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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A doctor from Oregon accused of running a “pill mill” out of Franklin County was indicted in common pleas court and faces a judge Wednesday afternoon.

According to court documents, Dr. Mark Fettman, of Portland, Oregon, is accused of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, including knowingly trafficking narcotics, out of an office space in the 6100 block of Busch Boulevard, just off State Route 161 in north Columbus.

Man charged after punching, cracking school bus window in road rage incident

On October 15, 2021, a search warrant was executed as part of a long-term investigation of Fettman, who is facing 147 total felony charges, including 137 counts of drug trafficking.

Documents state that beginning in November of 2019 and continuing well into 2021, Fettman, 76, was operating a “pill mill” after the State of Ohio began receiving complaints of his alleged practices. An investigation into Fettman includes recordings and reports of an undercover investigator meeting with the doctor at his clinic on Busch Blvd.

Authorities believe that Fettman knowingly conducted office-based opioid treatment without complying with requirements of Ohio Admin. Code Rule 4731-33-03, which includes guidelines and regulations as it pertains to treatment for opioid addiction.  Fettman reportedly operated his clinic two days a month, when he saw patients and prescribed the maximum legal dosage of buprenorphine, a Schedule III opioid.

Fettman then allegedly accepted cash payments and money orders in the amount of $290 and did not accept patient insurance.

The undercover investigator stated that Fettman told him, “When you see me, I’d like you to pay me right off the bat,” before receiving a prescription for Suboxone.

Ohio bill seeks to stop property tax hikes

Fettman was arrested on Oct. 15, 2021. Two weeks ago, he was indicted on 137 counts of drug trafficking, nine counts of money laundering, and one count of engaging in corrupt activity.

An arraignment hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Mikey's Late Night Slice, the Columbus pizza empire known for its New York-style pies, is launching two new central Ohio eateries in former Weenie Wonder locations that closed earlier this year.

The pizza joint is taking over the Weenie locations that once served hot dogs and milkshakes next to Pins Mechanical Co. at Easton Town Center and in Dublin's Bridge Park. Mikey's is partnering with Rise Brands, the parent company of Pins, to launch the eateries, presenting the "opportunity to unite two staples for a perfect night out -- pizza and games."

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"We're excited to team up with Rise Brands to introduce Mikey's to even more pizza lovers in the Columbus region," said Mikey Sorboro, founder of Mikey's, in a release. "Our partnership with Rise aligns with our mission to create memorable experiences for our guests. We can't wait to share our signature pizza with the Dublin and Easton communities."

Weenie had opened at Bridge Park in 2022 followed by the Easton location in 2023. (Courtesy Photo/Weenie Wonder for Rise Brands)

Mikey's is swooping in after Weenie abruptly closed both locations in February, which were also operated by Rise Brands. Weenie had opened at Bridge Park in 2022 followed by the Easton location in 2023. The company said the decision to close was part of a “strategic realignment” to focus its resources on the rapid growth of other brands in its portfolio. 

"We hold ourselves and our brands to a very high standard to deliver exceptional guest experiences. Even though we strongly believe in the Weenie Wonder brand, unfortunately, the economic model was not sustainable and the brand failed to meet our standards," said Troy Allen, CEO of Rise Brands, at the time.

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The company said, with Pins' reputation as a popular social gathering place offering activities like duckpin bowling, the addition of Mikey's offerings will further enhances the overall guest experience.

"Incorporating Mikey's into Pins is a no-brainer," said Allen in a release. "From the eclectic wall art to the classic music videos blasting on the screens, Mikey's perfectly complements Pins' lively atmosphere. We're thrilled to start this journey and expand Mikey's presence alongside Pins."

While an opening date has yet to be announced, both Mikey's will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily with potential for extended hours on weekends or during special events.

$180 million parking garage at John Glenn airport to be built on site of McDonald's

The expansion comes as Mikey's is also opening another location at University Square along High Street at 1839 Pearl Street this summer. The shop near Ohio State will be the flagship location for a new approach, targeting sites near college campuses in Ohio and elsewhere.

Mikey's restaurants dot neighborhoods across Columbus, including with a pizza-only food truck at Land Grant Brewing and a limited menu inside Hollywood Casino Columbus. The pizza shop also has one location in Cincinnati.

See an earlier report on the airport terminal plans in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A parking garage project costing nearly $180 million will be built on the site of a McDonald's at John Glenn International Airport to accompany its upcoming $2 billion terminal.

Ground is expected to be broken in early 2025 for the new terminal. Featuring 36 gates, it will be built where the cellphone and Blue parking lots currently sit. This project is meant to accommodate the region's growth, which the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission projects is on track to add hundreds of thousands of residents in the next decade.

Man charged after punching, cracking school bus window in road road incident

Columbus Regional Airport Authority's board voted Tuesday to approve a $179,837,160 contract for the parking garage on the site of the McDonald's at 4250 International Gateway. It will include 5,000 spaces and 100 electric vehicle charging stations.

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The garage will be connected to the current rental car facility and the new terminal by a pedestrian bridge.

"The driving force for the new garage is the construction of the new terminal," Tom McCarthy of the airport authority said. "We really want to have a garage that is walking distance."

The McDonald's is expected to be demolished this fall.

