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Updated: 1 hour 57 min ago

New Albany church under investigation for sexual abuse

2 hours 21 min ago

NEW ALBANY, Ohio (WCMH) -- A New Albany church is under investigation for allegations of sexual abuse of minors. 

The Licking County Sheriff’s Office is heading the investigation into Faith Life Church and several of its staff members. Records obtained by NBC4 show there are dozens of potential victims and the alleged abuse dates back decades. 

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A former member of the church who wants to remain anonymous said that in the past when a member would sound the alarm about suspected abuse, they were met with intimidation and made to feel wrong. 

The woman said news of the investigation brings up many emotions. 

“I didn’t know that then,” she said. “I was a vulnerable person.” 

Alleged victims of sexual abuse and grooming inside Faith Life Church are raising their voices. According to records, the alleged sexual abuse of minors could go back more than 20 years. 

“I had people reaching out to me, ‘Hey, you know, there are allegations. Did you ever experience anything?’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ you know, like, I have a lot of problems with that place,” an alleged victim said. 

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The investigation started with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. According to documents, that is where at least one of the alleged victims lived. 

The reports to law enforcement started in December 2024.  

Records state, “On 1-9-25, we (police sergeant) spoke with the victim over the phone. The victim stated that over the years, she has been assaulted by [name redacted] an excess of 100 times.” The document goes on to say, “He assaulted here more times than he did not.” 

That’s just the allegations from one victim; the records list dozens of potential victims who all appear to be heavily involved in Faith Life Church. 

The alleged victim who spoke with NBC4 said that she was not sexually assaulted, but claims she was groomed by a staff member at the church beginning when she was 15 years old. 

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“I was the most devout of devout members as a teen,” she said. 

The former member said she witnessed others being groomed as well. 

“Back then, of course, I was like, you know, ‘Oh, he's like my big brother. He's looking out for me. He cares about me. He understands.’ That's, you know, the impression that you're going under,” she said. 

The report said the alleged victims may be as young as 8. 

Other witness statements “described the culture as a cult and that the congregation has drank the Kool-Aid,” and “she said the family is wealthy and influential in the community.” 

In January, Knox County requested the office of the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation take over the case due to a conflict of interest. BCI reviewed the case and found it also has a conflict. The case was then taken over by Licking County sheriff’s investigators. 

Married couple known for YouTube videos to open café in historic Westerville building

“So to me, it's not over until it is over and that means every person who was complicit, every person that knew and did not speak is guilty,” the alleged victim said. “You enabled -- not only enabled, you encouraged -- not only encouraged, you intimidated and silenced and shamed any person that tried to speak out against it. Whether or not you committed the abuse, the sexual abuse yourself or not, you were equally as sick and sadistic. 

The woman said she still has family members who are heavily involved in the church and she fears for their safety.  

The investigation is continuing and Licking County detectives said there are still many interviews left to do. No charges have been filed. 

Requests for comment from Faith Life Church were not returned. 

Categories: Ohio News

Flu case numbers remain high in Ohio, upward trend continuing officials say

2 hours 51 min ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A growing number of influenza cases nationwide and many doctors are saying they are noticing a significant uptick in patient visits, and hospitalizations, especially here in Ohio.    

Ohio now ranks among the top ten states nationwide dealing with a flu increase, and Dr. Vismai Sinha with OhioHealth along with others around the country are sounding the alarm about what they have been seeing.       

“We are seeing a significant rise in flu activity right now,” Dr. Sinha said. “About 8% of all E.R. visits are just for flu alone. Despite all the other things that are going on, flu is what we're seeing predominantly.”    

Influenza has steadily been climbing here in Ohio with doctor visits up nearly 30% and hospitalizations at about 90%, that's according to the Ohio department of health. Doctors say this is in part because the vaccine rate throughout the state been dropping slowly since 2020.

“If you look at pre-pandemic flu vaccine rates, we were about 58-60% in terms of vaccination rates. Now we are sitting at 44% and to really say we have control over something viral like the flu or anything, we want about a 70% vaccine rate,” Dr. Sinha said. “So, we are not doing very well in terms of flu vaccines, which is part of the reason why we're seeing such an increase in flu.

