Ohio News

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A woman was killed Friday morning in a Delaware County fire, authorities said.

The fire was called in by a passerby, officials said, and occurred just before 6 a.m. in the Shroyer's Mobile Homes community off of U.S. 23, just outside of Delaware city limits.

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A woman in her 70s died in the fire, Tri-Township fire officials said. She was the only one in the home.

The cause of the fire, which reportedly originated in the bedroom, remains under investigation.

WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) -- Almost one in four Whitehall residents ages 16 to 64 are unemployed, according to the U.S. Census. City government is trying to change that.

"Helping to ensure families have access to sustainable wages is a key priority," Mayor Michael Bivens said. "Our residents deserve workforce opportunities that can enhance their lives."

Bivens is taking the challenge personally. During his tenure as mayor, Whitehall has incorporated job fair events into city gatherings, such as the annual Food Truck Festival and the State of the City address. Bivens even goes to Mayor's Court every Tuesday to provide job opportunities to residents.

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Bivens said Whitehall has the highest poverty rate in central Ohio, with 17.3% of residents living below the poverty level in the 2020 census. He said workforce development and access has an "all-encompassing affect" on Whitehall residents, leading to these projects.

Each Tuesday, Bivens offers lists of employers to residents who are in Mayor's Court. The court handles misdemeanors and traffic violations, and the Health Police Institute of Ohio found a direct link between reduced financial stressors for residents and reduced crime in the state. Bivens offers opportunities weekly, including distributing a list of employers to anyone at court who wants assistance.

The city also uses community events to expand the workforce. In April, Whitehall held an opportunity fair before the State of the City address. Attendees were able to network, get feedback on resumes and even take part in on-site interviews. The event included job opportunities at the airport, Walmart, PCG Consulting Group, Whitehall City Schools and at least a dozen more employers.

Whitehall similarly transformed its annual Food Truck Fest into a job opportunity site. The event attracts thousands of attendees each year, and more than 300 of them connected with employers and wellness partners at the 2025 event. Whitehall representatives said 60% were screened for employment, and 30% received job offers or continued in the hiring process, largely in tech and trade jobs.

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The 2025 event was shut down early due to potentially dangerous weather, so the 2024 event had even more opportunities for attendees. The 2024 event was the first to feature workforce opportunities, connecting more than 600 attendees with employers. Of those hundreds, 42% moved forward with employment screenings, 40% of whom received job offers in healthcare, tech and trade positions.

"The residents, their families and relationships with employers are vital in solidifying Whitehall as the City of Opportunity," Bivens said.

Even if residents did not get a job, attendees benefited from other resources geared toward addressing poverty disparities. Whitehall said more than 500 residents in 2025 and more than 3,000 residents in 2024 received critical health screenings at the Food Truck Fest. At the festival, a handful of attendees both years also took steps toward receiving their high school diplomas.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After making a big statement with a 14-7 victory over then-No. 1 Texas in the season opener, Ohio State looks to get even better as it plays Grambling State on Saturday.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Ohio Stadium.

"[Texas] was the focus, and now we've got to grow. We got a lot of work to do, a ton," coach Ryan Day said. "After you come down from the emotion of the game, you get back on film and you get to work, you just realize there's so many things you have to improve on."

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The game presents an opportunity for growth from the Buckeyes, now ranked No. 1, as they take on the Tigers for the first time. Both teams are 1-0 after Grambling State defeated Langton 55-7 in its opener.

Here are three things to know.

A more 'explosive' offense

The Texas game produced only one big play: a 40-yard touchdown throw from Julian Sayin to Carnell Tate. While that ended up being the difference-maker for Ohio State, Day would like to see more from the offense this week. And that starts with Sayin.

"We feel like he took care of the ball, and that's what the focus is going to be, regardless of the opponent," Day said. "We're holding ourself to a high standard. I think coming out of the game, we were able to build some confidence."

Sayin completed 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers. In the process, he became the first quarterback to defeat an AP No. 1 team in his first career start in 41 years.

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But upon further review, Day saw an offense that got backed up often and didn't have many possessions, especially in the first half. Moving forward, Day wants him and the offense to be more aggressive, including throwing deeper passes.

"The more air you put on the ball, the more of a margin of error you allow the receiver to come back and make a play or get a pass interference," Day said. "I think we want to be more explosive and create more explosive plays."

Establishing the run game

The ground game gave Ohio State its first touchdown of the season when C.J. Donaldson ran a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter against the Longhorns, part of a 63-yard performance in the opener.

Day says he expects running back duties to be split between Donaldson and James Peoples, similar to how Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson shared the touches last season.

"You could probably see James get more carries this week and then maybe C.J. more the next week. That's just kind of how it goes," Day said. "We got a long way to go and we're going to need all these guys."

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Tight end Will Macmarek said during camp that he's willing to do the dirty work in his position on offense. He stuck to his word against the Longhorns, doing the little things that allowed plays to happen.

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"Will has established himself as a really strong in-line, on-the-ball tight end. You see him making some plays, catching the ball," Day said.

