News Channel 4

The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities' Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey.

Whether you're a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which movies and TV shows are casting roles near you. Backstage compiled a list of projects casting right now in Ohio, and which roles they're looking to fill.

'The Pelican'
- Project type: scripted show
- Roles:
--- Brandon (lead, male, 18-25)
--- Victor (supporting, 18-45)
--- Shawn (lead, male, 18-25)
- Average hourly rate: $93
- Casting locations: Alliance
- Learn more about the scripted show here

'Galactic'
- Project type: feature film
- Roles:
--- Tammy (supporting, female, 18-45)
--- Earl (supporting, male, 25-55)
--- Annie Jane (lead, female, 40-70)
- Average hourly rate: $93
- Casting locations: Columbus
- Learn more about the feature film here

'A Violent World'
- Project type: feature film
- Roles:
--- Jax (supporting, male, 30-50)
--- Scratch (supporting, female, 21-35)
--- Callum (supporting, male, 25-35)
- Average hourly rate: $31
- Casting locations: Blacklick
- Learn more about the feature film here

'The Inheritance' (Working Title)'
- Project type: short film
- Roles:
--- Kelly (lead, female, 35-55)
--- Kat (lead, gender-nonconforming, genderqueer, 30-45)
- Average hourly rate: $12
- Casting locations: Athens
- Learn more about the short film here

'Saving Ava'
- Project type: feature film
- Roles:
--- Younger Versions of Leads (lead, 7-12)
--- Randy Brando (supporting, male, 27-60)
--- Officer Toby (supporting, male, 26-60)
- Average hourly rate: $12
- Casting locations: Columbus
- Learn more about the feature film here

'71 South'
- Project type: feature film
- Roles:
--- Ana (lead, female, gender-nonconforming, trans female, 18-25)
--- Henry (lead, male, gender-nonconforming, trans male, 18-25)
--- Julia (lead, female, gender-nonconforming, trans female, 18-25)
- Average hourly rate: $18
- Casting locations: Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati
- Learn more about the feature film here

'The Lost Healer'
- Project type: short film
- Roles:
--- Kiva (lead, female, 18-25)
--- General Graeme (supporting, male, 40-55)
--- Rian (lead, male, 18-25)
- Average hourly rate: $31
- Casting locations: Cincinnati
- Learn more about the short film here

'Drive Inside'
- Project type: short film
- Roles:
--- Video Editor (crew)
--- Sound Designer (crew)
- Average hourly rate: not available
- Casting locations: Beachwood
- Learn more about the short film here

'Self-Defense'
- Project type: short film
- Roles:
--- Harley (other, 18-50)
--- Cody (lead, male, 10-14)
--- Henchwoman (other, female, 18-100)
- Average hourly rate: $25
- Casting locations: Columbus, Cleveland
- Learn more about the short film here

'American Nightmare'
- Project type: feature film
- Roles:
--- Marshal DeMore (supporting, male, 40-70)
--- Lila (supporting, female, 18-32)
- Average hourly rate: $18
- Casting locations: Columbus
- Learn more about the feature film here

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - First Amendment rights are under a microscope after Ohio State University police arrested two students Tuesday, detained three more Thursday morning, then arrested three dozen pro-Palestine protesters Thursday night.

"The First Amendment rules apply to state and federal governments. The Ohio State University is a state university and therefore is subject to the First Amendment," explained Constitutional law professor Dan Kobil of Capital University.

Kobil has taught "Con Law" at Capital for 37 years.

"Most speech is protected. So, does it matter if someone is saying Palestine should be destroyed or Israel should be destroyed? That kind of speech is protected by the First Amendment as long as someone is not advocating imminent, unlawful conduct," he explained of how the First Amendment applies to protests.

He added, "Speech that angers people is typically protected. Speech that is going to directly harm another physically is not."

Thursday night's protest was peaceful in nature and according to Kobil's assessment did not violate the First Amendment based off of what was being said by protesters.

However, there are restrictions of "time, place, and manner" that may require or allow for a governing body like Ohio State University to intervene.

"A time place or manner restriction says you can only speak within certain hours. It means that you can only speak within certain areas or it means you can only speak in a certain way, a certain. You can't use a bullhorn. That would be a manner restriction," Kobil explained.