Officials note that in the next few weeks and months, we are likely to continue seeing this trend up in cases, so it is imperative that everyone take the necessary precautions to protect themselves.     

“Wash your hands, so, if you're around people before you eat, before you touch your face, wash your hands,” Dr. Sinha said. “You just don't want to be transmitting those germs to yourself. If you yourself know you're not feeling good, stay home. Don't spread the disease to everybody else. It is so easy to catch one little cough, one little sneeze, and it can spread.”    

Doctors also explained if you start to feel any symptoms like sore throat, runny nose, fever or body aches to contact your doctor.  

Categories: Ohio News

Former NBC4 meteorologist Jym Ganahl dies at age 76

3 hours 19 min ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Beloved former NBC4 chief meteorologist Jym Ganahl has died, his family announced Tuesday.

Ganahl, 76, died on Feb. 3 of natural causes, but family said they did not want to publicize the death until after a private funeral service.

Ganahl spent nearly 60 years on air as a meteorologist covering Columbus.

  • NBC4 meteorologist Jym Ganahl in an undated headshot
  • NBC4 meteorologist Jym Ganahl in an undated headshot
  • NBC4 meteorologist Jym Ganahl in an undated headshotNBC4 meteorologist Jym Ganahl in an undated headshot
  • NBC4 meteorologist, right, with sports anchor Jimmy Crum, anchor Doug Lessells and news anchors Doug Adair and Colleen MarshallNBC4 meteorologist Jym Ganahl, right, with sports anchor Jimmy Crum, anchor Doug Lessells and news anchors Doug Adair and Colleen Marshall
  • NBC4 meteorologist Jym Ganahl at far right
  • NBC4 meteorologist Jym Ganahl, left, with sports anchor Jimmy Crum and news anchor Colleen MarshallNBC4 meteorologist Jym Ganahl, left, with sports anchor Jimmy Crum and news anchor Colleen Marshall

He started doing weather before he started college at just 17 years old after calling the news director at his hometown station in Waterloo, Iowa.

He came to NBC4, then going by its call letters of WCMH, in 1979 and became part of the news team that dominated central Ohio airwaves in the 1980s: "Doug, Mona, Jimmy and Jym" -- Ganahl alongside married news anchors Doug Adair and Mona Scott and sports anchor Jimmy Crum.

Ganahl helped to bring on the station's second meteorologist, Ben Gelber -- the longtime Robin to his Batman -- who remains with NBC4 after 40 years. Ganahl delivered his final on-air forecast for NBC4 on Sept. 1, 2016, but he stayed on staff until the following July 2017.

After a brief retirement, he joined WSYX/WTTE in a part-time role, finally stepping down last March.

Ganahl had an deep knowledge of weather, including lore such as knowing the temperature by counting cricket chirps in a certain amount of time and adding 40, and knowing how each year there would be three snows after the first forsythia blooms.

He is survived by two daughters and seven grandchildren.

You can post favorite memories of Ganahl and leave condolences on NBC4's Facebook page.

Categories: Ohio News

Married couple known for YouTube videos to open café in historic Westerville building

7 hours 51 min ago

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – A couple known for their social media videos will soon open a café in a historic Uptown Westerville building that was constructed in the 1920s. 

Mike Tompkins, 37, and Kayla Tompkins, 37, have founded a new coffee shop called Begin Café, which will open at 8 E. Main St. The café, which has yet to unveil its menu, is set to open in "early 2025," according to posts on its social media. 

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Before embarking on their journey to create Begin Café, the couple amassed millions of subscribers on YouTube. Mike Tompkins is a musician who primarily gained popularity through his acapella covers and original songs. He was featured on the Today show and The Ellen Show in 2010, before touring with the Jonas Brothers in 2013. 

The couple, who have two kids, additionally had a combined YouTube channel dubbed Tompkins Life, where they shared family and travel vlogs. Kayla Tompkins is also the author of a children’s book titled “You Are,” which was published in 2020. 

The latest YouTube video on Mike Tompkins channel, which has more than 2 million subscribers, was posted about three years ago. The family channel, with over 17,000 subscribers, has been inactive for about four years. 

Begin Café’s website says the pair has travelled around the world and sampled a variety of cuisines, which will influence the new shop's menu. 

