Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – This week on the Sunday Briefing:

• Ohio lawmakers are back at work and redistricting is at the top of their agenda.

“We are a plus-eight Republican County, so we should have some kind of an advantage there,” Ohio Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Montgomery County) said.

“They are targeting these candidates because the directive is coming not from Columbus, not from the governor’s mansion, but straight from the White House,” Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) said.

Will Ohioans get fair maps this time around?

• Is Kratom a miracle supplement or a dangerous drug?

“It helps with pain, but it helps people get off pharmaceutical drugs,” Life of Kratom CEO Jack Smith said.

“It has an opiate-type effect and it just makes you feel miserable afterwards,” Maryhaven’s Adam Jurich said.

The distinction that could influence how it is regulated at the state and federal levels.

• Culture war clashes are playing out in classrooms across America.

“It takes attention and resources away from learning,” Ohio State political science professor Vladimir Kogan said.

Hear the findings of a new study that show children are often left behind when culture issues invade the classroom.

• Democratic strategist Morgan Harper and longtime Republican strategist Terry Casey join the all-star roundtable to debate Ohio’s redistricting battle and privacy concerns as more police departments add drones.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- There was no doubt that Ohio State would beat Grambling State and keep its No. 1 ranking as poll voters were impressed with the 70-0 win on Saturday.

The Buckeyes (2-0) will head into Week 3 of the college football season with the top ranking in the coaches poll, remaining ahead of Big Ten rivals Penn State. First-place votes were overwhelmingly in favor of Ohio State with the team collecting 62 of the 67 available top votes.

What we learned from No. 1 Ohio State’s 70-0 win over Grambling State

While no top-ten teams lost in Week 2, a stark contrast to four of them falling in Week 1, many ranked teams and playoff hopefuls dipped with defeats on Saturday. Arizona State, Florida, and SMU all fell to unranked opposition.

Two teams joined the top-25 with none more significant than South Florida, who beat Boise State and Florida to start the season.

2025 USA Today coaches rankings (Sept. 7, 2025) 1Ohio State (62)2Penn State (4)3Georgia4LSU (1)5Oregon6Miami7Texas8Notre Dame9Illinois10South Carolina11Clemson12Florida State13Ole Miss14Iowa State15Tennessee16Oklahoma17Texas A&M18Alabama19Indiana20Texas Tech21Utah22Michigan23South Florida24Arizona State25BYU

A loss this early in the season does not totally eliminate these teams from playoff contention but makes life much harder. Ohio State's projected No. 1 spot in the 12-team College Football playoff bracket is safe but its potential opponent will likely keep changing week-to-week.

The Buckeyes are now projected to play No. 8 Notre Dame and No. 9 Illinois in the quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl.

Projected playoff bracket using coaches poll

The Buckeyes will conclude non-conference play on Saturday when they host the Ohio Bobcats. It has been over 100 years since Ohio State has lost to an in-state opponent as the Bobcats enter the 7 p.m. contest in Columbus after beating West Virginia for the first time since 1949.

Saturday's game will be broadcast exclusively on Peacock, a streaming service owned by NBC and not NBC4's parent company Nexstar.

COLUMBUS (WCMH) -- A warm, muggy Labor Day holiday on Sept. 7, 2020, suddenly turned stormy around the time many were planning an evening of barbequing and outdoor activities. At 5:14 p.m., as tornado sirens sounded, a tornado touched down 4 miles east of Delaware. Maximum winds reached 80 mph, as the storm traveled 3.4 miles, with a damage path up to 150 yards wide.

The short-lived tornado likely crossed Alum Creek Lake, before lifting several minutes later. Fortunately, no injuries occurred, but trees were toppled along Jumper Road and Old South State Road, and a roof was partly lifted off. Tornado warnings briefly extended into parts of northern Franklin and Licking counties, though no further touchdowns occurred.

Second tornado season in autumn

Although we think of tornado season as primarily a spring and early summer time to monitor the skies for severe weather, storms have touched down in every month of the year.