Thursday's arrests were made by university police alongside Ohio State Highway Patrol on the basis of 'criminal trespass.' The Ohio State "university space" rules allow for police intervention when those rules are being broken. The rules do not allow "encampment" on school grounds. The protesters Thursday night had set up at least five tents and were planning to remain on the grounds until "mass arrests" forced them off, according to one protester.

"If this is an even-handed policy that would be described typically in the courts as something that's called reasonably a 'time, place, and manner' restriction," explained Kobil.

"When the university says we're not going to allow you to camp out overnight, that would seem to be a regulation of conduct. Unless they have allowed others to do it with whom they agree," Kobil added.

Protesters Thursday evening formed a circle around the "encampment" and locked arms in an attempt to prevent the police from gaining entry. Protesters also gave instructions to the crowd to "surround police arresting someone and lock arms so they must let them free. "That's when the arrests became forceful. 

Kobil explained. "They have a duty to obey a lawful order, orders of police officers and not to interfere with them doing their job."

NBC4 reached out to the ACLU of Ohio for an interview in regard to the First Amendment rights of protesters and the actions of Ohio State University police. They sent a statement that reads:
      “Institutions of higher learning – whether public or private – ought to be strong defenders of free speech. It is incumbent on the OSU administration to ensure that its students’ First Amendment free speech rights are zealously protected on campus. Universities have a long-standing tradition of student advocacy, where viewpoints are tested, and debate is encouraged.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A person is in critical condition after a shooting in northeast Columbus Friday night.

According to Columbus Police dispatchers, police were called to the 1800 block of Schrock Road around 8:12 p.m. on reports of a shooting. One person was transported to Riverside Methodist Hospital in critical condition.

Police say there is no suspect information at this time.

DETROIT (WCMH) -- A second Buckeye has come off the board at the NFL draft in Detroit following the selection of Marvin Harrison Jr. in the opening round.

Defensive tackle Michael Hall, Jr. was taken in the second round by the Cleveland Browns as the 54th overall pick.

The 6-2 junior from Streetsboro, Ohio played three seasons with Ohio State, making 11 starts and appearing in a total of 28 games. Hall recorded 45 career tackles with ten tackles for losses totaling 64 yards. His 24 tackles last season earned him a spot on the all-Big Ten third-team. He's also credited with six quarterback sacks.

Hall's preparations for the NFL draft were hampered by a hamstring injury, which prevented him from doing drills during Ohio State's pro day workouts.

"Some teams say I'm undersized, or some teams I'd say I'm just right. But I feel like the biggest thing to me is just that's how I separate myself, just my explosiveness and just how I get off the ball," Hall said in March.

The NFL draft continues thru Saturday in downtown Detroit.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Capital City Half & Quarter Marathon will take place Downtown on Saturday morning.

Many athletes’ goals are to get their best times, but for one OhioHealth employee, just being a part of the race is an achievement in itself. In 2022, Katie Foster was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant with her second child. Two weeks after delivering her son, she began chemotherapy.

“It was very hard having a one-and-a-half year old and a newborn. I felt like I wasn’t fully there for them,” said Katie Foster, OhioHealth physician assistant.

During chemotherapy, she was introduced to scalp cooling therapy. It includes wearing a cold cap during treatments to keep your hair.

“Cold capping is a way to have control in a situation that is so out of your control. It was a way for me to take back some of what was going to be taken from me,” Foster said.

Last July, she completed her final round of chemotherapy. To celebrate her strength, Foster is running a quarter marathon.

“My body just went through so much this last year and a half. Running six-and-a-half miles is not painless but now I get to put my body through something that’s my own choice,” Foster said.

This is also an opportunity for her to give back. A portion of each race registration will go to the OhioHealth Foundation. It provides patients with the same scalp therapy that Foster got.

“They pay for about two thirds of it for patients so I benefited from that myself," Foster said. "So, when I saw that this is what the race was benefitting, I just knew that I had to get involved because how cool is that to be able to be on this side of things."

Foster will be running with her coworkers and family right beside her.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Authorities are investigating after a gunshot wound victim was found dead in southeast Columbus on Thursday.

Investigators responded to Noe Bixby Road and Carbondale Drive at 2:22 p.m. on Thursday after report of a suspicious death, according to the Columbus Division of Police. A female victim, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy performed on Friday determined the victim was killed by a gunshot wound.

Investigators are working to identify the victim and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Columbus police at 614-645-4730.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- From day one of the Blue Jackets, Aaron Portzline has been there writing and reporting: first with the Columbus Dispatch and for the past six years as part of The Athletic.