Ohio bill seeks to stop property tax hikes

McCarthy said a detailed schedule has not been developed for the garage, just to have it ready for the terminal's opening, expected by the end of the decade.

Awarded the contract was CK Construction Group. One point of emphasis for the project, McCarthy said, was diversity and inclusion. He said CK exceeded standards in that area.

"Diverse, small, women-owned firms are very important that we include them in these contracts," McCarthy said. "So, we developed a goal of 15% participation by diversity firms, and CK gave us a proposal and has now made a commitment to reach at least 20%."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A 25-year-old man is facing multiple charges after law enforcement officials claim he punched and broke the window of a school bus carrying more than 20 children in a fit of road rage.

On April 23, deputies were dispatched to the area of Sturbridge Road and Beacon Hill Road in Prairie Township after receiving a call around 3:30 p.m. of a road rage incident. A South-Western City Schools bus was traveling north on Sturbridge Road, attempting to turn east onto Beacon Hill Road, when a car drove out in front of the bus, according to Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Lowell Wood.

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The bus driver let the car go and proceeded to make a turn, when the car backed up to make a U-turn, almost hitting the bus, Wood said. The bus driver sounded her horn, then the man made a U-turn and pulled up next to the bus.

“He stopped right beside the bus on the driver side window, got out, yelled a couple things I believe to some of the students in the windows, and then began striking the bus with his fists,” Wood said.

The bus driver’s window was originally open, but she closed it as the man approached the bus, Wood said. The man struck the driver-side school bus window resulting in it cracking, then drove off. The bus driver and 22 students were not injured during the incident. 

“[The bus driver] felt that if she didn’t close the window that he might try to come through the window so she’s pretty upset and obviously the kids were upset,” Wood said. 

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

The suspect was located and arrested two days after the incident. He is charged with menacing, criminal damaging, disorderly conduct, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, and parking a vehicle in the roadway.

“We work very close with our administrators and trustees [in Prairie Township] along with our schools, so a lot of the deputies took it personal,” Wood said. “School should be a safe place and that starts from the time the kids get on the bus.”

The man allegedly responsible for the incident pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges on Friday and made bail. The charges come after a 2024 Forbes Advisor study claimed violent road rage incidents are on the rise nationwide, and ranked Ohio among the top 10 states in America with the most confrontational drivers. 

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When the sheriff’s office receives a call about road rage, it typically involves an incident on the freeway or street racing, according to Wood. He said this is the first time he witnessed a school bus being at the center of a road rage incident.

“I’ve never been personally dispatched to a school bus involving this kind of nature,” Wood said. “I’ve been on the road approximately 10 years and that’s the first I’ve seen of this.”

Wood said the sheriff’s office will continue to actively work to keep kids in the community safe, and he hopes the arrest shows students and parents the sheriff's office has their back.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Two overnight shootings in south Columbus late Tuesday night are under investigation and may be connected, according to police.

Just before 11:00 p.m. officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 700 block of East Gates Street in the Karns Park neighborhood. There, police said, a 16-year-old was found with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

Former girls basketball coach federally charged with sex crimes

Around 30 minutes later, police arrived at the 1500 block of Smith Road, approximately two miles southeast in the Milbrook neighborhood. The unidentified victim was also hospitalized in stable condition.

Police say they are investigating the incidents as being possibly connected, though do not have any information on suspects or what led to up to the shootings.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – “Ten! … Nine! … Eight!”

The date was July 3, and NBC4 – or WCMH, as it was primarily known at the time – was live on air at the 1983 Red, White & BOOM! But this night wasn’t just about fireworks, it was about a different way the sky would be lit up and the way it helped to show how Columbus’ Downtown skyline could glow in the generations to come.

Mona Scott with Doug Adair on WCMH on July 3, 1983

News Anchor Doug Adair was there, joined for the first time on WCMH by his co-anchor and wife, Mona Scott. Both had come to Columbus that year from Cleveland, where Adair was impressed with how the Terminal Tower had been lit. And he thought Columbus’ LeVeque Tower should appear the same. He mentioned it during Newswatch 4. He went and spoke to Katherine LeVeque, the tower’s owner. Plans were put in motion, LeVeque signed off on a one-night promotion, and the first of two weird yet wonderful connections that decade between the skyscraper and WCMH coalesced on the eve of Independence Day. 

“I was talking with some people last spring, and I happened to mention that you have a building here that looks very much like the Terminal Tower. When it was lighted at night a few years ago, it changed the whole feeling about downtown,” Adair told Columbus Monthly magazine. “So I thought, ‘Why not do that here?’”

And what better time than when more people are Downtown than any other night of the year. Red, White & BOOM! started in 1981, and just two years later, it was believed some 350,000 had gathered along the banks of the Scioto River for food, live music from the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and, of course, fireworks. With Adair and Scott joined on stage by LeVeque herself, the countdown was on, not for the fireworks to start, but for the culmination of “Light Up the LeVeque.”

“Seven! … Six! … Five!”

LeVeque Tower lighting installations from 1989, left, and the 2010s, right (Lea Smith and Sam Rosenthal)

Today, when people look up at the LeVeque after dark, they see a tower arrayed in lights that were put in place within the past decade. An all-LED display, they were part of a project overseen by architect Sam Rosenthal of Schooley Caldwell. He said the lights are controlled by a basement computer that sends signals to receivers on the 34th, 38th, 39th and 42nd floors and can make the lights appear in multiple color combinations. He can change them on his phone. They usually shine a warm white but can be altered for special occasions: pink in May for the Komen Race for the Cure, rainbow lighting in June for Pride Month and – for Red, White & BOOM! and throughout July – red, white and blue. The current lights replaced a 1989 installation.