“From the corners of New Zealand to their hometown in Canada they are excited to share parts of it all with the local community,” the website states. “Mike and Kayla Tompkins met in high school in a small-town in Ontario, Canada and have been creating beautiful things together that they are passionate about, and this next one is their greatest endeavor."

Future of Radnor Township baseball fields in question
  • (Photo courtesy/ROWE)
  • (Photo courtesy/ROWE)
  • (Photo courtesy/ROWE)

Rowe, the company designing the space, described the café as inspired by "the symbolism of the resilient wildflower,” with pops of color, floral designs, textured plaster, glazed clay tile, floral light fixtures and flower patterned wallpaper.

The building housing the café, which has stood since 1928, was most recently home to Grandfather Clock Co. The business, which sells and repairs clocks, moved to another Westerville location at 785 S. State St. last winter. It had sat on East Main Street since 2015.

Categories: Ohio News

Marysville's The Half Pint closes after nine years

8 hours 21 min ago

MARYSVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Marysville bar home to an extensive tap list and a burger topped with peanut butter and jelly has closed less than six months after its sister bar in Dublin also shuttered.

The Half Pint at 211 E. Fifth St. in Marysville is "closed until further notice," according to a Feb. 3 social media post. The bar first opened in 2016 and was the flagship spin-off location for The Pint Room at 4415 W. Dublin Granville Road in Dublin, which permanently closed last fall after 12 years in business. Watch a previous NBC4 report on The Pint Room in the video player above.

The Marysville pub featured about 40 beers on draft, alongside a selection of wine and cocktails. The bar's menu included sandwiches, soups, salads and burgers like the "PBB & J" burger topped with peanut butter, strawberry preserves, Monterey jack and bacon on a brioche bun.

The Half Pint in Marysville had stood as the brand's last location. A bar under The Pint Room name opened in Carmel, Indiana, in 2014, but then closed in late 2023. The brand also launched several other Half Pint spin-offs in and around central Ohio.

The Half Pint's Worthington location closed in December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has since been taken over by Worthington Tavern. The Half Pint in the Arena District was also impacted by the pandemic and shuttered in 2020, replaced by Moran's Bar and Grille.

Categories: Ohio News

Columbus' Legoland seeks mini-master model builder for global competition

8 hours 51 min ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The search for the next Legoland mini-master model builder in Columbus is underway, and the 2025 competition has even higher stakes than previous years.

Hosted by Legoland Discovery Center, the competition invites builders under 18 to showcase their creativity for the title of Columbus' 2025 mini-master model builder.

(Photo Courtesy/LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)

According to Cheryl Ryan, Legoland's marketing manager, unlike previous years, the 2025 competition allows youths to participate in real-time at the Lego Creativity Academy event through the contest deadline of March 2. Those unable to attend in person can submit a picture and entry form by email or drop off their entries at Legoland, located inside Easton Town Center.

A judging panel will select the winning entry, and the 2025 Columbus mini-master model builder will advance to the newly introduced global mini-master model builder competition. This marks the first time winners from various locations will compete on a worldwide stage.

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“The build submitted by the Columbus winner for the global step of the competition, along with the other competitors, will be sent to the Lego House in Billund, Denmark, to be on display,” Ryan said.

The Lego House in Denmark, the birthplace of Lego, is known as the “Home of the Brick,” the Legoland website noted.

The reigning mini-master model builder, Dane Flynn of Marysville, was crowned in June. His journey began with a submission to Legoland Discovery Center at Easton, where he was selected as one of four finalists. The final round tested the contestants’ skills in a live-building challenge.

  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)
  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)
  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)
  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)
  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)
  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)
  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)
  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)
  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)
  • Mini-Master Model Builder Dane Flynn (Photo Courtesy LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus)

The winner of this year's competition will be notified by March 30.

Categories: Ohio News

Café known for healthy food options in Grove City closes

9 hours 21 min ago

GROVE CITY, Ohio (WCMH) -- A local café that's been in business for 7 years and known for its healthy food options has permanently closed.

The Garden Bar at 4009 Broadway in Grove City announced its closure in a post on social media in January. According to café owner Michele Francis-Robinson, she wrote in the post that she wanted to "move forward in life" and made the decision to close.