A brief second tornado season is not uncommon in late autumn, when cold air from Canada meets up with lingering summer warmth and humidity along a surface boundary or front. A strong jet stream provides the necessary wind shear--winds turning with height and gaining speed--for rotating, or supercell, thunderstorms.

National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Campbell explains how tornadoes can occur outside of the traditional tornado season in the video below.

In 2024, a record 74 tornadoes were observed in Ohio, including 2 touchdowns on Sept. 24, and a final storm in Union Co. on Dec. 29.

So far in 2025, Ohio has recorded 28 tornadoes, a little above the average of 22 for an entire year. Most of the tornadoes this year have been rated EF0 (65-85 mph) or EF1 (86-110 mph), causing relatively light damage.

Five tornadoes touched down in March, 11 in April , none in May, then 5 in June and July each. Two small tornadoes were reported overnight on Aug. 12-13. The strongest tornado this year reached EF2 intensity (120 mph winds) in Paulding Co. on April 2.

Three of the five most active years in Ohio have happened since 2019. In 2023, 60 tornadoes were tallied in the Buckeye State, and 49 were observed in 2019.

• 2024 62
• 1992 62
• 2023 60
• 2019 49
• 1973 48

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A traffic stop with a vehicle believed to be involved in a hit-skip escalated between the suspect and arresting officers, resulting in multiple charges filed.

According to a criminal complaint, Hilliard police initiated a traffic stop Thursday at 4:10 p.m. in the Scioto Trace area, near Dublin Road in west Columbus. Officers were investigating a suspected hit-skip on Cemetery Road in Hilliard and traced a Jeep Cherokee to the home of 38-year-old Grant Wachtelhausen.

Hilliard police report that Wachtelhausen first threatened an officer over the phone, saying, “I will murder you,” before he was detained.

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Wachtelhausen then allegedly became combative with the arresting officer before the officer who talked to Wachtelhausen over the phone arrived to assist. It was then that Wachtelhausen allegedly spit in the assisting officer’s face and said later that he had “AIDS and herpes.”

Charged with harassment and failure to stop at the scene of an accident, Wachtelhausen pleaded not guilty and was issued a $2,500 bond in Franklin County Municipal Court.

Hilliard police also requested a court-ordered bodily fluid test, according to court records.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is dead after a crash early Sunday morning on an east Columbus highway.

Columbus police said the driver of a Kia was going south on Interstate 270 north of East Main Street at 2:24 a.m. The car left the road and hit a guardrail and light pole before coming to a rest.

Police seeking leads in 2020 east Columbus homicide

The driver of the Kia was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:38 a.m. The Columbus Police accident investigation unit is investigating the cause of the crash. Anyone with information can contact the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The 2020 murder of a man found shot dead inside his vehicle while parked in east Columbus remains unsolved, and police are asking for the public’s assistance.

According to police, officers were called to the 800 block of Wellington Boulevard, in the Shepard neighborhood, on reports of a man shot inside a blue Ford Fusion. Police found the victim, 25-year-old Michael Fair Jr., and pronounced him dead the morning of Sept. 1, 2020, at 10:33 a.m.

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Witnesses told police that they perhaps saw a full-size pickup truck with “fancy wheels” and tinted windows being driven by a male at the time of the shooting.

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for any information leading to the arrest and/or indictment of the person(s) responsible for this crime. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477 or visit www.stopcrime.org and submit your tip.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- It was no secret that Saturday's Ohio State-Grambling State game was a mismatch.

A far cry from the challenge that Texas provided in the season opener, the Tigers presented an opportunity for the Buckeyes to be aggressive on offense and see what quarterback Julian Sayin can do when given time and space.

"We wanted to, like we talked about, be more explosive. You saw us play with tempo. That was good," coach Ryan Day said. "I thought Julian really had some accurate throws. The ball came out on time. The spacing and timing was good. The protection was good."

Here are three things we learned in OSU's 70-0 win over Grambling State.

How Jeremiah got his groove back

Sayin went near perfect on his throws, going 18-for-19 with his only miss being an interception. The sophomore set a school record by completing his first 16 passes, the most by any OSU quarterback to start a game. And he nearly tied C.J. Stroud's school record for most consecutive completed passes.