“Prior to installing the LED lights, the tower lights were changed only monthly due to the cost and manual labor involved,” said Lea Smith of Lawyers Development Corp., who works with Rosenthal and the LeVeque’s current consortium of owners. “We purchased special order gels (plastic film sheets) that were manually attached to each exterior light fixture that generally took up to two days to apply. 

“Now, we can change them in minutes to light for just an hour – or minute, really.”

That previous generation of lighting featured high-pressure sodium bulbs. Tinting them required working through small service doors more than 30 stories above the intersection of Broad and Front streets. But it was work you could occasionally see, and not just for light gels. In 1987, for example, there was the time that WCMH put a giant inflatable gorilla on the outside of the LeVeque.

“Four! … Thr–”

An inflatable gorilla on the LeVeque Tower in Columbus, Ohio, in November 1987

OK, let’s pause the countdown for a moment. We have to talk about the Rax gorilla. 

Measuring 70 feet tall and weighing 2,900 pounds, it was the other big connection in the 1980s between WCMH and the LeVeque Tower. Undoubtedly, it was designed to make people wonder if what they were seeing was real. In Columbus, it was.

The gorilla was brought to town before a WCMH airing of the 1954 movie “Gorilla at Large,” a promotion that came from the people at Rax restaurants. Rax had Ohio roots, and its first modern incarnation, with its signature roast beef sandwiches, opened in Columbus in 1977. By the time of the chain’s peak in the mid-’80s, there were 500 locations in 38 states. Rax sponsored a five-city tour of the inflatable gorilla (which at one time had perched on New York’s Empire State Building, just like King Kong), with the other stops in Seattle, St. Louis, Minneapolis and Cincinnati. The movie featured future Perry Mason actor Raymond Burr, future Mrs. Robinson actor Anne Bancroft and, in a coincidence with the name of the future Columbus restaurateur, lead actor Cameron Mitchell. It was an early attempt at 3-D movie-making, and if you wanted glasses to watch the movie on your home console television, you had to get them at a Rax.

Watch: Rax and WCMH inflatable gorilla

The inflatable was bunched together, bound in ropes and brought by elevator to the 33rd floor of the LeVeque. It was then shoved out onto a ledge and the head hoisted up to the 46th floor by a winch. The idea was to inflate the gorilla the morning of Monday, Nov. 23 ahead of the airing that Friday, the night after Thanksgiving. But the weather had other ideas, and the gorilla was left draped over the exterior of the tower all day as high winds prevented its inflation. But early on Tuesday, the gorilla came to life, emblazoned with the logos of Channel 4 and Rax. You could see it everywhere. It was easy to do because it was daylight.

“Three! … Two! … One!”

The symphony provided the drumroll. The crowd provided the countdown. The energy was everywhere. 

But the electricity was not. The LeVeque remained dark.

The lit LeVeque Tower on July 3, 1983

“It  may take a couple of minutes,” Adair said over nervous applause and a concluding fanfare from the orchestra. “Some of these lights are of a different nature, and they have to warm up. … C’mon. C’mon, lights.”

Spotlights began sweeping the tower from street level, prompting more applause.

“They’ll get better as the night goes on,” Adair said.

But they never really did. The tower lights came on after several minutes. Rosenthal said that’s typical of high pressure sodium bulbs. Regarding the 1989 lighting he replaced, he said, “It took about 5-10 minutes to be full-on, but since the lights came on around sunset, it wasn't too apparent, and they were full strength by the time it was dark.” In other words, perhaps a countdown wasn’t the way to go. As for Adair after his monthslong campaign, it’s hard to tell how much the moment left him feeling like zero. He died in 2019 at age 89. Looking back later in 1983, he told Columbus Monthly, “The lights at the top came on fine, but there were floodlights that were supposed to come on, too. And they didn't. … Needless to say, the lighting company did not get paid.” Yet the moment never dimmed his prospects professionally. With Scott now beside him on the anchor desk, they soared to becoming the top news team in Columbus.

Watch: Countdown on Light Up the LeVeque

Although the LeVeque remains part of NBC4’s coverage every year of Red, White & BOOM!, it’s possible the two were never connected quite as closely in the collective Columbus memory as those two times that decade: the lights that never turned on, the gorilla that stopped a city cold. And like the latter promotion, which came together the day after it was originally scheduled, lights eventually came to the LeVeque Tower, too. By 1989, with newer Downtown towers lighting up at night, Katherine LeVeque joined in, and that August, the switch was flipped on the installation that stayed in place until Rosenthal oversaw his 21st-century upgrade. Look up tonight, and you can see it still.

For Adair, LeVeque and for everyone in Columbus, in the end, they all saw the lights.

LeVeque Tower in Columbus, Ohio, in July 2022 (Carolyn Yaussy/NBC4)

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Mostly sunny, high 82
• Tonight: Mostly clear, low 57
• Thursday: Mainly sunny, iso. storm, high 84
• Friday: PM rain & storms, high 82
• Saturday: AM showers, clearing, high 75
• Sunday: Partly sunny, spotty showers, high 77

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Wednesday!