The post went on to say, "I appreciate each of our customer and catering clients so much. Your support over the years has been amazing." The announcement did not mention a date for the closure, but the restaurant is listed as "permanently closed" when searching online.

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Featuring a variety of healthy options, the café offered boxed lunches, cold pressed juices, sandwiches, smoothies and smoothie bowls and other choices. The closed eatery was located in the historic Grove City Town Center, next to several other local shops and businesses.

Robinson also mentioned in the post that she will still be around Grove City and will continue to stay involved in the community.

She said, "I've been so blessed to have had the opportunity to serve our community and the Columbus area."

Categories: Ohio News

Two more concerts added to 2025 Ohio State Fair lineup

9 hours 51 min ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The next two concerts to take place at this summer's Ohio State Fair have been confirmed.

In addition to Foreigner and Kidz Bop, the Expo Center announced that R&B artist Morris Day will perform with the Gap Band, and New York indie band AJR will have a concert as well. Day and the Gap Band will perform on July 26, and AJR's concert is scheduled for Aug. 2.

Each concert ticket includes admission to the fair. Follow this link for ticket information.

The Ohio State Fair will run from July 23 to Aug. 3 and will likely include one concert each night at the Celeste Center. Additional concert announcements will be made on Feb. 25 and Mar. 11.

2025 Ohio State Fair concert schedule
  • July 23, 6:30 p.m.: KIDZ BOP
  • July 24, 7 p.m.: Foreigner
  • July 26, 7 p.m.: Morris Day with The Gap Band
  • Aug. 2, 7:30 p.m.: AJR
  • Kidz Bop (Courtesy Photo/Ohio State Fair)
  • Foreigner (Courtesy Photo/Ohio State Fair)
  • Morris Day (Courtesy Photo/Ohio State Fair)
  • AJR (Courtesy Photo/Ohio State Fair)
Categories: Ohio News

Asian fusion eatery serving poke bowls, ramen opens in Gahanna

11 hours 51 min ago

GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) – An Asian fusion restaurant serving boba tea, poke bowls and ramen recently opened its doors in Gahanna. 

Bowl Boba began welcoming customers at 366 S. Hamilton Road in late January. The Gahanna restaurant marks the concept’s second location, with the first opening in Grove City at 3949 Hoover Road in 2023.

The boba spot's new location took over the building that formerly housed Chinese Express, a stand-alone restaurant that served Asian cuisine, which closed late last year. Chinese Express could not be reached for comment regarding the reason for the closure. 

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Bowl Boba’s menu features poke bowls, pho, stir fry, ramen, soup and salad, as well as appetizers including spring rolls, gyoza and steamed buns. Along with meat dishes, Bowl Boba offers numerous vegetarian and vegan options. 

The restaurant also serves a variety of smoothies, milk teas and fruit teas, which customers can add tapioca pearls, popping boba or flavored jellies to. Ramune Japanese sodas are also among the eatery’s drink options. 

Bowl Boba in Gahanna is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and noon to 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Categories: Ohio News

Ohio national guardsman found guilty of raping teenage girl

12 hours 51 min ago

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) – An Ohio National Guard member has been found guilty of raping a minor.

Steven Vicario, 41, was found guilty Friday of two counts of rape and sexual battery in addition to one count of tampering with evidence after a four-day trial, according to the Delaware County prosecutor's office.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. Vicario faces a maximum 25-year prison sentence.

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The charges stem from two alleged incidents, one on Nov. 5, 2023, when a woman brought a 14-year-old girl to the Delaware Police Department. The woman alleged the incident occurred in the early hours of Nov. 5 at a residence as she told police she found Vicario in a bedroom with the minor.

According to the report, Vicario left the room before the minor was brought to the police station. In an indictment, Vicario was accused of sexually assaulting the teen. The woman also told police that there were more than 50 firearms in his home. Vicario was arrested without incident on April 19.

Vicario is a lieutenant colonel currently serving as the mobilization, plans and readiness division chief with the Ohio National Guard, according to his social media account.

Categories: Ohio News

What Trump's proposed tariffs could mean for Ohio's Intel plant

13 hours 21 min ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- President Donald Trump has promised sweeping tariffs on foreign semiconductors, but the move could have negative consequences for Intel's construction in Ohio.