So as a hockey writer, Porty, as he’s affectionately called, has seen plenty of fights in those 23 seasons; but this season, he’s been in his own fight battling kidney failure.

“My mom has had a kidney transplant, my brother has had a kidney transplant so I’m familiar with the process,” Porty said and then shared he’s been getting dialysis multiple times a week since August.

“So I’ve been going in at 5 a.m. to get out of the chair by 9, because the Blue Jackets are on the ice at 10, 10:30,” he said with a chuckle.

In October, Porty put a post on social media that began with four simple words: “I am not well.” He then went on to tell the chapter of his story that he was in kidney failure and he quickly turned the page and the focus away from himself and towards others.

“I’ve always been trained to not be the story and so we've tried to keep this toward encouraging people to donate,” he said. “It's one of the few things we agree on right now in society is that organ donation is a good thing but you have to express that. It has to be on your driver’s license, in your will: some way that makes it known."

The outpouring of support was immediate and immense. Porty said he was fortunate to have may friends step up and go through the process to see if they could be his donor. A couple even made it to the final testing stage; but then, sadly, were ruled out.

"I was kind of in a dark place after I heard,” Portzline said, “because dialysis is not fun."

The thing is, Porty had no idea that someone he saw every day behind the scenes with the Blue Jackets was also working behind the scenes in the donor testing process.

Lindy Noel with the Blue Jackets communications team had been one of many to see Porty’s social media post and she responded by writing, “Porty, I'm so sorry to read this. I will do whatever I can to help. Your CBJ family is here for you!”

That help began with filling out the donation questionnaire.

“I lost my father in 2018 to cancer,” Lindy explained through tears. “There was no donation that could save his life. So this felt like something I could do to make a difference in someone else's life."

A questionnaire led to lab work which then led to tests, and in March, Lindy got the news: She was a match for Aaron Portzline.

Lindy knew she wanted to have a video of her telling Porty the good news, so a few weeks later, she invited Porty to Nationwide Arena under the guise of an interview about organ donation and the support he’s received from the 5th Line.

In the interview, Porty said, "There is a match. I don't know who the match is. I'm hoping to find out sometime this week."

Lindy replied, “I'm glad that you mentioned that you don't know who the donor is, because that's actually the real reason why you're here.”

“I wondered if there was something afoot,” Portzline said with a wry smile.

Lindy paused, smiled, and said, “I am your donor.”

"No way. No way!" Porty exclaimed as he reached for and grabbed Lindy’s hand.

And for a man who works in words, Porty found himself without many.

"I think our language is limited. It doesn't seem like 'thank you' is enough,” he shared with NBC4 the day before the surgery sitting next to Lindy. “This team has always sort of transcended wins and losses is what I would say."

"It's doing what I would hope someone else would do for me,” Lindy said. "The sense of family the hockey community has -- Porty is family. He may write for The Athletic, and he can write some nasty things about the team if he wants to!"

“Critiques!” Porty said with a laugh.

"He can write some critiques if he wants to,” Lindy said with a smile and eyeroll, “But that doesn't change the fact that he's family."

Lindy’s family lives in Illinois, but since coming to Columbus three years ago to join the Blue Jackets team she has made another family with her fiancée, Chris, and now with the Portzlines – who will absolutely be at the wedding in June 2025.

"I keep thinking what's the appropriate wedding gift for someone who gave you a kidney?” Porty said. “It's not on any registry anywhere! Thanks to you and thanks to everybody who is willing to do this. It's incredible. It's a lifesaver."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A pro-Palestine encampment at the Ohio State University the led to three dozen arrests comes after state lawmakers passed a bill in 2022 aimed at protecting free speech on college campuses.

Senate Bill 135 passed "to ensure that our campuses and school districts are not only beacons of free speech and individual expression but that the focus is on critical thinking skills to ensure students can thoughtfully develop their own opinions and make their own decisions," Senator Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) said of the bill in June 2021.

The law states that, in addition to complying with other laws regarding the regulation of free speech on campuses, each state institution must adopt a policy that affirms several free speech principles.

"Although a state institution should greatly value civility and mutual respect, concerns about civility and respect must not be used by an institution as a justification for closing off the discussion of ideas, however offensive, unwise, immoral, indecent, disagreeable, conservative, liberal, traditional, radical, or wrong-headed those ideas may be to some students or faculty," the bill states.