Day said he's part of a strong tight end room that could prove to be an X-factor this year.

"You could see we play with multiple tight ends in this game," Day said. "We feel like we have some guys that we can build some different groupings out of. That gives us a little bit of a change-up there."

BEXLEY, Ohio (WCMH) -- Bexley City Schools are officially "No Place for Hate."

The district said the No Place for Hate title came from the hard work of students and Stephen Lewis, Bexley Schools' leader of school community engagement. Bexley's high school, middle school and each of its three elementary schools all established student groups to work toward the designation. This school year, the Anti-Defamation League awarded all district schools the official No Place for Hate designation.

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The Anti-Defamation League (ADL)'s mission is to "stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all." Although the ADL has drawn criticism from Jewish groups like Jewish Voice for Peace, which disagree with the ADL's current pro-Israel activism, the No Place for Hate program has a broad focus and covers challenges to bias and bullying, according to its website.

Bexley representatives said No Place for Hate is about belonging, empathy and inclusion. They explained the high school's Culture Climate Council felt No Place for Hate was an achievable goal for students to rally behind.

Once things took off in the high school, the district established student groups and staff advisors across all buildings. These groups lead student activities centered around combating hate and bullying, which inspired the ADL award.

The change comes at a time when diversity, equity and inclusion events are facing federal and state pushback. Ohio banned DEI programming at public universities, and bills have been introduced at the Ohio Statehouse to ban DEI for K-12 public schools. School leaders explained the No Place for Hate title does not infringe on these concerns.

"No Place for Hate is about the way we treat each other as human beings," district spokesperson Carol Taylor said. "Kindness is not a controversial topic. It is a characteristic everyone can demonstrate and embrace."

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As part of the program, each elementary school held programming to combat hate and bullying. At Maryland Elementary, for instance, P.E. teacher Josh Price led student volunteers through a skit and asked why school counselor Megan Reeve was sad. Reeve told the students no one had asked her to play, and Price helped them include her in a simple game. The student volunteers also shared why they feel it's important to be kind.

All three elementary schools have their own No Place for Hate pledges. Montrose Elementary's pledge promises to be "respectful, responsible, safe and kind" and ensure everyone is included. Maryland's pledge is slightly longer and promises to use kind words, stand up for other people, and understand that people make mistakes. Cassingham Elementary students pledge to be mindful of other students' boundaries and to be supportive.

• Courtesy photo / Bexley City Schools
• Courtesy photo / Bexley City Schools
• Courtesy photo / Bexley City Schools

On the first day of school and at student assemblies, faculty and staff donned black and yellow T-shirts that say "No Place for Hate." Students asked Montrose Principal Nyesha Clayton why they were all dressed alike, and she told them the school was celebrating its new designation.

"The hope is that No Place for Hate becomes a natural reflection of the entire Bexley school community," Taylor said. "Where students and staff have a positive sense of belonging, where they feel valued, and welcomed, where students can flourish and be their authentic selves and achieve success on their journey to adulthood."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A bipartisan bill in the Ohio Statehouse seeks to enhance the penalties for hate crimes and expand protections under the law to include more identity markers such as political affiliation and sex. 

Reps. Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Township) introduced House Bill 306, dubbed the Hate Crime Act, in May. The bill would “modernize” Ohio’s approach to hate crimes, Jarrells said. 

“Hate should have no place in the state,” Jarrells said. “Our current statutes against what other states have passed are fairly weak.”

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Ohio lacks a comprehensive hate crime law. The state has a statute against “ethnic intimidation,” which prohibits crimes targeted based on race, color, religion and national origin. An ethnic intimidation charge is tacked onto an underlying offense to enhance the penalty by raising it to the next degree.

The bill would expand the protections in the state’s current law to also include crimes motivated by a person’s sex, ancestry, age, familial status, military status, disability, position in a labor dispute and political affiliation or position. The legislation would officially define these acts as hate crimes, with offenders found guilty facing a charge one degree higher than their original offense, as is currently done with ethnic intimidation. 

The bill would establish civil remedies for victims of hate crimes by allowing them to sue offenders for an unspecified amount that would be determined by a court. Offenders could also face civil fines of up to $25,000. 

Williams said he was inspired to sponsor the bill after seeing a recent surge of hate-motivated incidents in Ohio, including assaults and vandalism directed at students on college campuses based on their religion. 

He also cited instances of violence and harassment motivated by political affiliation. Multiple Ohio elected officials, including Attorney General Dave Yost and Republican lawmakers, have fallen victim to swatting in recent years, which involves falsely reporting a serious crime to prompt an armed law enforcement response at an unsuspecting person’s address.

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“I think we've reached a point in our country's political climate where we need to make it perfectly clear that you can't use violence to push your political agenda and you can't use violence against your political rivals, regardless of what party you affiliate with,” Williams said. 

The bill states that knowingly making a false report that someone committed a crime requiring law enforcement intervention, alluding to swatting, can amount to a hate crime. The distribution of materials on private property with the intent to terrorize a resident can also constitute a hate crime under the act.