Trump vowed to impose heavy tariffs on pharmaceuticals, steel and aluminum, oil and gas, and semiconductor chips. The last two are of particular relevance to Ohioans, who sit atop one of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world and who are mid-construction on Intel’s $28 billion semiconductor chip plants in New Albany. See previous coverage on the possible effects of tariffs in the video player above.

Trump, who announced and walked back several sweeping tariffs with major trade partners last week, has said tariffs between 25%-100% on foreign semiconductor chips are likely incoming. This is not entirely a novel concept; in September 2024, former President Joe Biden announced a 50% tariff on semiconductors made in China to go into effect in 2025. However, Trump’s tariff would target all foreign semiconductor industries, not just mainland China. 

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Taiwan leads the semiconductor industry, representing nearly 70% of global semiconductor revenue, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission. Sales to customers in Taiwan and China made up nearly 50% of Intel's total revenue for 2024.

Taiwan is a small democratic island in East Asia that claims and actively seeks independence from China, which claims it as its own. The U.S. has significant trade agreements with both Taiwan and mainland China and takes a neutral stance on the subject, according to the Department of State.

Stephen Ezell with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said the proposed tariffs would backfire, arguing the move would not drive Taiwanese technology firms to the U.S.

“Trump’s assumption is if he raises tariffs on Taiwanese semiconductors to 100%, Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturers will move to the United States to avoid them,” Ezwell wrote. “But if the United States imposes smaller tariffs on semiconductor imports from say India, Japan or Malaysia, the Taiwanese companies will only move their factories there, not necessarily to the United States. Or U.S. companies will buy their semiconductors from other foreign companies.”

American and foreign companies cannot yet purchase Intel semiconductor chips from the Ohio plants, which are not scheduled to become operational until 2027 or 2028. However, Intel sales in China and Taiwan alone made up $25.72 billion of the company's $53.1 billion of revenue in 2024.

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According to the Tax Foundation, retaliatory tariffs by foreign governments on imported goods are likely. The foundation said this would not be a direct tax on exports, but it would raise prices for consumers buying American goods in foreign markets, which would affect U.S. sales abroad. Retaliatory tariffs on semiconductors could easily complicate things for Intel, a company that has faced financial struggles and relies heavily on revenue from abroad.

Representatives for the Semiconductor Industry Association, which calls itself the voice of the U.S. semiconductor industry, declined to add anything to this report. However, the Association released a sample policy agenda with recommendations for Trump to advance U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. It made five recommendations on how to improve global economic security through trade and supply chain actions and had three recommendations for out-competing China, none of which recommended tariffs.

If tariffs were to further financial problems for Intel, its New Albany plant may see cuts. During the company's financial update announcement, co-interim CEO Michelle Johnson Holthaus said the division responsible for semiconductor manufacturing would need to "earn her business" everyday, implying its future is not guaranteed. Her co-interim CEO spoke about the semiconductor portion more confidently.

There are clauses in state and federal funding that would allow government funding to be taken back if they go unmet, which provide some protections for the Ohio Intel plant. Intel recently told NBC4 it does not have any updates to the plant at this time, and its final super load delivery to the site docked Sunday, so construction continues.

Categories: Ohio News

Westerville passes ordinance to restrict cannabis businesses near schools, churches

14 hours 21 min ago

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A recently passed Westerville ordinance further enshrines Ohio law by prohibiting marijuana businesses from being near a school or church.

Westerville City Council unanimously approved the measure on Feb. 4, mirroring Ohio Revised Code that says retail dispensaries cannot be located within 500 feet of a school, church, library, playground or park. The ordinance also bans a dispensary from being situated within one mile of another dispensary.

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Those aiming to open a Westerville dispensary will be unable to do so in the excluded areas outlined in the map below. Each pink highlight represents the 500 feet buffer around a library, church, daycare, school, park or trail.

Those aiming to open a Westerville dispensary will be unable to do so in the excluded areas outlined in this map. (Courtesy Photo/Westerville City Council)

"The purpose and intent of this chapter is to provide for the regulation of marijuana activities and uses within the city of Westerville pursuant to Ohio's marijuana laws," the ordinance states. "Nothing herein is intended to prohibit or limit home grow or prohibit or restrict an activity that is authorized for an adult-use consumer."