We've got a beautiful forecast today and tomorrow. Expect highs to warm back into the lower 80s, under mainly sunny skies. Just a few clouds out this afternoon, and just a slight breeze. Outside of a very isolated sprinkle chance, we remain dry.

Then for our Thursday, the nice weather persists! Expect mostly sunny skies, with highs warming into the middle 80s. We'll be looking at an isolated storm or two across the region, mainly into the afternoon.

For Friday, we start dry, but our next cold front pushes in later in the day, bringing showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening. Highs stick in the lower 80s.

That shower activity continues overnight and into Saturday morning, then gradually clears up into the afternoon. Highs drop back to the middle 70s.

We'll see a few spotty shower chances on Sunday, but far from a washout, and not a day to cancel plans over. Highs top out in the upper 70s into the end of the weekend.

-McKenna

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A former high school girls basketball coach accused of engaging in sexual activity with two of his underage students is now facing federal charges.

Jason Dawson, 35, was charged Tuesday with the sexual exploitation of a minor and the distribution, receipt, and/or possession of child pornography by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Ohio.

According to the affidavit, Dawson, a former girls basketball coach at Worthington Christian High School in Westerville, allegedly filmed himself having sex with both victims on multiple occasions between 2020 and 2022, leading to federal charges.

Both victims -- former students and players under Dawson -- were under the age of 18 at the time the alleged sexual activities took place, the affidavit said.

Dawson was arrested and charged with 10 counts of sexual battery in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. He waived his arraignment on those charges and remains free after posting bond last Friday. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Dawson, who moved to North Carolina in 2022, was extradited to Columbus to face the charges against him.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Are workers in central Ohio prepared for a career shift? The nonprofit Columbus Urban League (CUL) is shifting its programming to make sure the clients it serves are ready for an influx of new industries.

The vice president of programming with the Columbus Urban League said a survey of 3,500 clients and potential clients revealed that a large percentage are interested in the opportunities heading to central Ohio. 

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"We listen to what the community has to say, and we also listen at the policy and political level as decisions are being made as policies are changing," Jeaneen Hooks, vice president of programming for the Columbus Urban League, said. 

The survey revealed several specific industries of interest including engineering, technology and the manufacturing space. 

With that information, the team at CUL is working to modify existing programming to include more specialized training, early exposure to these clients' paths through bus tours and speakers as well as introducing certification programs. 

The agency is in the process of securing grants and according to Hooks, the program shift will cost a little more than $1 million but Hooks said it will be money well spent.

"It's going to be all hands on deck for the city of Columbus," Hooks said. "But I believe we’re the right people at the right time that can make this happen."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Adults of legal drinking age could soon be able to walk around parts of downtown Columbus and Franklinton with a drink in hand.

On Monday, Columbus City Council approved the implementation of DORA—which stands for designated outdoor refreshment area – for parts of Downtown. The state still needs to approve this idea before it can officially start.

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Isabella Haugh is the kitchen manager at Bostons in the Arena District. Right now, the district’s DORA is only allowed on event nights. Haugh said she’s seen the impact.

“We get so many more groups of people coming in now because, as you see, we kind of are a little limited with our seating,” Haugh said. “So the DORA has been awesome just to see more faces.”

She thinks it’s smart of the city to expand the DORA to Downtown and Franklinton.

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“I think it's a great opportunity for all the local businesses in the area, just going to give everybody more opportunities to meet more customers,” Haugh said.

The new rules would allow people to drink alcohol in an approved DORA cup from participating vendors and walk within the boundaries, which will stretch from Fourth Street into Franklinton.

It’s being called the Center City DORA. Madison Cole, the director of communications for Downtown Columbus Inc., thinks it will make the city more walkable and will bring more vibrancy to these areas of the city.

“This is something we heard directly from the community, that Downtown had done a really good job with events and festivals, but there needs to be more daily, consistent activity and the DORA does just that,” Cole said.

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Spokespeople for Hilliard and Gahanna, which have established DORAs, said they have not dealt with bad behavior related to the policies.

“We actually feel like the DORA is going to do a great job enhancing the sense of safety because there's going to be more people walking around,” Cole said.

The DORA would operate seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. If approved by the state, it will take effect on May 24.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – There are at least a dozen bills at the statehouse to bring Ohioans property tax relief and one took a step forward on Tuesday afternoon by passing the House Ways and Means Committee by a 10-6 vote. 

“We want people to be able to thrive and live in their homes and not be taxed out of their homes,” Representative Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) said. 

Representatives Mathews and Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) are sponsoring House Bill 344, to eliminate “replacement property tax levies.”

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“We want there to be transparency,” Mathews said. 

When one goes to the polls, there are several different property tax levies they could see on their ballot. A “renewal levy” reinstates an already existing one, a “renewal with an increase,” reinstates an already existing one with an increase, and a “replacement” recalculates property taxes owed based on the latest valuation of one’s home, oftentimes resulting in an increase. 

“Almost every replacement levy results in a tax increase to homeowners,” Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee Representative Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) said. 

“These are the types of taxes that people can’t get away from and it functions almost like a capital gain,” Mathews said. “Your house is the same, it is providing the same benefit to you, but you’re being taxed at an increased rate.” 