The legislation specifies that speech alone cannot be defined as a hate crime unless four conditions are met: the speech threatens violence against a specific person or group, the target reasonably fears that violence will be committed against them, the offender is acting in “reckless disregard” for the threatening nature of their speech and the offender has the “apparent ability” to carry out the threat. 

The Hate Crime Act was assigned to the House’s Judiciary Committee, where it awaits its first hearing. The bill has drawn 26 cosponsors, consisting of both Democrats and Republicans.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A trial in the murder of a woman who tried to stop a carjacking while her son was in the backseat will proceed to adult court.

As previously reported, steps to advance the case against a defendant in the murder of Alexa Stakely will advance through Franklin County Court of Common Pleas after a hearing Wednesday. Then, it was determined that Ray-Yon Hawkins would be tried as an adult.

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Hawkins, along with another teenager and 20-year-old Gerald Dowling Jr., were charged in the death of Stakely, who was found at 1:30 a.m. on July 11, 2024, lying near the intersection of Blue Knoll Drive and Annual Drive, just north of Canal Winchester. Stakely was attempting to stop a carjacking in the southeast Columbus neighborhood of White Ash, where three suspects had entered her vehicle, which was parked at the White Oak Park Condominiums.

Alexa Stakely

Dowling, along with two 16-year-old boys, jumped in Stakely’s car and drove off, police said. Stakely ran after the car, screaming for her child, before being struck and thrown to the ground. The result was a fatal head wound, and she was pronounced dead at 8:43 a.m.

Dowling, now 20, and the two teenagers surrendered two weeks later. The teens were charged with murder and were slated to be tried as adults. The boys were originally charged with murder alongside Dowling, who was assigned a $10 million bond in July 2024.

However, in February, one of the teenagers was sentenced to the Department of Youth Services for an undetermined amount of time and his case was closed.

On Wednesday, Hawkins was issued a $500,000 bond in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. His next court appearance has not yet been scheduled.

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Last month Dowling Jr. was sentenced to serve a minimum of seven years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Charges of theft and receiving stolen property were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Stakely was a speech pathologist for preschool students in Canal Winchester schools and, as a single mother, also worked a second job as a restaurant server and had just finished her shift before the carjacking.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — One person was ejected from their pickup truck and sustained serious injuries after a two-vehicle crash Thursday night south of the city.

According to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, a person driving a 2024 Chevrolet 2500 was traveling northbound on U.S. 23, approaching State Route 317 in Hamilton Township. At the same time a person driving a 2008 Dodge Ram pickup truck began making a left turn from U.S. 23 South onto S.R. 317.

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The Dodge Ram crossed over the northbound lanes and was struck on the passenger side by the Chevrolet. Medics arrived at the scene and found the driver of the Dodge Ram had been ejected from the pickup truck and was lying on the east edge of U.S. 23, with the vehicle coming to rest in a ditch.

That victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition by Hamilton Township medics.

The driver of the Chevrolet was not injured, and the car came to rest against the northeast corner of the intersection along the guardrail, according to deputies.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the crash and asks that anyone with additional information to contact the Crash Investigation Unit at 614-525-6113.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- While Republican Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown are dominating Ohio's 2026 U.S. Senate race, a growing list of lesser-known candidates are also vying for their party's nomination.

Husted, a longtime fixture in Ohio Republican politics, officially launched his campaign earlier this year and has quickly consolidated GOP support, including an early endorsement from President Donald Trump. The 58-year-old has more than $2.6 million in campaign funds and the backing of national conservative organizations.

Brown's bid re-enters him into the national spotlight just over a year after narrowly losing re-election in 2024. The 72-year-old Democrat represented Ohio in the Senate from 2007 to 2025 and has remained active since his departure through his nonprofit "Dignity of Work Institute." He boasted raising $3.6 million in the first 24 hours of his comeback campaign.

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While Husted is the lone Republican in the race, several others are working to make a mark in the Democratic primary against Brown. Here's a look at who they are and their platforms. Watch a previous NBC4 report on Ohio's 2026 U.S. Senate race in the video player above.

Fred Ode (Courtesy Photo/Fred Ode for U.S. Senate)

An entrepreneur and philanthropist who wasn't always interested in politics, Ode's campaign says "our current political climate had made it impossible for [him] to watch from the sidelines anymore." Ode emphasizes his journey from a math teacher to a software engineer and business owner.

Ode's platform includes proposals for a "National Healthcare System" and an overhaul of the education system. He is an advocate for environmental sustainability, including a shift toward nuclear energy and "getting creative with" renewable energy sources. Ode also supports an overhaul of the immigration system and argues "turning our backs on immigrants for political convenience is not only disgraceful, it does a massive disservice to the American ideal."

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"Helping people discover their path is one of my great passions in life, and now I want to help Ohio lead America down a better path forward," his campaign site states.

Ron Kincaid (Courtesy Photo/Kincaid for U.S. Senate)

A first-time candidate, Kincaid touts a background in autism care and Special Olympics volunteer work. "I've spent my life fighting for those too often left behind," Kincaid's campaign website states, emphasizing his focus on improving healthcare, protecting reproductive rights, and ensuring economic security for working families.