The measure requires marijuana to be sold by a medical dispensary or a dual-use dispensary and states that "there shall be no more than two dispensaries of any kind within the city." Hours of operation for these businesses is limited to the hours between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., the ordinance states. However, these provisions are why some Westerville residents argue the city is implementing a "de facto" marijuana ban.

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Westerville's measure comes after voters in Ohio approved Issue 2 in November 2023 to legalize recreational marijuana. City council enacted a temporary moratorium last June prohibiting the sale of cannabis while the city reviewed possible legislative initiatives and regulations that could be implemented regarding adult use.

The ordinance is similar to a Delaware resolution that passed last year to prohibit establishments whose business "is the sale of tobacco or related products, vapor or vapor products, or cannabis" from being located within 500 feet of a school, church, library, playground or park.

Delaware's measure bans two or more of these businesses from being located within a mile of each other if they are "of the same use," meaning a vape shop can not be within a mile of another a vape shop, but a cannabis dispensary can be near a vape shop. The resolution originally limited businesses from being located within two miles of each other, but the planning commission amended the proposal out of concern it would be too restrictive.

Categories: Ohio News

Columbus DEA aiding in arrests of immigrant criminals

Mon, 02/10/2025 - 21:07

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Federal agencies have set up a task force in central Ohio to investigate and arrest dangerous criminals in the country illegally. 

The goal of the new task force, headed by the Department of Homeland Security, is to find and arrest known violent criminals, drug traffickers, and gang members who have already committed crimes in the area. 

In addition to Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is part of the effort. 

“We see this as a mechanism with a sense of urgency to keep Americans safe, to keep people in the Columbus area safe,” Brian Mulcahy, special agent in charge of the DEA Columbus District, said. 

The initiative puts all government resources together to work on the same goal, Mulcahy said, adding the new task force doesn’t change the agency’s mission -- it is just amplifying it.  

“We're still laser-focused on fentanyl and, you know, investigating and bringing to justice the largest, most violent and the most dangerous traffickers affecting our communities," Mulcahy said.  

He said the country is currently in one of the most dangerous drug epidemics in history and the DEA’s role in the new task force will be turning over known fentanyl traffickers or gang members to the federal partners.  

"What is happening is these subjects will be passed to this task force,” Mulcahy said. “It will work quickly in a multi-agency environment to hopefully get these subjects off the street quickly.” 

Since President Donald Trump took office last month, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) officers have arrested thousands of criminals nationwide, but some of the president's orders have put local immigrant advocacy groups on alert.  

Mulcahy was asked if the task force held any mass immigration raids in central Ohio or is planning to do any.  

“No and from what I've seen with this task force, there's no mass raids planned,” he said. “To my knowledge, right now, there's no initiatives targeting work sites, targeting families, targeting children or schools. You know, everything that I've seen and the subjects who we are looking to investigate on this new task force, we're talking about dangerous criminals, you know, gang members, drug traffickers, fentanyl traffickers.”   

Mulcahy said DEA agents nationwide have been granted US Code Title VIII, a federal authority which deals with immigration laws and regulations and allows agents to assist in these investigations. However, he said they are not the experts in immigration and are there for support and resources.  

Mulcahy said that to his knowledge, no DEA agents in central Ohio have been involved in any arrests but they could be called on to help at any time. 

Categories: Ohio News

Future of Radnor Township baseball fields in question

Mon, 02/10/2025 - 18:30

RADNOR, Ohio (WCMH) — Leaders and parents with a local youth baseball league are concerned about the future of their fields as the property the fields sit on might be changing hands.  

"It’s been a wave of emotion,” Radnor Youth Athletic Association (RYAA) secretary Carrie Hacker said. “You don't know whether your kid is going to get to play baseball, whether the park stays. You don't know whether the green space stays, you don't know what Buckeye Valley’s plans are.” 

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Even on a chilly winter day with baseball season still several weeks away, the fields RYAA uses are on many peoples' minds.  

“It means a lot to me that my son is able to play on the same field I played on," RYAA president John Turner said. 

League leaders and parents of kids who play Radnor baseball said they're worried about the fields. The property they are on is owned by the township. The township had bought the land from Buckeye Valley Local Schools for $1 and now a similar sale back to the school district is being considered. 