Lawmakers said they want to get rid of replacement levies because most times, voters don’t know it will cause an increase, or do not have the time to research each levy to figure that out. 

“When you’re voting on a levy that’s not going to increase your property taxes and you find out some months later it did, that can be devastating,” Roemer said. “That can be a couple hundred dollars a month.” 

Roemer said in the state’s November election, replacement levies passed at an 89% rate across the state, and renewal with increased levies passed at an 86% rate.  

“The passing rates are almost the same, but the information and transparency is much more prevalent with renewal with increase,” he said. 

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The ranking member of the committee, Representative Daniel Troy (D-Willowick) said replacement levies not only increase property taxes but can sometimes shift more of the burden onto property owners.   

“Once you go to replacement levies, you have wiped out any state participation in helping the local taxpayer,” Troy said. 

While he said he is generally supportive of the elimination, he said a clarification in the replacement levy law might be better than an elimination. He stated he thinks requiring that the replacement levy spell out exactly what that would mean for property taxes is a good middle ground. 

“So, if you want to do a replacement levy, you can do it, but let’s eliminate any possibilities of deceiving the voters on this,” Troy said. 

House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said he is supportive of HB344, and it will “probably” get a House vote next week. 

“A replacement levy is probably the most complex levy to determine what it’ll cost taxpayers,” he said. “It’s really a truth-in-advertising kind of bill.”

Troy said, he generally does not have a problem with that portion of the bill, it is another piece of the legislation he takes issue with. In July 2022, House Bill 126 became effective. The law intended to “limit a political subdivision from filing a property tax valuation complaint against property it does not own.” 

But in Columbus, some entities found a loophole. HB344 aims to close that, by eliminating any work-around, like a hired third party filing that complaint. 

“It says even if you’re associated with a school district, social service agency or township, you can’t file with an individual or business to have their property tax increase,” Roemer said. 

“I’ve always been a firm believer that you don’t change the law in 88 counties to address a problem in one,” Troy said. “It’s like everything else with property taxes, it is extremely confusing, extremely complex.” 

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Troy called that part of the bill “dangerous,” as he said if large commercial property values cannot be challenged when they are undervalued, he worries it will shift the burden to every-day homeowners. 

“This is more of the tax shifting because we are protecting large commercial properties and lowering their tax burden, which basically shifts that tax burden to residential homeowners,” he said. “I don’t want to see anybody overburdened by the property tax system, but I also don’t want to see anyone under burdened at the expense of those who are being overburdened.”
 

Troy said that portion of the legislation is where he and his democrat colleagues on the committee took the most issue with. But he said he is confident that the conversations about that provision will continue in the Senate. 

In the meantime, Troy said he wants to work on a more comprehensive approach to help give Ohio property owners more relief, rather than putting “a band-aid here and a band-aid there.” 

If HB344 does pass the House, it will need to go through the Senate committee process and pass there too before ultimately heading to the governor’s desk. 

HB344 will not provide for immediate property tax relief to Ohioans, but Mathews said this bill is not the end of the conversation. 

“This bill does a great job of setting the stage in the future, so our voters have the power to control property taxes going into the future,” he said. “However, we’ll continue to work on more immediate relief too.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Do you ever feel like your email inbox has been overtaken by endless, unwanted messages? Emails bombarding you with limited-time offers, deals, and savings, or ads for new products, none of which you need or asked for?

As annoying as they may be, and as tempting as it may be to "unsubscribe" from them, clicking that link could lead to an even bigger problem.

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While some of those messages are legitimate, from established companies hoping to gain new customers, Virtual Chief Information Security Officer Jerod Brennen said scammers also use those emails as an avenue to gain access to your personal information.

"If you see anything that looks off, then maybe it's a scammer who's adding that or using this unsubscribe attack," Brennen said.

The way it works is pretty simple: cybercriminals create emails that offer you the option to cancel a subscription. Instead, the link leads you to an unsafe site or installs malware onto your device, just by clicking on a link.

So, before you click, Brennen suggested hovering over the link.

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"So, when you see the word 'unsubscribe' and you put your mouse over it, before you click, it's going to show you where that link goes," Brennen said.

Also, take a closer look at where the email originated.

"If you've got an email that's landed in your inbox and it says it's from an organization that you don't remember signing up for, but then, when you look at the email address, it's a Gmail address, maybe that's a red flag that says this isn't something that I can trust," Brennen said.

You can also take a different approach, like Brennen.

Need help? Contact ‘Better Call 4’

"I've created a folder in my inbox that I call 'Unsubscribe' and I've created a rule, that if I see the word 'unsubscribe' in email, I automatically put them in my folder," Brennen said. "And then, what I can do, instead of unsubscribing, I can select all the emails in that inbox, glance at them, see if there are any I might be interested in, and if the answer's 'no,' select all, delete. And then, the attacker never gets the chance to target me with that attack because I never opened the email."

Antivirus company Norton offers additional information about the scam here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Homelessness is at an all-time high in central Ohio, according to the Community Shelter Board (CSB), which revealed statistics Tuesday morning from the January 2024 point-in-time homeless count.

Leaders from CSB, as well as various partner organizations, presented the numbers to a group at the First English Lutheran Church. The church, which served as a warming center during the winter months, can house up to 70 people at one time.