His top target was none other than fellow sophomore Jeremiah Smith, who bounced back from having two dropped passes against the Longhorns last week to electrify the crowd of 100,624 at the Horseshoe with his big playmaking abilities.

"I'm very hard on myself. So when I dropped those two passes, I don't even want to say what I said to myself in my head but I'm very hard on myself and I don't like dropping the football," Smith said. "I don't like making excuses for myself. I just gotta catch the damn football."

Smith led the receiving corps with five catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns. His 87-yard reception from Sayin in the first quarter was the second longest passing play in school history and the Ohio State's longest pass play at the Horseshoe.

"It feels pretty special to get back in the endzone today," Smith said.

Tight ends continue to excel

The first touchdown of the afternoon was caught by Will Kacmarek. The fifth-year tight end made a 47-yard grab from Sayin in the first quarter to put the Buckeyes on the board and prove how indispensable the tight ends are becoming this season.

"Will is a great tight end. That was a great rep and a great catch," Sayin said. "We're very deep at tight end. They all have different skill sets but they have a lot of impact on our offense."

Four different tight ends caught five of Ohio State quarterbacks' passes with Kacmarek leading that room in receptions.

"We probably have more flexibility than we've had in the past with these groupings. They're all athletic and they all can do multiple things," Day said. "As we start to build what this team looks like on offense, the tight ends are going to be a big part of it as you can see."

Riley Pettijohn's 'One Shining Moment'

The defense picked up where it left off last week, pitching a shutout, the fourth under Day's direction. The 70-point margin of victory was the ninth time it's happened in school history and the sixth via a shutout.

And it was Matt Patricia's squad that gave the momentum the Buckeyes needed coming out of the locker room when Riley Pettijohn recovered a Tigers fumble and returned it 23 yards for the score on the very first play of the second half.

"He's definitely one of those players that kind of bought in and did everything he needed to in the offseason and put his foot in the imprint," defensive end Caden Curry said. "He definitely did it out there today."

The freshman linebacker was one of several players that Day highlighted who came off the bench and contributed in the dominant win.

"I think there was a lot of guys that got in there on defense. Riley Pettijohn seemed to pop for sure. That was a big play in the backfield, which was great," Day said. "They deserve a chance to play, and it's good to get them out there. And the more depth we can build, as we know, it's going to be important. It's a long run this season."

ATHENS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio University's student television and radio station is embarking on nearly $1 million in budget cuts after major losses to federal and state funding.

“It's heartbreaking,” said Parker Kopronica, a senior who produces high school football show Gridiron Glory. “The reason I came to Ohio University was WOUB.” 

WOUB Public Media offers hands-on TV, radio and writing opportunities alongside paid employees to more than 150 Ohio University students each year. Over the summer, WOUB leadership had to quickly adjust to $1.75 million in cuts from the station's budget. Leaders said although they've been able to stabilize program funding through next June, they will need to make immediate changes, including layoffs, to adapt.

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WOUB’s predicament comes after Congress, upon request of President Donald Trump’s administration, rescinded $1.1 billion in preapproved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Those funds were used to support NPR, PBS and local stations like WOUB. 

Ohio’s state legislature also cut funding for WOUB. The biennial budget passed over the summer will reduce WOUB funding by about $250,000 this fiscal year and will reduce it by 27% in the 2027 fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2026.

Across state and federal cuts, WOUB will lose approximately 30% of the station's total funding. WOUB relies on university-affiliated funding sources for 45% of its operating budget, and donations make up the remaining funds. In a statement, Ohio University said it is evaluating ways to reduce costs in tandem with WOUB to preserve as much programming as they can.

Ohio University ranks among the top journalism schools in the country across multiple college ranking sites, and the school has produced 60 Pulitzer Prize awards to alumni, students and staff. WOUB is among the reasons the school shines, as 80% of WOUB students have media job offers before graduation. Comparably, the communications school averaged a 73.2% job placement rate after graduation between 2018 and 2023, but those stats include jobs in all fields.