Rep. Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus) said she was at Thursday’s protest, and argues the arrests were out of line with the law.

"The right to free speech applies to everyone, even if you don’t like them," she said. "The hypocrisy is very laughable and it’s a detriment to the people of Ohio and to our students.”"

However, lawmakers like Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) have pushed back against the protesters on social media, writing that student violated campus rules like camping on the South Oval. Still, Abdullahi said she thinks the encampment is being unjustly enforced.

"Of course, OSU has the right to enact whatever policies they want to but inherently I think it's unfair and discriminatory to these students," she said.

Stewart cited time, place, and manner restrictions, which he said, “are as old as the first amendment itself.” The state does allow institutions to impose measures and guidelines about where and when protests can occur.

"I don’t see that argument being made when there are certain other protestors on campus and the South Oval is a public community space designated for protesting. It has been that way historically” Abdullahi said. “It is very important for us to allow [students] to have that space. A safe space for them to speak up, a safe space for them to share their ideas.”

The law has five other guidelines for when public universities can enact their own rules, aside from "time, place, and manner." Those other provisions include one that says that free speech “must not be construed to grant students the right to disrupt previously scheduled or reserved activities occurring in a traditional public forum.”

Abdullahi said right now she does not see the need for legislative action.

NBC4 reached out to several Republican lawmakers for an interview, as well as the Speaker of the House and the Senate President for a statement. They said they have no comment at this time. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Prevent Blindness Ohio has declared April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month. That’s because 112 million more women than men are living with vision loss and blindness.

Amy Pulles, the president and CEO of Prevent Blindness Ohio, said women are more affected by eye issues for a few reasons.

“Women live longer, then allowing them the opportunity for aging eye diseases to impact them more severely, as well as hormonal changes that women as they age, as well as during pregnancy,” said Pulles.

Aging eye diseases that are common among women include cataracts, glaucoma, thyroid eye disease and dry eyes. On top of being painful and uncomfortable, you may not realize that dry eyes can also lead to eye ulcers that cause vision loss.

And as you age, you may notice it’s harder to see thighs close up.

“That tends to go starting at around age 40 so again being mindful of that and telling your eye doctor when you start having trouble seeing up close because that can be corrected with lenses,” said Pulles.

The best way to prevent any of these issues is regular visits to the eye doctor.

“Regardless of whether or not you are experiencing any symptoms or not, you really want to make sure that you are getting a regular eye exam because those aging eye diseases will impact your eyes and cause permanent vision loss before you even realize you are experiencing vision loss,” said Pulles.

How often you visit the eye doctor depends on your age, family history and other health conditions and Pulles said you should ask your doctor about what will work best for you.

People who do not have insurance and meet the current 200 percent federal poverty guidelines qualify for Ohio’s Vision Care Outreach program.

High pressure will slide to the East Coast, prompting a return flow of milder southerly winds. Temperatures rebounded to 70 degrees this afternoon, with some high clouds arriving from the southwest.

A warm front will lift north across the region tonight, bringing some widely scattered showers and a possible rumble of thunder. Temperatures will be considerably milder, only dropping to the upper 50s by morning.

The weekend will bring a mix of clouds and a fair amount of sunshine, with a small chance for a stray shower or storm across the northwestern part of the state. Temperatures will continue to warm, reaching the upper 70s Saturday afternoon and low 80s on Sunday.

A storm coming out of central Plains, where thunderstorms will be focused this weekend and across the Midwest, will reach the Upper Midwest Monday, introducing a greater chance for showers and storms later on Monday, ending early Tuesday with the passage of a cold front and seasonably cool air. A showers could develop Wednesday and Thursday in an unstable air mass.

• Friday: Partly cloudy, milder. High 74
• Tonight: Scattered showers, mostly cloudy. Low 59
• Saturday: Mostly cloudy, breezy, scattered showers/storm. High 76
• Sunday: Partly cloudy, warm. High 83 (62)
• Monday: Some sun, late day shower, storm. High 84 (63)
• Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, few showers. High 77 (64)
• Wednesday: Partly sunny, pop-shower, storm. High 79 (58)
• Thursday: Partly sunny, shower or storm possible. High 76 (59)

See an earlier report on Jason Dawson in the player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A former girls basketball coach at Worthington Christian was told to stay away from the school as part of the conditions for him to be released from jail.