It is thanks, in part, to shelters like First English Lutheran that the CSB says this year’s point-in-time count did show progress. However, they warn the report may not fully capture the true scope of the issue in central Ohio.

"It increased. Although nominal, it increased. Meaning we're seeing another record-breaking year of homelessness," Shannon Isom, president and CEO of the Community Shelter Board, said.

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The CSB said this year's report shows their strategies for addressing unsheltered homelessness are working. The number of unsheltered single adults decreased, while the number of single adults using shelters and transitional housing rose.

But the report brought to light a concerning shift, with 47% more people experiencing chronic homelessness; particularly those in unsheltered conditions. "Our shelters are full. They're burgeoning. We must think of a different way in which we think of 'first housing,'" Isom said

Point-in-time counts are conducted yearly with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This year's report also revealed mixed data on homelessness impacting families, youth, veterans, and those experiencing domestic violence.

"We must respond," Isom said. "And we must respond with a level of quickness that doesn't have anyone moving through homelessness more than once, more than a quick stay, more than a touchstone to get to the next. That is our goal."

Diane Shelley, the Great Lakes regional administrator for HUD, said there is a 2025 budget proposal with money to address the need for things like non-congregate shelters, permanent supportive housing, and prevention and diversion efforts.

"Our Washington D.C. office is equipped to crunch these numbers and they will get a readout," Shelley said. "I also listen to what are the needs of the community. How can we be better partners? And that goes into the development of policy."

Man, 19, charged with murder in fight outside Waffle House near Ohio State campus

Isom said the displacement of families and the 400 affected household at places like Colonial Village, are also contributing to the deteriorating housing infrastructure. And as more business and economic development comes to the area, the development of affordable housing needs to keep pace.

"We want developers to come in here and look at this as a place they can do business, a place which they can maybe raise their family, a place in which they can also stake claim to the business of developing housing," Isom said. "What we haven't seen in earnest, is that part for the affordable housing piece. The Community Shelter Board leans into that and wants to see that."

Leaders from the First English Lutheran Church say they're working to make the church a more year-round shelter. Last year, the CSB says more than 600 people were sheltered in one of four alternate locations -- like First English -- offering a smaller footprint for couples and pets.

However, Isom said with central Ohioans now facing sky-high rent hikes, creating more permanent, affordable housing is the best way to solve the housing crisis. The Community Shelter Board leads a coordinated community effort to ensure everyone has a place to call home in Columbus and Franklin County.

For more information on the CSB, its mission, and its services, click here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person has been upgraded from critical condition after a shooting Tuesday afternoon in southwest Columbus.

A police dispatcher said that reports of a shooting at the 600 block of Galli Court came in just before 4 p.m. Officers went to the address, which is located just south of the Lincoln Park West area, and found one person suffering from a gunshot wound.

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The victim was taken to Grant Medical Center in critical condition, but is now listed in a stable condition, police at the scene said.

Police said one suspect is still at large.

Watch a previous NBC4 report on H.B. 68 in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Franklin County judge has extended a temporary block against a law banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth, as Attorney General Dave Yost is challenging the judge in the Ohio Supreme Court.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook extended the temporary restraining order on Tuesday to block House Bill 68 through May 20, after initially halting the measure for two weeks on April 16. The legislation would prohibit Ohio’s children’s hospitals from providing treatment like hormone therapy to trans minors, and was originally set to take effect on April 24.

Tuesday's extension comes shortly after Yost filed an emergency motion with the Ohio Supreme Court on April 22, arguing that Holbrook "overstepped his judicial authority" when he issued the initial two-week restraining order. Yost argues Holbrook "acted beyond the scope of his power" because the law contains several other provisions beyond gender-affirming care, like also banning trans athletes' participation in women's sports.

"One judge from one county does not have more power than the governor's veto pen," Yost said, asking the state's Supreme Court to "narrow the injunction and order Holbrook to act within the limits of his judicial authority."

Yost said it was "illegal" for Holbrook to place the entire law on hold when "the plaintiffs in the case include just two families who are affected by only certain medical provisions of the law." The attorney general's office also argued "judicial rules for common pleas courts state that preliminary injunctions can be broad only enough to protect the plaintiffs in a case."

The restraining order follows a lawsuit by the ACLU against the measure filed in March on behalf of two families whose children are at risk of losing access to their healthcare. The legal challenge came after the Statehouse overrode Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of the legislation. DeWine decided to reject the bill after visiting several children’s hospitals, arguing "parents should make these decisions and not the government."

The ACLU had previously argued H.B. 68's multiple provisions are what make the law unconstitutional. The organization said the law violates the Ohio Constitution’s single-subject rule, requiring bills to only be about one topic. The two measures had been separate bills before Ohio House legislators combined them in June last year.

"It is not lost upon this court that the general assembly was unable to pass the [gender-affirming care] portion of the act separately, and it was only upon the logrolling in the [women's sports] provisions that it was able to pass," said Holbrook in his April 16 ruling.

For an earlier report on this story view the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man charged in the fatal shooting of a woman near New Albany has been extradited back to Ohio after being arrested over 400 miles east of Columbus.

According to court records, 36-year-old Ryan Polk was arraigned on murder charges after being returned to Columbus from Springfield, Va., where he was arrested nearly one month ago.