His campaign promises "practical solutions," such as his "American Dividend Plan," which would provide monthly checks to help rebuild economic security. He also calls for stronger protections for workers and a renewed commitment to accessible healthcare for all Americans.

"Ron's leadership has always been about listening first and finding common ground. He believes Washington works best when people from different backgrounds sit down, respect each other, and get to work," his campaign site states. "That's the approach he'll bring to the Senate -- putting results ahead of partisanship, and Ohio families ahead of politics."

Lynnea Lau

Raised by a single mother, Lau "saw firsthand the sacrifices it took to keep food on the table for her and her two siblings," her campaign website said. "I'm committed to protecting the benefits that millions of taxpayers rely on -- Social Security, Medicare, education funding, and essential public services."

A veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force, Lau went on to earn degrees in public health and business administration. She believes that government should work for the people, not the wealthy few, and her platform calls for ending tax breaks for the ultra rich while ensuring hardworking families can afford essential goods.

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Her campaign also advocates for access to healthcare, bringing quality jobs to Ohio and addressing rising living costs. "This campaign is about restoring fairness, strengthening the middle class, and building a future where prosperity is shared -- not hoarded," her campaign site states.

Chris Volpe (Courtesy Photo/Volpe for America)

Volpe's says he's a "normal guy" who's "standing up to corporate greed and selfish politicians." A small business owner, teacher and game developer, Volpe positions himself as an outsider in the race. "He's not a politician," his campaign site states. "He lives and struggles with his fellow Ohioan, and vows to fight for a better life for all of us."

Volpe's platform emphasizes transparency and making politics more accessible. He vows to run a campaign free from corporate or lobbyist funding, focusing instead on engaging directly with Ohioans. He advocates for a government that focuses on evidence-based policymaking and accountability for leadership in Washington.

Volpe is particularly vocal about "corporate greed" and the divide between the wealthy and average workers. His policy proposals focus on "reinvesting America's success" so every person regardless of background can share in the country's prosperity.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Beechcroft High School is honoring a graduate who was killed in June just weeks after getting his diploma.

This school year, his alma mater is making sure his legacy lives on.

Jusiah ‘Juice’ Mason, 18, made a real impact on his peers and on the staff at Beechcroft High. The news of his death was devastating to many, and Dr. Samuel Johnson Jr., principal at Beechcroft, said he knew they had to keep Juice’s memory alive.

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“He’s responsible for our theme this year -- ‘Elevate every soul to transform tomorrow’ -- because Juice embodied the growth mindset,” Johnson said.

The principal said that at the beginning of his high school career, Juice wasn’t living up to his full potential, but staff took him under their wing and Juice was able to graduate on time.

“That’s the legacy that I want people to remember about Juice. He believed in himself,” Johnson said.

Beechcroft Security Specialist Calvin Kelly actually handed Juice his diploma at graduation in the spring.

“For him to ask me, you know, it really means something special because Juice was probably one of the first kids that I interacted with,” Kelly said.

Students and staff alike said Juice was one of a kind and is dearly missed.

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“He was a good person, you know, everybody loved him,” senior Kennyana Windham said. “Very positive, bubbly, always had a smile on his face.”

His English teacher Antonia Mulvihill said Juice was one of her favorites. She said, “He had a million-dollar smile and he would light up a room.”

Beechcroft senior Lahkaii Tarver said she was there the night Juice was murdered. She called him a big brother.

“Basically everything I do is dedicated to Juice,” Tarver said.

She said Juice would have loved to see how his school was honoring him this year.

“A lot of people that really actually loved him and looked up to him after he died, but he didn't really always feel like that, so he would have loved it for sure,” Tarver said.

Besides the theme, students all wore green to a football game to pay tribute to Juice.

“We have his name on our fence to the football field,” Windham said.

“I’m really glad that people are doing things like that to remember him because I feel like it was important the way he impacted us,” senior Fuad Bangura said.

Johnson said he sees his staff and students honor Juice each day.

“When we check on one another, we think about Juice,” Johnson said. “When we use the growth mindset, which is a best practice, we think about Jusiah ‘Juice’ Mason. And that’s the legacy he left for us.”

Peers said graduating from Beechcroft on time meant everything to Juice. Some words used to describe him: charismatic, a comedian, a leader and legendary.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A local business is trying to get its product on the shelves at Walmart stores.

Central Ohio-based coffee chain Crimson Cup pitched its coffee at a Walmart store on Bethel Road Thursday in hopes of getting a spot in the retail giant’s open call event, where entrepreneurs make their case to buyers.

But Crimson Cup representatives were met with a surprise mid-presentation when Walmart representatives told them they had already planned to invite Crimson Cup to the open call event, telling them the news in person.

“We had no idea,” Crimson Cup Business Development Executive for Grocery Michelle Plumby said. “Truly, we had no idea that that was coming. We were relieved that we did enough before to make them excited about Crimson Cup and even more excited to see the confetti and everything like that.”