Jason Dawson, 35, faces 10 felony charges of sexual battery related to sexual contact with two underage girls in 2020 and '21. After being extradited from North Carolina, where he has lived since 2022, he was scheduled to face a judge Friday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

Instead, Dawson did not appear in court, with him on "safety watch." A judge ordered bonds totaling $105,000 and for Dawson to stay away from victims and witnesses, in addition to the school, which has campuses in Worthington and Westerville.

One victim said she and Dawson engaged in sexual activity about 100 times, according to court records, including instances that were recorded. The second victim said she and Dawson engaged in activity while at school.

Court records showed that Dawson posted his bonds. A follow-up court date was not immediately available.

HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) – A Jewish organization is demanding the president of Hilliard City Council step down after the council passed a resolution calling for a “mutual end to hostilities in Gaza” on the first day of Passover. 

The Jewish Community Relations Council is calling for the resignation of Cynthia Vermillion and an apology from the council after it said the religious observance was disregarded and the city sent the message that Jewish voices are “unwelcome in city government.”

On Monday night, Hilliard City Council passed a resolution 4-2, with one abstention, calling for "an immediate, sustained and mutual end to hostilities in Gaza, the release of hostages and detainees, and the urgent expansion of humanitarian assistance."

During council discussion, Vermillion apologized for the group taking so long to pass a resolution, coming after weeks of community comment.

"I know we're not going to affect Washington, D.C., policy, but at least they can note that many communities throughout the country are calling for an end to these hostilities, these horrific hostilities," she said.

The resolution read that council "reaffirms its commitment to combat anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Israeli bigotry." But before the meeting, the Jewish Community Relations Council said Vermillion was warned by the city attorney and manager to not vote on it that night, which marked the beginning of the Jewish holiday Passover.

“Despite objections from Council Members Peggy Hale and Les Carrier, as well as City Manager Michelle Crandall and her staff, who clearly articulated that such action on the first night of Passover was wholly inappropriate, the decision was championed by City Council President Cynthia Vermillion,” a statement from the Jewish council read. 

The group said Vermillion was told she would be "intentionally excluding" Jewish voices who would be unavailable to speak that night.

“The deliberate timing of this resolution on such a sacred night as the first night of Passover constitutes a blatant act of antisemitism,” the organization said in a statement. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio State University police and the Ohio State Highway Patrol arrested three dozen people Thursday night for staging a pro-Palestine encampment on campus – carrying out what is likely the highest number of protest-related arrests there since the Vietnam War. 

After hours of peaceful protest on the South Oval behind the Ohio Union, dozens of officers clad in riot gear descended on the crowd, handcuffing protesters and carrying them to Franklin County sheriff’s buses parked nearby. Several protesters were arrested earlier in the day for pitching tents on campus, but police watched for hours – occasionally issuing threats of arrest – when hundreds of protesters returned in the evening.

The protesters, led by student activist groups, staged the encampment as both a solidarity measure with other pro-Palestinian campus encampments across the country and as a call on the university to disclose – and divest – its investments in Israeli companies amid Israel’s war in Gaza. Ohio State has repeatedly said state law prevents it from divesting in Israeli assets and has declined to disclose its level of investments. 

Both Ohio State police and President Ted Carter requested the state patrol’s assistance Thursday night, university spokesperson Ben Johnson said. University police had been coordinating with state police before Carter requested the reinforcements.

Since Tuesday, about 40 people, including students and faculty, have been arrested on Ohio State’s campus while participating in pro-Palestine protests. Ohio State has cited rules prohibiting camping, overnight events, and disruption to university business as reasons for the arrests. The university released a statement shortly after midnight saying that protesters “exercised their First Amendment rights for several hours” before being told to leave. 

“Individuals who refused to leave after multiple warnings were arrested and charged with criminal trespass,” the statement read. “Arrests are not an action that we take lightly, and we appreciate the support of all of our law enforcement partners to disperse the encampment for the safety of our university community. We have always, and always will, take the action that is in the best interest of our community.”

Thirty-six people -- including 16 students -- were charged related to the Thursday night protest, Johnson confirmed Friday afternoon. Franklin County Municipal Court personnel said they will be released without needing to post bail and arraigned in the coming days.

Between chants to “Free Palestine” and demands that Ohio State divest from Israeli assets, many protesters took to the middle of the group to pray. Videos from reporters and protest attendees showed officers close in on the crowd, struggling to break through layers of protesters to get to rip apart the tents in the middle.