“There is stuff that I do take from classes, but the majority of the skills I've learned, it's been because I've had hands-on experience at WOUB and it's something that is an incredible resource," Andrew Bowlby, a senior and WOUB’s sports director, said.

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According to coverage by WOUB reporter David Forester, budget cuts will include some layoffs, which are likely to come in the near future. Details about layoffs are otherwise limited. The cuts may also hit WOUB’s paid summer internship program, which offers college students jobs producing content for the station when students are typically off-campus. 

Forester’s reporting said WOUB’s NPR and PBS programming will be spared until next summer, as negotiations allowed them to offer the programs at a lower cost. This means WOUB will need to make more cuts starting July 1.

Both Bowlby and Charlie Ihlenfeld, a senior reporter and anchor, called WOUB "a family" at Ohio University, spanning beyond professional development into personal growth.

Kopronica said the cuts will affect more than student experience. All three students voiced concerns about the largely rural areas of the country WOUB and other PBS or NPR affiliates cover. WOUB offers coverage for 55 counties, and Bowlby said many times he is the only reporter at events.

Forester's reporting said WOUB is already getting more donations to try and supplement costs. The organization recently launched a campaign asking people to include WOUB in their wills, which is generating some responses. Forester’s reporting also said WOUB will explore regional, state and national funding opportunities through foundations or grants.

"The people that are doing good work here are going to keep doing great work whether or not it's supported by the federal government," Ihlenfeld said. "The unfortunate thing is, you can't say that about every public space. There's a lot of places out there that don't have some of the same support that this space can get."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A recent analysis by U.S. News and World Report has revealed the most popular dog breeds in Ohio and each state across the country.

To determine the most beloved breeds nationwide, the digital media company analyzed data from Fletch, a third-party pet insurance provider. The data, collected from January 2022 through July 2025, included information on where dog owners lived and the breed of their pets.

In Ohio, the American pit bull terrier reigned as the top choice for dog owners. The report described the breed as energetic and good for active households. Golden retrievers and German shepherds placed as the second- and third-most popular breeds in the Buckeye State, respectively. 

The study named Labrador retrievers -- known for their affectionate nature and trainability -- as the most popular breed in the country, taking the No. 1 spot in 17 states. 

The full top 10 list of the most popular dog breeds in the U.S. includes:

1. Labrador retriever
2. Chihuahua
3. Golden retriever 
4. American pit bull terrier
5. German shepherd
6. French bulldog
7. Goldendoodle
8. Shih Tzu 
9. Yorkshire terrier
10. Dachshund 

The report found that large breeds dominated the top three most popular dogs in 19 states, and only 11 states lacked a lab or golden retriever in their top three. 

U.S. News and World Report’s full analysis can be found here. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- If you're watching NBC4 on our free, over the air signal, you won't see that signal after 7 a.m. this morning.

It's just temporary, while we complete required maintenance. After 7 a.m., watch us here on our website, NBC4i.com, our NBC4 news app, or you can download our new, free streaming app. Search "NBC4 Columbus" on Roku, Apple TV Plus, Amazon Fire or newer Samsung TVs.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person was hospitalized and a suspect was charged after a shooting Saturday afternoon, Columbus police said.

The shooting happened just before 2 p.m. in the 500 block of North Ohio Avenue, just south of Interstate 670.

Map shows approximate location

A female was found with a gunshot wound in the lower torso, police said. She was taken to a hospital and is expected to be OK.

The incident report lists three victims, including a juvenile, but only provides details about one female's injuries.

Davarious Wilkerson, 19, was identified as the suspect and charged with three counts of felony assault, according to police.

No other details were immediately available.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Around a dozen protesters gathered outside TownHall's Short North Arts District location Saturday evening following the arrest of a man with ties to the restaurant.

Former Ohio State offensive lineman, Michael McCullough, 25, was arrested last Friday for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. He was charged with one felony count of strangulation. 

"I am her very close friend and also hair stylist and I have seen the injuries on her myself and they are atrocious. I would like to think if anybody has women out there that they love and care about, that they'll stick up for this woman and come together as Columbus," protester Megan Riley said.