Walmart’s open call event is scheduled for October in Arkansas.

Crimson Cup, which opened in 1991, offers coffee and tea products as well as a “how to” program it said has helped open more than 300 coffee shops across the country; Crimson Cup itself has six stores – one each in the Akron and Cincinnati areas and four in and around Columbus.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio has been ranked as one of the worst states for foreclosures in the country. Now some local experts are weighing in, sharing that economic strain is at the heart of this issue.  

Ohio is fourth among states across the country for foreclosures, according to a report from the New Jersey Real Estate Network. There are almost 1,900 homes in the process, which is about 5% of all homes for sale in the state. 

“I'm hearing more and more folks say something like date the rate buy the home. That's a really dangerous sign,” said Carlie Boos, executive director of The Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio. “That's one of those warnings to look out for because if you can't afford the mortgage as it is for the long term, you should not be taking it out.” 

The national foreclosure rate sits just above 2%. Marcus Roth with the Coalition On Homelessness and Housing in Ohio pointed to a myriad of reasons as to why Ohio is facing this foreclosure problem. He noted it's getting harder for working families to keep up with rising costs and housing affordability.    

“It's just unsustainable for people,” Roth said. “You know, when you're spending so much more on housing, it leaves very little left over for the other necessities of life. Things like food, clothing, transportation, education, health care.” 

Data from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency found that more than a million Ohioans are currently living in households that spend over half their entire income on housing costs. And over 300,000 people spend more than half their income on their mortgage. 

“We see longtime homeowners are increasingly burdened by the rising costs of insurance, certainly by huge spikes we've seen in property taxes,” Roth said. “And then utility bills are increasing and the cost of just to maintain and repair your house has gone up a lot. So all of these things we're hearing from folks are really putting them on the edge.” 

But experts say there are ways for the city and the state to provide assistance and relief to those impacted in our community.

"The state of Ohio is considering what we can do to address rising property taxes; we know the circuit breaker policy is the gold standard when it comes to being able to help families make sure that their income matches those tax increases,” Boos said. “We love that that's on the table and we're optimistic that there's going to be some good solutions coming out of that as well.”  

For those who need any information about foreclosure relief options, visit bloom614.org.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A new series on Peacock is putting local journalism in the spotlight.

“The Paper,” a spinoff of the long-running hit “The Office,” follows a small-town newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, that’s fighting to stay alive. The show’s format follows the same mockumentary style of the original series, focusing on a quirky crew at a struggling newspaper trying to save local journalism.

The star of the show is Domhnall Gleeson, known for his roles in the “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” series. He turned to Ohio State professors to learn what it really takes to run a newsroom.

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"I received a fairly random email last summer that said that there was a TV show that was being developed and there was an actor who was interested in learning about journalism," Ohio State Professor of Journalism Practice Nicole Kraft said.

To truly step into character as editor-in-chief, Gleeson traveled to central Ohio. He met with Kraft and Spencer Hunt, director of student media at The Lantern.

"Fundamentally, we talked about the scaffolded nature of journalism and how skills build on top of each other," Kraft said.

Hunt and Kraft spent hours walking the actor through the basics of student journalism and the challenges of running a newsroom. 

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"He asked very specific questions about, ‘Well, what's it like to be a student journalist, studying journalism, doing these kinds of things?’" Hunt said. "We walked him through all the kinds of things we expect of students in our class and within The Lantern. And so we're really proud of our program and what we're doing."

Antonia Campbell, The Lantern's editor, even hopped on a phone interview with Gleeson to see how his visit at Ohio State prepared him for his role and changed his views on journalism.

"Especially with such a pessimistic view on journalism and the media that we have right now, he said he was really inspired and hopeful that people are still doing it," Campbell said.

Both professors said the series is more than comedy -- it's a chance to highlight why local journalism matters.

"Thomas Jefferson, of course, famously said if you had government without journalism or journalism without government, he would pick the latter," Kraft said. "And the importance of journalism has never been more significant in the time that we exist presently.”

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All ten episodes were released simultaneously on Peacock Thursday. “The Paper” has already been renewed for a second season, so Ohio State journalists could continue shaping how local news is portrayed on TV.

"No one does what we do at Ohio State," Kraft said. "We have so many opportunities. This is such an extraordinary gift to have so many experts here, so many resources, incredible students and people who work so hard, especially in this journalism program, to make sure that journalism has a path forward for the people that are called to do it."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Two handlers and two dogs from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office’s Crisis Response K9 Unit are back home after being deployed to Minnesota.

Authorities there requested our local team to go help people impacted by the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. Two children were killed and 19 others were hurt.

Titus and Scooby are one-year-old labradoodles. They were both deployed shortly after the mass shooting. Sgt. Darrah Metz, who started the crisis response K9 unit, said she didn’t want to go into specifics about what they saw as the emotions are too raw.

She said Scooby and Titus both did amazing work, being a moment of peace for people who had just experienced an absolute tragedy. 