Saphia Abdelsalam is an Ohio State student whose family is in Gaza. She told NBC4 that the protest was peaceful and did not warrant the level of law enforcement response.

“We just wanted to be peaceful and stand our ground, and then they made it not peaceful,” Abdelsalam said. “They started attacking and started arresting.”

As Johnson acknowledged on behalf of the university on Wednesday, protests happen regularly at Ohio State. He said protests happening amid finals and close to academic spaces are treated differently than other protests on campus.

But Jill Galvan, an associate professor of English at Ohio State, said it was shocking all the same to see protesters arrested on university grounds.

“I've been here for a very long time,” Galvan said. “This is more horrifying than anything I've ever seen here."

A handful of protesters have been arrested on Ohio State’s campus in recent decades, according to an archival review of The Lantern, Ohio State’s student newspaper, and other university publications. But the last time protesters were arrested en masse appears to have happened more than 50 years ago.

In 1968, about two dozen anti-Vietnam War protesters were arrested at two on-campus Navy recruitment events days apart. Nearly all were charged with criminal trespass. 

After the arrests, then-President Novice Fawcett released a statement that said the police action was appropriate and in line with university policy.

“Numerous times during the past year the University has announced that whereas peaceful and orderly demonstrating on the campus would be permitted, under no circumstances would interference with the operation of the University be tolerated,” Fawcett’s statement read, according to a March 1968 edition of Ohio State University Monthly magazine.

Bern Anderson was a graduate student in philosophy when he and 10 others were arrested for protesting military recruiters in Hitchcock Hall. In May 1968, he told The Lantern the arrests were “A clear-cut case of the University acting in bad faith.”

“An Administration which claims to be sensitive to the needs and desires of the students and then cries student irresponsibility after students protest is not setting a good example and does not speak well for future student-administration relations,” Anderson said.

GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, Ohio (WCMH) - A food hall and market for community gatherings and offering a selection of meals and drinks from local vendors is opening this summer in Grandview.

The Little Grand Market will being welcoming patrons at its food hall in August at the Grandview Crossing development, which is located at the northeast corner of Dublin Road and Grandview Avenue. According to a news release, the market, spanning over 22,500 square feet, will have local vendors offering a variety of food. Along with the vendor stalls, patrons will also find a full-service restaurant.

The food hall will also serve alcoholic beverages from a sole vendor at its "The Little Grand Bar" along with drinks from coffee shop Bada Bean. The bar will also be overlooking a "serene 3-acre park" as well, according to the release.

• (Courtesy: Meyers & Associates)
• (Courtesy: Meyers & Associates)
• (Courtesy: Meyers & Associates)

According to the announcement from Thrive Companies, the market will create a space where the community can try delicious eats from local spots, while enjoying the sites of the nearby park and more. The Little Grand Market will allow visitors to enjoy their food and beverages indoors and outdoors, since the market will be adjacent to the park.

Thrive Companies noted the market will announce its family of chef partners through the next several weeks. It's website posted dates with vendor announcements for April 29, May 6 and May 13.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Thousands of participants and spectators will flood downtown Columbus on Saturday for the 21st annual Capital City Half Marathon, Quarter Marathon and Columbus Promise 5K.

Due to the massive influx of people, Central Ohio Transit Authority is notifying its riders to expect several reroutes. In a news release, the agency said the changes will begin on Friday, April 26 at 5 p.m. as race preparations start. Lines 1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 52, 61, 102 and CMAX will all be impacted with modifications to stops near South High Street around Columbus Commons.

Alterations on race day, Saturday, April 27, will begin at 8 a.m. and involve Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22, 31, 102 and CMAX. COTA noted that there will be no bus stops on High Street from Ohio State University to German Village. The changes will extend to other streets including Neil Avenue, West Lane Avenue, North and South Fourth Street, South Third Street, West Long Street, East Spring Street, and Thurman Avenue. The event's website shows a map of the race route.

The reroutes are expected to last until the early afternoon on Saturday. COTA's website homepage will have more information and riders can call COTA Customer Care at (614) 228- 1776. Additionally, the organization said it will update customers via its social media channels before and during the race.

COTA also stated that reroutes are fluid and can change without notice because of traffic conditions and "decisions made by event and transportation officials." COTA is asking customers to be patient during the delays and reroutes caused by the event.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) –  One person was arrested and hospitalized after a high-speed chase ended in a crash on a Columbus interstate early Friday morning.