“There’s unknowns and that's the thing and that's the thing that makes everyone so uneasy is just it's that unknown and the what ifs of what happens if this goes through," parent and RYAA board member Joe Keller said.  

Before November's levy failed, Buckeye Valley Local Schools was thinking about moving its bus garage to the property where the baseball fields are since the new high school would have taken the spot of the current bus garage, according to Dr. Jeremy Froehlich, assistant superintendent. 

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“We’d still be interested in that property for some future use but right now, we don't have that necessity to relocate our bus garage but that was the initial plan," he said. 

If the district does end up getting the property, Froehlich said development plans would not include getting rid of the fields. 

“We’d love to have that property, but we have no intentions of shutting the baseball field down, RYAA is a great partner with us and we don't want to limit our kids' opportunities, those are out students," he said. "We’d still like to have that flexibility of a centralized piece of property in our district as we continue to face growth, but our goal is to leave the baseball fields even if we were to put a building there, we want a reason to bring the community out to those, that property.”

Categories: Ohio News

Two loaded guns confiscated on back-to-back days at John Glenn

Mon, 02/10/2025 - 18:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Federal agents stopped two guns over two consecutive days at checkpoints at John Glenn airport. 

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers stopped two people from carrying handguns onto flights on Sunday and Monday, airport officials announced.

Gov. DeWine picks former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel as lieutenant governor Federal agents stopped two guns over two consecutive days at checkpoints at John Glenn airport. (Photo courtesy of TSA)Federal agents stopped two guns over two consecutive days at checkpoints at John Glenn airport. (Photo courtesy of TSA) Federal agents stopped two guns over two consecutive days at checkpoints at John Glenn airport. (Photo courtesy of TSA)Federal agents stopped two guns over two consecutive days at checkpoints at John Glenn airport. (Photo courtesy of TSA)

In both cases, the passengers presented their carry-on bags to TSA agents to be screened when an agent saw an image of a handgun inside the bag, airport officials said in a press release.  

The first incident was Sunday at approximately 5:20 a.m. when officers stopped a passenger carrying a gun loaded with seven rounds including one in the chamber. 

The second incident happened Monday at approximately 5 a.m. when a passenger carrying a firearm loaded with 10 rounds was stopped. 

So far in 2025, TSA has prevented six guns from being brought on flights; in 2024, that total was 48.

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TSA can fine passengers up to $15,000 for carrying a gun to an airport checkpoint; revoke precheck eligibility for at least five years; and perform a further passenger screening. The TSA does not confiscate firearms. In addition, local law enforcement can cite the passenger. 

Passengers can travel with firearms as long as the firearms are unloaded and in checked baggage, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hard case, and declared at the check-in counter. 

For more on how to travel with firearms, visit the TSA website here

Categories: Ohio News

Columbus approves $1.2 billion budget

Mon, 02/10/2025 - 17:27

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus City Council approved the mayor’s $1.2 billion budget for 2025.  

The money will fund city initiatives such as after-school activities and job readiness programs. It will also allow the city to add up to 180 police officers and 45 firefighters and also focuses on housing resources and alternative crisis response training.  

However, councilmembers said this is one of the tightest budgets they have worked with, and they had to get creative.  

"The biggest thing was always keeping in the forefront our residents and making sure that we are putting them first," Councilmember and Finance & Governance Committee Chair Nick Bankston said.  

This billion-dollar budget lays out some of the city's key priorities.  

"It's going to be continuing to invest in housing and that's across the board from building housing, but also our unhoused population. So doubling down on the shelter board and getting them the necessary resources," Bankston said.   

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther outlined his priorities late last year, including $774 million for neighborhood safety, which will include hiring more first responders and more than $10 million for organizations that support those in need.  

"We will continue to take a lens through our three priorities, which is affordable housing, safe neighborhoods and workforce and economic development," Bankston said. 

Council said it was about making hard decisions about where funding has to be. 

"There are things that I have fought for as chair of the small business committee that weren't able to be funded this year, but when we're talking about making sure that someone has a roof over their head and food in their belly versus continuing to do programs around small business, sometimes you have to make those tough decisions, and that is really what we get elected to do," Bankston said. 

Bankston says it was a lot of juggling; the finance team cut some contracts and moved some expenses around to get money where it needed to be. 