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“We really saw a need and we were able to go out and help their community. And that's what our jobs are. Our jobs are to help in any way we can. Luckily, we have wonderful leadership here at the sheriff's office who allow us to do these things to help others,” Metz said.

Metz said it's hard to talk about the specifics of what they experienced because emotions are still raw, but said both dogs were very well received. “I'm getting choked up just thinking about it. But any moment that we can reduce stress and allow people to take a deep breath and feel some sort of peace is worth it. So that's what they did. They did it beautifully,” Metz said.

Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said he wants to make sure the handlers work doesn’t go unnoticed because it’s not an easy job. Metz said law enforcement departments in Minnesota want to create their own unit after seeing the FCSO's one. She said this is the biggest complement she could receive.

Metz said since starting the program in 2017, they have now grown to be the largest crisis response K9 unit in the country with six dogs.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- More and more people are dying from overdoses of a drug that’s legal in Ohio: kratom.

However, a distinction between natural vs. synthetic kratom is complicating the debate.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine wants it banned, but a meeting on the topic was abruptly cancelled so the governor could hear the perspective of the U.S. Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who supports the use of natural forms of kratom.

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Now, Ohio leaders are talking with federal leaders about what should happen next with kratom. 

Natural kratom is the ground-up plant. Synthetic kratom is 7-OH, which experts say is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine. 

Everyone NBC4 spoke with supports more regulations, even a ban, for synthetic kratom; for natural kratom, opinions are mixed. 

“I was in such a state of ennui or apathy I just never had experienced before,” one former Kratom user, now in recovery, told NBC4 Investigates. 

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He said kratom took him to a dark place. He started by using natural kratom, then progressed to using synthetic. 

Natural kratom is something that some people use to treat pain, and Jack Smith, who owns three local shops that sell kratom, said it changed his life; natural kratom helped stop his addiction to opioids after a racecar accident. 

“It helps with pain, but it helps people get off pharmaceutical drugs,” Smith, CEO of Life of Kratom, said. “I help professional football players, UFC fighters, a couple of movie stars; like, it's incredible.

Synthetic kratom is something he’s strongly against. 

“The plant itself has 7-OH, but it's like 0.0001 of a percent,” Smith said. “All the synthetic stuff that you get is 13% and higher. Like you can buy packs of four, they could have over 100 milligrams and that is crazy. It is stronger than morphine by a lot. The synthetic stuff has just caused such a big problem for us. I mean, it's hurt our powder business.”

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Over the last five years, overdoses where the drug kratom was listed as a cause of death have tripled in Ohio.

“It was just an illuminated neon sign in a gas station by my house,” the man who was addicted to Kratom said. “Actually, that's the first time I saw it. And then it came up in conversation online, where people talked about it as this sort of legal opiate high.”

Recovery centers are seeing the effects of this drug, especially when it’s mixed with others.

“They kind of come down hard from it because of it has an opiate-type effect and it just makes you feel miserable afterwards,” Maryhaven VP of Stabilization Services Adam Jurich said. “You feel like you're dying, but you're not actually dying.”

Maryhaven also wants more regulation.

“As something new comes out, you have to be more aggressive with it,” Jurich said. “Fentanyl has been around for ages. Opium has been around for ages. Morphine has been around for ages. That's not a new thing. Kratom is a new thing. We haven't studied it enough to know what the effects of it are.” 

A fear is that younger children will get their hands on it. 

“The biggest fear, I would say, that I fear about with kratom, is actually adolescence, so kids that are in school, kids that are wanting to be the best that they can be, kids that are looking for an escape, stressors of life,” Jurich said.

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DeWine called for a total ban of both forms of kratom. An Ohio Pharmacy Board meeting to discuss that was canceled after a conversation between DeWine and Kennedy.

Smith says any ban should focus on synthetic kratom. 

“I just don't even know how it's marketed as kratom is because they synthetically make the 7-OH,” Smith said. 

There is a pushback on a total ban and not just from Smith. The American Kratom Association advocates for the use of natural, age-restricted kratom products but does want Ohio to take action against chemically modified kratom products. 

In a statement, AKA wrote:

“The American Kratom Association (AKA) strongly advocates for the more than 300,000 Ohio kratom consumers to have access to safely formulated, properly labeled, and age-restricted kratom products. The AKA encourages the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to respect the current science on kratom in making any evaluation on whether kratom should be classified as a Schedule I substance, and follow the lead of the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services to limit any scheduling to chemically modified and highly synthesized 7-OH products. These adulterated products do pose an imminent threat to the public because of their addiction liability. 

As FDA Commissioner Makary stated at the July 29, 2025 press conference on recommending 7-OH for scheduling at the federal level, the focus is not on natural leaf kratom. It should not be in Ohio either because the current safety evidence and data for natural leaf products does not justify any such action.

The AKA strongly encourages the Board of Pharmacy and Governor DeWine to align with the federal policy on chemically manipulated 7-OH products that do pose a safety threat to Ohio’s citizens.”