Columbus police said that at 1:08 a.m. officers attempted a traffic stop after spotting a “possible suspect car” at the intersection of Sullivant Avenue and Whitehorn Avenue in the Hilltop. The driver fled the scene and led police onto Interstate 70, where the vehicle crashed into a barrier at I-70 East and Livingston Avenue in Downtown, Columbus.

The suspect ran away from the crashed vehicle but was eventually apprehended. He was taken to Grant Medical Center in stable condition.

Police did not elaborate on “possible suspect car”. No other injuries were reported.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Cameron Mitchell's list of dining destinations in central Ohio will grow this summer, with a steakhouse set to open Downtown.

Butcher & Rose, a steakhouse moving into the ground floor of 155 E. Broad St. at Preston Centre, will open in July, according to a news release from Cameron Mitchell restaurants. The restaurant is looking for employees after opening a hiring office at Suite 302 at the same address.

The Cameron Mitchell project will feature a menu that includes unexpected, modern presentations of traditional steakhouse favorites and a variety of different cuts, broiled to perfection at 1,200 degrees. Seafood, handmade pasta, salads, and more can also be found on the menu.

With more than 2,000 bottles of wine in-house, Butcher & Rose carries a wide variety fit for even discerning palates. According to the release, the restaurant's beverage experience is designed to take guests on a "sensory journey."

The restaurant's outdoor pavilion will offer a "unique experience" right on Broad Street.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The eighth of nearly two dozen super loads is on their way to the Intel facility under construction in New Albany and could cause traffic delays Sunday on central Ohio roads.

The super load -- carrying an air processor -- is traveling from a dock on the Ohio River near Manchester in Adams County to Intel's Ohio One site in Licking County. The first three shipments had gone to the Freepoint Eco-Systems recycling facility near Hebron.

This load weighs 378,400 pounds and measures in at over 19 feet tall, 20 feet wide and 128 feet long.

On Sunday, the load will travel along the following route:

• Departure at approximately 7 a.m.
• Travel north on Rickenbacker Parkway North to Alum Creek Drive
• Travel north on Alum Creek Drive to Rohr Road
• Travel east on Rohr Road to Commerce Center Drive
• Travel north on Commerce Center Drive to Green Pointe Drive South 
• Travel east on Green Point Drive South to Saltzgaber Road
• Travel south on Saltzgaber Road to State Route 317
• Travel north in the southbound lanes on State Route 317 past Groveport to Bixby Road east
• Travel east on Bixby Road to U.S. 33 
• Travel east in the westbound lanes of U.S. 33 to the Gender Road southbound to U.S. 33 westbound ramp in Canal Winchester
• Travel the wrong way on the Gender Road southbound to U.S. 33 westbound ramp 
• Take State Route 674/Gender Road north to Brice Road
• Take Brice Road north to the intersection with Tussing Road/State Route 204 in Columbus
• Travel east on Tussing Road/State Route 204 east to State Route 310
• Travel north on State Route 310 to U.S. 40 in Etna
• Travel west on U.S. 40 to Etna Parkway
• Travel north on Etna Parkway to State Route 16
• Travel east on State Route 16 to State Route 310
• Travel north on State Route 310 to State Route 161
• Travel west on State Route 161 to Etna Parkway
• Travel north on Etna Parkway to Clover Valley Road NW

The load will be delivered to its destination Sunday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Legislators are advancing a bill to change the way a home is sold in Ohio, after the leading national real estate trade group settled a series of lawsuits and agreed to alter how agents are paid commissions.

House Bill 466 would require an agent who is representing a buyer or seller to have a written agreement with their client outlining their compensation. The legislation would require these agreements to be completed before showing a property for a seller or making an offer to purchase property for a buyer, said Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland), one of the bill's primary sponsors.

"It is vital that Ohio establishes standards for these agreements so that both the real estate professional and the buyer have a transparent understanding of the services being provided, compensation and the responsibilities of both parties," said Schmidt in testimony submitted for the legislation's first hearing on April 9.

Schmidt's proposal comes after the National Association of Realtors reached a settlement in March with home sellers who argued the current way commission prices are negotiated forced them to pay excessive fees. Now, the association is paying $418 million in damages and implementing a new rule banning a seller's agent from offering to compensate a buyer's agent through the Multiple Listing Service, a database of homes for sale.