A flier advertising the protest had been circulating on social media. The arrest caused quite a stir online surrounding Ethos Hospitality Group, which operates TownHall along with several other high-profile restaurants in Columbus and Cleveland. 

According to protesters, the demonstration was about accountability after what they call a pattern of violent criminal charges connected to TownHall's leadership. TownHall's owner, Bobby George, is also facing several charges in Cleveland including attempted murder and rape. 

Protesters said their goal was to raise awareness and discourage people from supporting the restaurant group.

"I hope that it just spreads awareness about how serious DV is and how common it is," Riley said. 

Ethos Hospitality Group released this statement to NBC4:

"As many of you have seen, there have been numerous posts- specifically from one account owned by an Individual Criminally Charged by the Columbus Police Department with telephone harassment and menacing while claiming he was just organizing a protest at TownHall Columbus. 

While we support everyone’s right to publicly protest, a fundamental line has been crossed- moving beyond just protest and into outright harassment and criminal conduct. To be clear, contrary to outright false news and social media reports, TownHall does not and has never supported any kind of domestic violence. Further, contrary to outright false news and social media reports, TownHall has provided support to the victim of this horrible situation and will continue to provide that support for the foreseeable future. 

It was Townhall’s hope to take that action in silence and without media attention, unlike the individual charged who has simply used the victim’s terrible circumstance as a personal marketing platform. Unfortunately, this individual and his supporter’s false claims have given us no option but to set the facts straight. 

The Individual who has been criminally charged has been harassing Mr. George along with his employees for months with threats of violence. Recently, he crossed the line criminally by posting personal information about Mr. George and his employees and encouraged his followers to harass Mr. George and his employees. 

Throughout the week, this individual’s conduct escalated. He repeatedly went to TownHall and Mr. George’s residence and threatened violence. On Wednesday night, someone matching this individual’s description came to Mr. George’s residence and threw a brick through his window with a note on it, “YOU WILL DIE SOON”. Given this escalation, Mr. George had no choice but to involve law enforcement. 

In what is the ultimate display of hypocrisy, this individual claims to be doing all of this to defend abused women but spent the last week relentlessly verbally abusing and denigrating the women that work at TownHall and Mandrake. This individual has been publicly shaming these women in person and on social media- misogynistically and expletively commenting on them and their hygiene and calling them names.

This individual went to the extent to take pictures of several of these women, tagging them on public social media with their names so the entire community could further denigrate them, leaving them shattered and in tears. These women had nothing to do with this situation and certainly do not deserve any kind of abuse. 

This individual’s actions showed his true intentions are not in justice for the victim but in taking advantage of a victim’s terrible situation and Mr. George’s name to get his 15 minutes of fame.

Thankfully, the Columbus PD intervened before anyone was hurt and put a stop to this harassing conduct and arrested Jacob Haller. Mr. George has been granted a Civil Stalking Protection order in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas against Mr. Haller because of his conduct. 

TownHall will not be making any further comments about this situation and will allow the legal process to play out."

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 9 for McCullough.

Central Ohio Weather and Radar

A disturbance brought light rain to southeastern Ohio earlier this afternoon, following the passage of a cold front. Skies cleared in central Ohio through the afternoon, with a cool westerly breeze, as temperatures edged up into the low 70s.

Clearing skies overnight and light winds will result in morning readings falling into the upper 40s, as high pressure builds into the region. Skies will be partly cloudy on Sunday, with temperatures in the low 70s. 

The weather will be quiet and pleasant all week. As high pressure slides east, a light southerly flow will start a warming trend, with highs rebounding to the summer-like low to mid-80s starting on Tuesday.

A stronger high pressure area over southern Canada will push a cold front south on Thursday, resulting in a continuation of dry and mild weather through next weekend.