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Polk, who fled central Ohio five days after the Feb. 23 murder of 31-year-old Morgan Bruster, was arrested on March 4, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. He was taken into custody while attempting to drive away from authorities and held in the Fairfax County Jail until his extradition.

Bruster was found with a gunshot wound on Feb. 23 and was pronounced dead at 6:58 p.m. after medics arrived. Officers were at the residence in the 7000 block of Stapleton Drive in the Central College neighborhood near New Albany, Ohio for a well-being check.

An investigation led authorities to Polk, who faced a Franklin County Municipal Court judge Tuesday morning. Polk was issued a $2 million bond along with a temporary protection order. He is next scheduled to appear in court on May 9 for a preliminary hearing.

Previous reports can be seen in the player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A 19-year-old has been issued an arrest warrant and faces a murder charge in connection to a fight outside a restaurant near Ohio State University early Monday morning.

Franklin County Municipal court documents state that Jaquan Curry was identified as the suspect in Monday's shooting outside a Waffle House restaurant on North High Street in the University District. The shooting occurred at around 2:30 a.m. outside the business where a fight between 15 and 20 people concluded with the death of 38-year-old Ronald Diggs.

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Court records state that Curry has been issued an arrest warrant and has been charged with murder. A witness at the scene identified him as the suspect with court records stating Curry reportedly punched a man before pulling out a gun and shooting Diggs.

In Dec. 2022, he was charged with using weapons while intoxicated, per court records.

Diggs was found on the sidewalk shot in the chest in front of Midway bar and restaurant, a couple of buildings north on North High St. across from the Ohio Union on campus. Diggs was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead at 3:06 a.m. Two other people were injured during the fight and treated at a local hospital.

The deadly shooting is the second of its kind at this location over a span of 53 weeks, when Deijon Bedgood was killed after a fight broke out between two groups of people. Raymond Ladd and Shemar Franklin were arrested for Bedgood's murder and are still awaiting trial.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Guy Fieri, the celebrity chef whose inaugural Flavortown Festival was set for Columbus then canceled, has announced the name of his new restaurant opening in central Ohio.

The Ohio-born restaurateur is launching an Italian concept named "Guy Fieri's Trattoria" inside Scioto Downs at 6000 S. High Street, the casino announced on social media. While the new eatery has yet to announce an opening date, a Scioto Downs spokesperson previously said Fieri's new Columbus concept will begin welcoming patrons this spring.

"It's a true homecoming to bring my latest concept to the area," said Fieri in a release. "Being from an Italian family, classic Italian American fare has always been a part of my life and I’m stoked to bring those real deal flavors to Scioto Downs."

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The trattoria is set to feature "an old-school Italian feel polished with textured glass screens, rustic wood finishes, an open pizza & pasta prep station and gallery walls," the spokesperson said. An application filed by Dublin-based Pepper Construction states the restaurant's plans call for interior demolition, build out and all new finishes within the casino.

Menu offerings will include Italian staples such as primetime meatballs, pasta fagioli, chicken parmigiana and 68-layer homemade lasagna. The space will include two main dining areas, a private dining room and a lounge-like bar.

The opening of Trattoria could've coincided with the inaugural Flavortown Festival, a weekend-long Columbus event spearheaded by Fieri, but the festival was canceled earlier this year due to "unforeseen circumstances." The event was scheduled for June 1 and 2 at The Lawn at CAS with rock band Greta Van Fleet and country star Kane Brown as the festival's headline performers.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Fest, initially planned for June 1-2 in Columbus, Oh, has been canceled," a spokesperson said in a statement to NBC4 at the time. "Thank you to all our Flavortown Fest fans for understanding and your support along this journey."

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The spokesperson said organizers were issuing full refunds to everyone who purchased passes.

The festival promised a fusion of food and funk, embodying Fieri’s dynamic personality and charitable ethos. Along with the Mayor of Flavortown himself, the festival would have featured eats and experiences from some of Guy’s favorite Triple D restaurants from the Columbus area and around the country while offering the ultimate experience for foodies.

Fieri's restaurant group is home to 17 "Flavortown Hot Spot" concepts, including a taco joint, sandwich shop, pizza parlor, chophouse and a smokehouse. Born in Columbus in 1968, Fieri briefly operated a ghost kitchen concept named Flavortown Kitchen in Ohio's capital city that closed in 2023.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – In voting to end a spousal rape loophole, the Ohio Senate last week completed a 40-year campaign to fully criminalize sexual violence in the context of marriage. But the legislature has a long way to go before state laws truly center survivors, advocates say.

The Senate unanimously passed House Bill 161 on Wednesday, making it a crime for people to drug and sexually assault their spouses. Iterations of the bill had been introduced since 1985 but had never made it to the floor of either chamber until this past November.  

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“After so many years – I mean, we’re talking decades of this trying to pass – really, I don’t know that many of us were expecting for it to fully pass in the Senate in spring,” Emily Gemar, public policy director at the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (OAESV), said.

Closing the spousal rape loophole was atop the legislative priorities for OAESV. With HB161 awaiting the governor’s signature, Gemar said OAESV has leveled its aim on other bills working through the legislature that the alliance hopes pass before the end of the year.