Ohio Realtors, the state's largest trade association with about 36,000 members, said the organization will follow the new rule set by NAR's settlement, which ends the current practice of a home seller paying the commissions for both their agent and the buyer's agent. Typically, if each agent receives a commission of 3% of the sales price, a seller would pay $12,000 -- $6,000 to each agent -- for their home that sold for $200,000.

Now, an agent who is representing a buyer will be required to have a written agreement with their client outlining their compensation, instead of relying on sellers to cover the cost. Ali Whitley, president of Ohio Realtors, said this practice has long been encouraged, as it helps consumers understand the services and value realtors provide.

"While the settlement does require written agreements for realtors representing buyers, it does not apply to all licensed real estate professionals," said Whitley. "H.B. 466 is an effort to provide some clarity to the changing industry practices. By establishing a statewide standard for all licensed real estate professionals, we ensure everyone is operating under the same rules and guidelines."

Columbus Realtors also announced that the organization will follow the new rules set by NAR's settlement. Scott Hrabcak, president of Columbus Realtors, said the rules will be enacted in mid-July for the organization's more than 9,000 central Ohio agents.

Beth Wanless, Zillow's Midwest government relations and public affairs manager, said in submitted testimony that the company strongly supports the timing requirement in the bill for entering into a written agreement. Wanless argued empowering consumers by clearly disclosing the compensation to be paid to an agent provides the opportunity for consumers to freely negotiate.

"Prior to entering such an agreement, a customer should have ample time to meet with various real estate agents, ask questions, tour properties, and most importantly have the privacy and time to review the contracts and understand exactly what they are signing." said Wanless.

Additional hearings at the Statehouse will be held for H.B. 466 before the Ohio House votes on the measure.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The companies behind an Italian Village brewery and kitchen are in an “irreconcilable deadlock” over the future of their business partnership.

Marengo-based Hoof Hearted Brewing and A&R Creative Group, which owns multiple bars across Columbus, joined forces to open Hoof Hearted Brewery and Kitchen on North Fourth Street in 2016. And while both parties agree the relationship has soured, they can’t agree on who is responsible.

Hoof Hearted Brewing and 2023 E – a company affiliated with A&R – have filed competing lawsuits against each other and both claim the other has violated their partnership agreement. Hoof Hearted Brewing has asked the Franklin County court to dissolve the partnership, which was formalized under the company name Hoof Hearted Brewpub.

The way A&R sees it, according to the 2023 E's Oct. 5 complaint against the brewery, the companies agreed to reimburse each other for costs and “split equally” the profits. But A&R claims it invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into the brewery and kitchen operation that Hoof Hearted Brewing never paid back, including the cost of a rental truck to deliver beer, warehouse and canning space, and the brewery outfit in Italian Village. 

Meanwhile, A&R claims, Hoof Hearted Brewing expanded its operations without giving A&R the opportunity to invest, in alleged violation of their agreement. A&R asserts their agreement clearly required an update to the cost- and profit-sharing formula should Hoof Hearted expand its Marengo operations.

“This tag-along option to invest in future growth was material to [A&R’s] willingness to invest in the partnership,” 2023 E's complaint read.

Hoof Hearted’s complaint against A&R, filed six days later, describes the situation quite differently. To the brewery, A&R’s lawsuit was preemptive and “riddled with false allegations and misinterpretations” about Hoof Hearted’s conduct and the companies’ operations agreement.

The companies met in September 2023 to work through disagreements and modify the partnership, but Hoof Hearted claims A&R sued instead of mediating in good faith. 

“What remains clear is that [Hoof Hearted] and 2023 E are now at an irreconcilable deadlock, rendering it impracticable to carry on the Company’s activities in conformity with the Operating Agreement.”

Hoof Hearted claims its relationship with A&R began to fall apart in late 2021, when the restaurant group began “utterly failing to fulfill its financial commitments.” The brewery claims A&R did not reimburse alcohol production costs and poorly managed the Italian Village location. Meanwhile, Hoof Hearted asserts, A&R began to invest in a competing brewery concept – Yellow Springs Brewery Taproom and Kitchen.  

Both parties have denied the other’s allegations. Hoof Hearted said it never expanded operations beyond the limit outlined in the agreement, but that even if it did, the agreement did not require A&R be automatically looped in; rather, the expansion clauses in their agreement only applied to the joint venture.