Forecast

• Saturday:  Partly cloudy, cool breeze. High 71
• Tonight: Clearing, cooler. Low 50
• Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 72
• Monday: Sunny. High 75 (47)
• Tuesday: Sunny, mild. High 80 (49)
• Wednesday: Sunny. High 85 (54)
• Thursday: Mostly sunny. High 84 (56)
• Friday: Partly cloudy.. High 82 (55)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After a statement win over Texas in the season opener, the newly crowned AP No. 1 team in the country returns to Ohio Stadium looking to put on a more aggressive offensive performance.

Ohio State hosts Grambling State in the first ever meeting between the two programs. Both schools are 1-0 heading into the matchup.

The Buckeyes offense looks to improve from Week 1 after putting up 14 points against the Longhorns, with quarterback Julian Sayin leading the unit in his second start of his career.

Follow below for live updates.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio State Buckeyes are a few hours away from taking on the Grambling State Tigers at Ohio Stadium.

The No. 1 Buckeyes are facing the unranked Tigers with almost its entire squad healthy and ready to go. Ohio State is missing nine players out on injury for the 3:30 p.m. kickoff, all of which were also absent last week for the season opener where the Texas Longhorns fell to the Buckeyes.

Ohio State injury report (Week 2 vs. Grambling State)

• SAF Brenten Jones
• TE Max LeBlanc
• DL Jason Moore
• QB Mason Maggs
• RB Anthony Rogers
• DL Max Roy
• SAF Deshawn Stewart
• DL Ahmed Tounkara
• WR Preston Wolfe

No players were listed as questionable.

Saturday's game marks the first time since facing Florida A&M in 2013 that the Buckeyes are matched up against a historically Black college.

Next Saturday, the Buckeyes will again be in Columbus to take on the Ohio University Bobcats.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Five people were indicted in connection with a human trafficking and drug investigation in Columbus's West Side.

A Franklin County grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday against the five, who allegedly were part of a criminal organization that committed violent crimes and dealt narcotics in furtherance of a human trafficking enterprise, according to Attorney General Dave Yost.

Yost said Columbus police began investigating in January after receiving tips about the alleged activity, which reportedly began in November 2024.

The alleged criminal organization was operating on the West Side and planned to expand human trafficking activities through violence and narcotics, Yost said.

The following people were charged:

Justin Davis, 40, indicted on 25 felony charges:

• One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity
• Three counts of trafficking in persons
• Three counts of promoting prostitution
• Three counts of compelling prostitution
• Five counts of trafficking in drugs
• Five counts of possession of drugs
• Two counts of tampering with evidence
• One count of money laundering
• One count of receiving proceeds subject to forfeiture
• One count of possession weapons under disability

Cieara Tesso, 28, indicted on 15 felony charges:

• One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity
• Three counts of promoting prostitution
• Three counts of trafficking in drugs
• Four counts of possession of drugs
• One count of receiving proceeds subject to forfeiture
• One count of tampering with evidence
• One count of money laundering
• One count of possessing weapons under disability

Jeffery Willis, 69, indicted on eight felony charges:

• One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity
• Two counts of promoting prostitution
• One count of trafficking in drugs
• One count of possession of drugs
• One count of receiving proceeds subject for forfeiture
• One count of permitting drug abuse
• One count of money laundering

Renika Crowley, 42, indicted on nine felony charges:

• One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity
• Two counts of trafficking in drugs
• Three counts of possession of drugs
• One count of tampering with evidence
• One count of money laundering
• One count of receiving proceeds subject to forfeiture

Roselind Fout, 40, indicted on seven felony charges:

• One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity
• Three counts of trafficking in drugs
• Two counts of possession of drugs
• One count of money laundering

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Two more Hot Chicken Takeover locations shuttered this week, brining the chain's total central Ohio closures this year to five.

Craveworthy Brands, Hot Chicken Takeover's parent company, confirmed to NBC4 that the chain's Gahanna restaurant at 109 N. Hamilton Road and the Grandview Heights restaurant at 1417 W. Fifth Ave. have permanently shut down.

"Closing our Grandview and Gahanna locations was an incredibly difficult decision, but one made with care and purpose," said Craveworthy CEO Gregg Majewski in a statement. "We are honoring the spirit in which Hot Chicken Takeover was created, protecting the heart of the brand and ensuring its legacy lives on with the same warmth and hospitality that first captured Columbus' love."