Categories: Ohio News

Parents on edge as Trump threatens education department

Mon, 02/10/2025 - 17:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- President Donald Trump may soon sign an executive order abolishing the Department of Education, prompting confusion surrounding the issue and its potential impacts. 

The Department of Education provides support and money for school districts nationwide, helping fund programs for low-income students and children with disabilities, among other programs. It also oversees student loan programs for higher education.  

The federal education department does not set curriculum or learning standards because that is up to the states.  

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Scott DiMauro, the president of the Ohio Education Association, said more than 10 percent of an average school district’s budget is covered by federal sources.  

“Every single school across the state of Ohio benefits from federal support, whether it’s students with disabilities, students in poverty or students in general,” DiMauro said.  

The Department of Education helps fund Title I, which provides extra support at school to low-income students. It also administers funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. Local mother Lauren Shepler said her young son currently benefits from the IDEA program.

“He’s able to meet two days a week and he’s able to meet with a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech therapist,” Shepler said. “I’ve seen improvements in his walking ability, in his speaking ability.”  

She is worried funding cuts could set back her child and others across the nation. Shepler said she wants answers.

“I would just really like communication,” she said. “I’d like to know where they stand on the issue, what their rationale is for it. I would like to know, you know, what’s the plan?” 

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Republican strategist Matt Dole said this is a complicated issue and it won’t be as simple as an executive order abolishing the education department. Dole said Republicans support Trump’s plan because a lot of money is going to the bureaucracy of the department rather than to American students.  

“I think the conservative argument is to do away with that bureaucracy, send the money back to the states or to school districts specifically and let more of that money flow into the classroom rather than into the government bureaucracy,” Dole said.  

The Department of Education was established by Congress so it would take an act of Congress to fully eliminate it. If Trump does sign an executive order, it’s unclear if the idea would get congressional approval. 

Categories: Ohio News

Former fire official sentenced for arson in Ohio national forest

Mon, 02/10/2025 - 16:40

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A former fire official has been sentenced to prison for intentionally setting several fires in a national forest in Perry County. 

James A. Bartels, 52, of Rio Grande, Ohio, said he started 26 fires in Wayne National Forest in 2022 to “give the boys something to do” and to distract himself from depression. 

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According to court documents, more than 1,300 acres of federal and state land were burned and more than 100 firefighters from several states responded to battle the fires, costing more than $638,000. 

At the time of the fires, Bartel was an administrator with the Greenfield Township Volunteer Fire Department; he also served as a police officer at different law enforcement agencies across the state and as a 911 dispatcher in Gallia County. 

Court records state that an Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) officer saw a truck registered to Bartels near Wayne National Forest on Oct. 29, 2022, and that within an hour, a fire was reported near where Bartels was seen. 

Bartels resigned from the Gallia County 911 department on Nov. 8, 2022; within days, at least 17 fires were reported. On two separate occasions, Bartels was seen at two locations within minutes of when multiple fires were reported, court records state. 

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He was arrested in December 2022 and pleaded guilty in September 2023.  

Bartels was sentenced on Feb. 7 to 18 months in prison, $638,000 in restitution, and he must register with the Ohio Arson Registry. 

Categories: Ohio News

Man identified after body was found behind southwest Columbus home

Mon, 02/10/2025 - 14:30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A man whose body was found in mid-December behind a home in southwest Columbus has been identified.

Franklin County authorities were able to identify the man as 73-year-old Pedro Martinez Cruz more than two weeks after the John Doe investigation was released to the public.

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Cruz was found on Dec. 19 behind a home in a shed near the intersection of Sullivant Avenue and Clarendon Avenue in the Central Hilltop neighborhood, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

A post-mortem image of the man was released by the AG’s Office with a forensic artist completing the picture for the purpose of the investigation. A previous report can be seen in the player above.

Categories: Ohio News

One dead, dogs rescued in North Linden house fire

Mon, 02/10/2025 - 12:44

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is dead after a house fire in North Linden Monday. 

According to Columbus Division of Fire Batallion Chief Jeffery Geiter, the fire was reported at approximately 1:30 p.m. at a single-family home on the 1100 block of Acton Road. 

 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Officials did not identify the victim. 

Two dogs were rescued from the building. 

Categories: Ohio News

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