Addressing survivors’ housing needs

One such bill is House Bill 143, which would allow survivors of sexual and domestic violence to break their leases without penalty, or change their locks if their perpetrator lives with them. Housing needs are often thought of in the context of domestic violence, Gemar said, but survivors of sexual assault can face similarly immediate safety concerns. 

About 11% of women survivors in the U.S. reported being assaulted in their homes, according to a 2020 National Sexual Violence Resource Center report. But survivors of sexual assault by someone other than an intimate partner are often ineligible for resources geared toward domestic violence survivors, which can include access to a safe shelter or housing assistance.

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Survivors can be stalked by their perpetrators, Gemar said, presenting a pressing safety risk. The physical and emotional toll of sexual violence can also rack up healthcare costs or impact a survivor’s ability to maintain employment, making them particularly vulnerable to housing insecurity.

Gemar said upward of 80% of survivors needing to relocate are unable to do so, primarily due to a lack of funding and options. Housing insecurity alone makes a person vulnerable to sexual violence, Gemar said – and revictimization of survivors is something OAESV “never wants to see.”

“We want to see people be able to recover, to be able to pursue whatever treatment or healing or care that they need,” Gemar said.

Since being introduced by Rep. Michele Grim (D-Toledo) last March, HB143 – also called the Ohio Safe Homes Act – has not received a committee hearing.

Outlawing unconscious, nonconsensual intimate exams

House Bill 89 is similar to HB161, Gemar said, in that it provides a “simple fix” to an obvious loophole in Ohio law: the allowance of medical providers and students to perform pelvic exams on unconscious or anesthetized patients without seeking explicit consent.

The performance of pelvic and other intimate exams on unconscious patients has for decades been a standard practice in teaching and research hospitals – with many studies finding more than half of medical students being instructed to perform such an exam. Gemar said such an exam, without the knowledge or consent of a patient, is not only retraumatizing for survivors of sexual assault but traumatizing in and of itself.

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HB89 would require, in most circumstances, medical professionals to obtain specific, informed consent before performing a pelvic, rectal or prostate exam on an unconscious or anesthetized patient.

“It’s the year 2024. We have a lot of options for how we teach medical students and other healthcare-focused students how to do these exams, and a critical part of learning about how to care for patients should be walking patients through an informed consent process,” Gemar said.

HB89, introduced by Reps. Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus) and Brett Hillyer (R-Uhrichsville), has not received a committee hearing in nearly a year.

Statutes of limitations reforms

Modifying or eliminating civil and criminal statutes of limitations remains a main policy goal for OAESV and sexual violence prevention advocates. Advocates saw limited success in the fall, when the legislature passed the Scout’s Honor Act to waive the statutes of limitations so survivors of abuse in the Boy Scouts of America could recoup the full settlement amount they were owed by the bankrupted organization.

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House Bill 124 would eliminate the statute of limitation for criminal prosecutions of rape and greatly extend the limitation period for civil complaints of childhood sexual abuse. Its only committee hearing happened in October, and its sponsors, Rep. Tavia Galonski and Jessica Miranda, have both left the House.

OAESV has advocated for statutes of limitations reforms for years and will continue to do so, Gemar said. 

“We know that it empowers survivors to come forward and report their abuse and seek justice,” she said.

ORIENT, Ohio (WCMH) -- Couples are now saying "I do" at a new central Ohio upscale wedding venue, complete with 12 acres of picturesque land, an on-site floral shop and a 19th-century dairy barn renovated into an Airbnb-type living space. 

The property is home to a 14,000-square-foot barn venue for up to 350 guests. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)

White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient, about 20 minutes southwest of downtown Columbus. The new property marks the second wedding venue for owner Angela Norman, who opened Stone Valley Meadows north of Cincinnati in 2019. 

"The Columbus location is designed to be a more all-inclusive experience," said Norman. "We felt like Columbus was a strong market that could handle a luxury barn experience."

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The property is home to a 14,000-square-foot barn venue for up to 350 guests featuring a great room with 35-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers and two dance floors. Off the main space sits a lounge area opening to a covered porch for ceremonies, cocktail hours, or an additional location for mingling. The building also includes a salon-style bridal suite. 

• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)

A historic 1800s dairy barn renovated and refurbished into a living space for friends and family of the wedding party is also on site. The Airbnb-type space sprawls two floors and 5,000 square feet with a honeymoon suite, several bedrooms, three bathrooms, two bars and a kitchenette. Opening up from the upstairs lounge is a large deck overlooking the property's oak trees. 

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Norman said the dairy barn sleeps 14, but up to 45 friends and family are welcome to join the wedding party in the space to continue the celebration. 

"[The dairy barn] is designed to keep the party going," Norman said. "It’s very important to us that brides and grooms have a place to fellowship after the wedding because the time really flies by quickly."

• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)
• White Willow Meadows is now available for booking at 10260 Ballah Rd. in Orient. (Courtesy Photo/Alyssa Matt Photography)

Rounding out the property is the on-site floral shop, complete with exotic flowers and lush greenery. The space can host up to 24 guests and is available for smaller celebrations, including bridal showers, baby showers, and brunch. 

White Willow also offers engagement photo sessions, wedding rehearsals, and more. Norman said packages are customizable so brides and grooms can pick the amenities and experiences for their celebration.

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"The bride and groom have flexibility to utilize the space and to focus on what’s most important for them," Norman said.