“No matter how hard it gets, no matter how much you want to forget, no matter how much you want to, you know, get a better version of yourself, it is better to talk to somebody. There's no shame in that. Go ask for help. Call someone,” Jurich said. 

The FDA has recommended action against 7-OH, synthetic kratom. 

A spokesperson for DeWine said the governor still plans to pursue a ban, but right now, conversations are happening at the federal level to learn more about the situation. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, resources can be found below:

• Maryhaven Resources
• ADAMH Resources

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — It has been nearly a month since NBC4’s Puppy with a Purpose, Paris, entered professional training with Canine Companions, and over the last few weeks he’s made quite the impact on campus.

“I have been nothing but impressed with him,” said Amy Kinsella, a Senior Instructor with Canine Companions. “He’s transitioned really well into professional training. He’s made a lot of friends, and he really enjoys the training environment.”

Paris is on his way to becoming a full-service assistance dog where he will help a child, adult or veteran with disabilities. He could also be placed as a facility dog, where he will work with a trained professional, helping people in different settings such as healthcare.

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Kinsella works with Paris every day on skills many viewers saw during the Friday morning “Furcasts” on NBC4. He is also learning more advanced skills. 

Last week, Kinsella and Paris went on a field trip to a shopping center, where Paris practiced using stairs with a handler and riding on an elevator. Kinsella said Paris was easy to manage, confident in a variety of environments and around different distractions which, she said, is a nice quality to see.

Paris, NBC4's Puppy with a Purpose. (Courtesy/Canine Companions)

Some of the other new skills Paris is working on includes using his nose to close doors and drawers and utilizing push plates to open automatic doors. Paris will also learn how to pick up and retrieve dropped items, and in about two months, Canine Companions will start thinking about placement options for Paris.

“We really want to place him in a role that will play to his strengths, so if he really loves kids or he really likes working, we want to find his skill set and match that with what a client is looking for,” said Kinsella.

On Wednesday, NBC4 spent time with Paris and Kinsella after they accepted a proclamation on behalf of Canine Companions, designating September as National Service Dog Month in the City of New Albany.

According to Kinsella, this type of recognition brings awareness to the life-changing impact that service dogs have on people with disabilities.

“We feel very lucky here to live in a city and a community that really respects service dogs and recognizes that so that our graduates can live a more independent life and can navigate the world fluidly with their service dogs by their side,” she said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus police have identified the suspect in a 1997 rape case, connecting the man to other sexual assault cases across the country.

California native Sean McNulty, who died in 1997, has been identified as the suspect in the Columbus case from nearly 30 years ago. DNA collected at the crime scene was analyzed in 2005 but yielded no leads. McNulty's DNA, though, was positively identified from other cases across the country and matched the DNA collected in Columbus.

Sean Patrick McNulty in a mugshot from 1978. Sean Patrick McNulty in a mugshot from 1979.

“I am grateful that our Division’s hard work and tenacity over the years has brought closure to the victim in this violent case," Columbus Chief of Police Elaine Bryant said.

Columbus World War II veteran Moses Eldridge dies at 108

DNA profiles from five rape cold cases all matched McNulty, with two taking place in California in the 1980s and two happening in Michigan in the 1990s. He was also accused in a rape case in Bloomington, Indiana, in 1993.

Authorities across the country were able to contact some of McNulty's victims, including the woman in the Columbus case, who told police it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Columbus police at 614-645-4036.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Moses Eldridge, a World War II veteran who resided in Columbus has died, according to his family. He was 108.

Eldridge was born on April 17, 1917, and after attending North Carolina A&T State University, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, where he worked as a water purifier — work that earned him a medal.

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Eldridge was scheduled to receive an award Thursday at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum from NBC4 anchor Kerry Charles.

• Moses Eldridge/ Photo Courtesy Moses Eldridge & Family
• Moses Eldridge/ Photo Courtesy Moses Eldridge & Family
• Moses Eldridge/ Photo Courtesy Moses Eldridge & Family
• Kerry Charles and Moses Eldridge

He was believed to be the oldest living veteran of World War II in Ohio at the time of his death. He served on the Sea Snipe cargo ship that eventually transformed into a troop carrier.

In an interview with NBC4 in 2019, Eldridge, who was 102 at the time, recalled an incident he is still extremely proud of, one that earned him a medal.

“It stormed a lot over there and we had a hospital there that was almost ready to be washed away,” Eldridge said. “Our company got a medal for that because we turned the river, we turned the path of the whole river from going into this hospital.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- There are few soccer personalities who can wax lyrical on American soccer like Roger Bennett, the CEO and founder of Men in Blazers Media Network, who will bring his poetic and imaginative style to Columbus, the "magical kingdom" of American soccer.

Bennett will be one of many traveling to Ohio's capital for Tuesday's Team USA men's match against Japan at Lower.com Field. The 7:30 p.m. kickoff will mark the third time the USMNT plays at the Columbus Crew's new stadium and the 15th time ever since 1999.

Born in Liverpool, Bennett became a United States citizen in 2018 and has been a fixture of American soccer coverage for well over a decade through television, podcasts, and books.

