here, I probably wouldn't have function in my arm or my hand especially," Boyer said.
The FDA granted clearance for Cohealyx in December.
"Of course, we don't want people to get burnt or have these types of wounds, however we are grateful for this type of product and that we can help more people and get them out sooner, faster and if we can help at least one more person for a shorter amount of time, it would be great," Dr. Rodgers, MD said.
Zanesville, Ohio (WCMH) — Authorities in Muskingum County are looking for an escaped inmate. According to the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne S. Pletcher escaped the jail just after 5:00 p.m.
The Sheriff’s Office says Pletcher fled onto 4th Street following the escape and is believed to have gotten help from a white female.
37-year-old Pletcher is described as a 5’8” tall, weighing 240 pounds. Authorities also say that Pletcher has the name ‘Victoria’ tattooed on the right side of his neck, and full arm sleeve tattoos on both arms.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Pletcher was last seen wearing a tan shirt and tan pants.
Pletcher was being held on multiple felony charges, according to the sheriff.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office at 740-452-3637, extension 1.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — No injuries were reported following a small roof fire at the Hilton Columbus Downtown on Saturday afternoon.
Columbus Fire Battalion Chief Jeffrey Geitter said the fire at 402 N. High Street was minor and started under the roof decking on the fifth and sixth floors.
Geitter said the fire was quickly extinguished.
High Street was shut down in the area as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A new nonprofit focused on helping homeless people and their pets -- especially during these winter months -- is hosting its first event on Sunday.
It all started after Grove City resident Bre Bennett delivered food to a person and their dog after she saw a Facebook post. From there, she said, it has exploded with online support.
“I’m just a small fish in the pond and I have a lot of work to do but people want to help,” said Bennett.
Columbus Zoo moving birds indoors amid bird flu concernsBy day, Bennett is busy working at a Grove City salon. By night, she’s pouring work into The Homeless Hearts & Paws Project.
“I have been putting all my time in right now to this,” she said.
With six dogs of her own, Bennett said her heart strings are pulled everytime she sees a post about dogs and their owners in the cold.
“I went and found people that had animals and gave them care packages just from money of my own,” she said.
Now she is on a mission to collect even more supplies. From people she met online to her salon customers, she said there has been no shortage in people wanting to help.
“My garage is already full of stuff that I’ve bought and people have already donated,” Bennett said.
Can headlights be too bright? What Ohio law saysShe is hosting a donation drive at Broadway Design Group on Feb. 2 from noon to 5 p.m. Acceptable items include:
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Police are responding to a barricade scene in west Columbus.
An unknown person barricaded themselves into a home on the 100 block of South Burgess Avenue Saturday morning, police said. A SWAT team was on the scene, as were Columbus Police Officers.
Officers appeared heavily armed and parked a vehicle in the front lawn of the home as the situation developed. Police were unable to provide details about who was inside, but confirmed it was not a hostage situation.
Portions of the area have been blocked off to the public.
This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Bird flu has been detected in Ohio in recent weeks, and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is taking action to keep their animals safe.
According to the United Nations, bird flu has killed more than 300 million birds worldwide and one person in the U.S. Although none of the 67 people detected with bird flu since it first spread in 2021 have been in Ohio, animal cases have been seen in the Buckeye state.
"Every few years there is a outbreak and it usually is low pathogenic, so not very dangerous," Randy Junge, vice president for conservation medicine at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, said. "Every now and then there's an outbreak of high pathogenic bird flu, which is what we have now."
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium said it is taking precautionary measures to help keep birds at the zoo and The Wilds safe. To help, the zoo said it has moved some of its more susceptible birds to their indoor winter spaces. Among those moved indoors are flamingoes, swans, pelican and cranes.
What makes Columbus' priciest suburbs so expensive"While we know you'll miss seeing them, rest assured that our Animal Care and Conservation Medicine teams are providing them with exceptional care, including ongoing monitoring and health screenings," zoo representatives said. "As an added precaution, we’ve also paused feeding raw poultry to any of the animals."
"You'll see things like netting over exhibits, or wires stretched across exhibits to try and keep wild waterfowl out," Junge said. "Or you'll see ponds where the keepers are trying to discourage ducks and geese from nesting to reduce the populations."
Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a naturally occurring virus found in birds. The zoo said some birds can carry the disease safely, but it can be dangerous or deadly for others. Junge said there is no risk of exposure by visiting the zoo.
According to the Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership, the nearest bird flu death was on or around Jan. 9 in Ross County. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said birds with avian influenza may exhibit one or more of the following symptoms:
Ohioans can report sick or dead birds at 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543).