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The Grandview location opened in late 2022, while the Gahanna restaurant began welcoming customers in 2023.

The closures come after Craveworthy shuttered three other Hot Chicken Takeover eateries this year, including in Clintonville in July, in Easton Town Center in March and in Lewis Center in January. The North Market and Westerville locations stand as the brand's last remaining central Ohio storefronts.

Untamed Brands, Hot Chicken Takeover's former parent company, was purchased in May 2024 by Craveworthy, which also owns BD's Mongolian Grill, Dirty Dough, Flat Top Grill, Genghis Grill and more.

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After the acquisition, Craveworthy announced plans to merge Chicago-based chicken concept Budlong and Hot Chicken Takeover together, creating a refreshed brand called "HCT: Southern Chicken." However, throughout the Columbus area, the brand chose to keep the original Hot Chicken Takeover name.

Known for its chicken sandwiches, the chain also serves chicken tenders, plant-based nuggets, and sides like mac and cheese, fries and coleslaw.

Last fall, Hot Chicken Takeover rolled out a new menu, featuring hand-breaded chicken made similar to how its chicken was made when the brand first launched in 2014. Among the new menu items were chicken-fried steak, homemade hushpuppies, cornbread and sweet hand pies.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A felon from Hilliard has been brought up on charges this week related to trafficking in fentanyl that caused an overdose death.

According to federal prosecutors, Raymond McGhee, 37, was indicted on eight total charges – distributing fentanyl resulting in a death, five other drug charges and two firearms crimes.

The charges stemmed from an April 10 incident in which a Columbus police cruiser pulled over an Infinity sedan on South Odgen Avenue, after multiple reported traffic violations near Fremont Street in the Hilltop. An open-air sniff search was conducted by a K9 unit and narcotics were sensed inside the vehicle, at the rear door of the driver's side.

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A search of the Infinity uncovered a loaded pistol in the floorboard of the passenger side.

Additionally, under the vehicle’s carpet, there was a digital scale and a white sock rolled into a ball. Inside the sock were multiple plastic bags containing a white rock substance, and officers also found a large sum of cash and two phones in McGhee’s pocket.

The gun recovered was traced to a December 2024 report of a stolen weapon not manufactured in Ohio, and forensic analysis of the alleged drugs found in the sock were identified as cocaine and fentanyl.

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McGhee, also known as “Red” and “Draco,” had previously served three years in prison from a 2014 robbery conviction with a firearm specification. He is facing the following federal charges:

• Distribution of fentanyl (two counts)
• Distribution of fentanyl resulting in death
• Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
• Possession with intent to distribute cocaine (two counts)
• Carrying a firearm in relation to drug trafficking crime
• Felony in possession of a firearm

Court documents noted that in a superseding indictment filed Thursday, “knowingly and intentionally distributed a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of (fentanyl), and death resulted to a victim from the use of the fentanyl distributed by McGhee.” Additional details on the victim’s death were not available in the criminal docket.

THOMPSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WCMH) -- Three people died and another was seriously injured in a Delaware County crash on Friday night.

Nineteen-year-old Olivia Kroft was driving a Honda Civic, while a 70-year-old man was driving a Dodge Dart when the two crashed in the middle of Hoskins Road at 10:10 p.m., according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The Honda Civic had two passengers, 23-year-old Breyden Floyd and 19-year-old Michael Pinkerton.

Kroft, Floyd and Pinkerton sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the site of the crash, authorities said. The driver of the Dodge Dart was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries.

None of the occupants in the Honda Civic were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash, OSHP said. The 70-year-old man was wearing his seatbelt. The crash remains under investigation.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is in critical condition after an early morning shooting on Saturday near Ohio State University.

Officers responded to the intersection of North High Street and East 14th Avenue at 2:39 a.m., according to the Columbus Division of Police. Authorities said shots were fired after a fight broke out. One person has been detained.

It's unclear how the fight started and how many were involved. Police have to yet to release further details about the suspect or the victim.