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As a founder of the "Men in Blazers" media network, he has been part of NBC's coverage of the English Premier League.

"I know I sound English, but I love America like Kenny Powers loves America," Bennett said. You can watch the full interview with Bennett in the video player above.

Before fans pack the Arena District to see the U.S. face one of Asia's best teams, Bennett will be bringing fans together Monday night for a celebration of American soccer at Kemba Live. The special guests will include Crew legend and "landlocked surfer" Frankie Hejduk, U.S. soccer hall of famer Clint Dempsey, and Crew manager Wilfried Nancy.

"Columbus is a magical kingdom that is really the lungs and the soul of football on the men's side in the United States," Bennett said. "To have any opportunity to come into Columbus, which is one of the great, great American cities. One of the great football fanbases. A fanbase who have seen it all."

Tuesday's game will be one of many throughout the next couple of months that the United States will use to prepare for next summer's World Cup. Fresh off a Gold Cup final loss in July, Bennett said this is a fitting time for the USMNT to come back to a city they have only lost in once.

"This is a team that want to reconnect with the fanbase. They want to prove themselves," Bennett said.

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All of this preparation and celebration will culminate next summer for the first 48-team World Cup that will be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Bennett's sales pitch to anyone looking to get into it was, as expected, creative.

"The World Cup is an eclipse that strikes the entire planet for 39 days at the same time," he said. "To host it here on American turf is a once-in-a-generational experience. I'm only sorry that there won't be a game in Columbus."

The U.S. men will open the World Cup on June 12 in Los Angeles. It will discover its group stage opponents on Dec. 5 after the draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

CANAL WINCHESTER, Ohio (WCMH) – Canal Winchester’s city council recently approved a proposal to build a new Kroger Marketplace and gas station.

On Aug. 18, the council unanimously approved Kroger’s plan to build a grocery store on an undeveloped 17.9-acre lot on the east side of Diley Road and north of Dove Parkway, just west of the Canal Winchester Redwood Apartments. 

At the meeting, Canal Winchester Development Director Lucas Haire said Kroger is eager to get started on the project and would like to close on the property in September, and “then immediately start construction this fall.” 

Kroger plans to purchase 14.2 acres of the site, while the nearly four remaining acres will remain open to other opportunities for development. The commercial center will be branded as “GreenGate Plaza” with signage placed along Diley Road. 

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The retailer is preparing to construct a 122,910-square-foot store with a drive-thru pharmacy and grocery pick-up area. The project also includes a fuel center with seven pumps and a canopy.

The new Kroger will join an existing store in Canal Winchester, which is located at 6095 Gender Road. It will also sit about half a mile north of a Meijer. 

Kroger is an American grocery retailer that was founded in 1883 in Cincinnati. The chain has since spread to more than 1,200 locations across 16 states, including about 200 stores in Ohio. The Kroger Company also owns multiple other brands, including Dillons, Ralphs and Gerbes.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio rejected a bid from Amazon, Google and others to overturn AEP's new tariff, or rate structure, specifically for data centers.

Amazon and Google were among the groups looking to overturn the new rate structure, which aims to protect residential customers from absorbing costs of large data centers. The group argued that there were errors in the decision.

"The Commission finds that several arguments are nearly identical to those raised in post-hearing briefing and that the applications for rehearing do not identify any error demonstrating that our prior consideration of this matter was inadequate, against the manifest weight of the evidence, or otherwise unlawful and unreasonable," PUCO wrote in Wednesday's ruling.

The decision upholds a settlement that was agreed to between AEP Ohio, PUCO, the Ohio Consumers’ Council and others aims to protect non-data center customers from the risks of underused investments. Watch previous coverage in the player above.

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The agreement, which was filed in October and was awaiting approval from PUCO, requires large data center customers to pay for 85% of their stated energy needs each month, even if they use less. That would allow them to cover the costs of the necessary infrastructure while protecting other customers. It also includes an exit fee for any project that is canceled or does not meet the obligations of the electric service agreement.

"OCC applauds the PUCO for standing up for AEP's consumers instead of giving into the demands of power hungry data centers," Maureen Willis, agency director of the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel, said in a statement.

Electricity costs for Ohioans have been increasing and correlates with the rise in data centers.

The Washington Post found Columbus’ typical monthly home electric bill jumped $27 this summer alone, and tied the price increases to the development of new data centers. State data corroborates the report; the average residential Columbus electricity bill rose $25.64 between April and July 2025. An AEP Ohio spokesperson said increased energy demands are raising prices.

Demand increase correlates with a rapid rise in data centers in central Ohio. According to Data Center Map, which tracks data center locations, 120 of Ohio’s 188 data centers are in the Columbus area. Data centers require massive amounts of energy to operate, and just one data center can require the same electricity use as thousands of homes.

In Ohio, where generation is limited and companies like AEP Ohio are not allowed to build power plants, increased demand hikes up generation prices. Columbus saw double-digit cost increases around the same time data centers began really honing in on central Ohio in 2022 and 2023.

This story includes reporting by Katie Millard.