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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- It's beloved gameday analyst Lee Corso's final time donning a team's headgear, and he's picked his winner for Saturday's Ohio State-Texas matchup.

Saturday marks Corso's final appearance on ESPN's College GameDay. The 90-year-old has closed out the show for 30 years with a "not so fast, my friend" and his famed headgear picks. For a full circle moment at Ohio Stadium, Corso chose Ohio State in his last appearance.

It's fitting Corso chose the Buckeyes' for his final selection. Corso's first pick came on Oct. 5, 1996 when he donned the Brutus Buckeye headgear as his pick over Penn State. Corso has picked Ohio State more than any other team, predicting them to be victorious 45 times.

Corso was also honored by The Best Damn Band in the Land before the game, which spelled out his name across the field.

"We can be sad. Maybe next week we're in Norman, Oklahoma, and, you know, it's like, 'Where's Lee?'" ESPN GameDay analyst and former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit said. "But for this weekend, we need to be celebrating him and everything that he's meant to us and to the sport."

The Buckeyes have a 31-14 record in games Corso has chosen them. No. 3 Ohio State hopes to capitalize on that momentum as they take on No. 1 Texas at home.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is working to fix a network outage that left patients unable to access their charts.

Wexner Medical Center spokesperson Marti Leitch said the network outage occurred Friday afternoon due to issues with a routine network upgrade. Leitch said hospital engineers are actively working to restore services, and are making progress.

Leitch said the hospital is continuing care using down time procedures. These procedures are designed to maintain operations in case of situations like the network outage that is underway.

"We appreciate everyone's patience as we work to restore systems," Leitch said.

Leitch said the hospital's emergency departments are on divert status, meaning they are temporarily closed to incoming ambulance traffic. Anyone facing an emergency who would have gone to Wexner Medical Center is being diverted to the next nearest hospital for care.

Multiple patients and patients' loved ones told NBC4 they are currently unable to access their online medical information. One said when they were diverted to a new hospital, care was difficult because the outage prevents access to medical records.

It is unknown when the systems will be back up and running. Leitch said the hospital network's outpatient care sites are still open.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State is back, kicking off the season with a noon game against No. 1 Texas.

No. 3 Ohio State is well-positioned for a competitive game, with a largely healthy line up. Fresh of a national championship victory, the Buckeyes are adjusting to several new team leaders, all of whom will be ready to play at the noon kickoff.

The Buckeyes starting lineup will enjoy a rare bout of good health. The game against Texas will be quarterback Julian Sayin's first career start, and Ohio State is also starting over on the defensive line and in the running back room. Several key players from 2024's championship season will return in scarlet and grey, including wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate.

Last year, the Buckeyes were down two key players in the opener against Akron. This week, Ohio State has nine players out on injury. Three of those injured are defensive lineman, including sophomore Jason Moore, who could have rotated in to Saturday's game.

Ohio State injury report (Week 1 vs. Texas)

• 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

The matchup marks the first time Texas and Ohio State have played in Columbus in 20 years. Texas will be chasing revenge after Ohio State's 28-14 Cotton Bowl victory in January. In all, OSU and Texas have played four times, with two wins and two losses a piece.

BUCYRUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A Delaware County Common Pleas judge has sentenced a former central Ohio attorney to serve the maximum sentence for fraudulently representing a client.

According to the Delaware County Prosecutor's Office, 42-year-old Adam Stone will serve 4½ years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of telecommunications fraud and attempted impersonation of a peace officer.

A former attorney, Stone, of Bucyrus, was hired to represent a Delaware County family to file a wrongful death lawsuit after the 2016 death of their son. While his efforts in the lawsuit were unsuccessful, the prosecution’s office said Stone continued to pursue an investigation into his client’s son’s death with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

For over a year, Stone reportedly continued to defraud his clients, including disguising his voice while impersonating an attorney on an alleged three-way call with the victims and the Special Prosecutions Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. According to the Ohio BCI agent assigned to the case, the Attorney General’s Office had not had any contact with Stone.

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The investigation into Stone revealed that for years he delayed or fabricated details in the case to pacify his clients. After additional pressure, Stone reportedly set up a phone call and attempted to disguise his voice as Assistant Attorney General Chris Kinsler.

His clients became suspicious, noting that Stone kept calling the assistant attorney general “Ben.” Recordings of the conversations were turned into the Attorney General’s Office, and Ohio BCI and investigators interviewed the victims in August 2022.

Phone records indicated no calls took place between Stone and the Attorney General’s Office regarding the wrongful death suit of Stone’s client’s son.

Between 2016 and 2022, the Ohio BCI report states Stone received about $30,000 from the victims and had been provided over $50,000 for “forensic reconstruction” and related casework and court costs. The victims also opened a trust in their son’s name and deposited between $12,000 and $14,000.

HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) – A restaurant serving smashburgers and other American fare recently opened in Hilliard.

Wilson’s Bar and Grill began welcoming customers at 5242 Cemetery Road on Aug. 15 in the building that previously housed Yabo’s Tacos. The opening marked the brand’s first standalone brick-and-mortar location.

The concept began when Xavier Wilson started making hot sauces while he was a student at Hilliard Davidson High School, according to its website. He launched a hot sauce business in 2021 alongside his father, Jeremiah Wilson. In 2023, it evolved into a restaurant inside the Hilliard Moose Lodge, a fraternal and service organization located at 5370 Grace St. 

Wilson’s menu features American and Tex-Mex cuisine, including smashburgers, hoagies, hot dogs, salads, quesadillas, burritos and potato skins. The restaurant also offers wings tossed in its signature sauces, including garlic buffalo and mango habanero. 

Appetizers such as garlic feta fries, mac and cheese bites and fried pickles are also available, along with cookies for dessert. The eatery additionally serves cocktails, beers and seltzers. It is located within a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), allowing customers to order alcohol to go and enjoy it within the district. 

Wilson’s Bar and Grill’s hours include Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Thursdays through Saturdays, its hours extend until 10 p.m. 

Yabo’s Tacos closed in late July after seven years in business. The owner of Yabo’s Tacos, Scott Boles, decided not to renew the restaurant’s lease as he “begins to take steps toward retirement,” according to a sign posted on the door.

Yabo’s Tacos has two other restaurants that remain open: its original location at 7097 State Route 3 in Westerville, which debuted in 2011, and another at 5915 Evans Farm Blvd. in Lewis Center, which launched in 2022. 

The local chain previously operated additional locations, including restaurants in Powell and Upper Arlington, which have since closed.

AKRON, Ohio (WCMH) — As the Powerball jackpot grows to a record-breaking level, someone who bought a ticket in Ohio is now a multi-millionaire.

The Ohio Lottery is asking ticket holders to check their numbers, especially for players who made their purchase at the Circle K at 3520 S. Arlington Rd. in Akron.

The customer who stopped at the Circle K purchased the $2 ticket using the auto-pick method and matched five numbers to win $1 million. Additionally, the player added a $1 Power Play, which bumped their prize to $2 million.

The winning numbers for the Wednesday, Aug. 27, drawing were 9-12-22-41-61, with the Power Play number being 4. The Powerball number was 25, which the player did not select, allowing the jackpot to increase for the next drawing.

The clock is now ticking for the winner to come forward and claim their prize; they have 180 days from the drawing to notify an Ohio Lottery office for validation and check processing.

Other Match 5 plus Power Player winners in Wednesday's drawing bought tickets in Mississippi and Virginia. They will also collect $2 million.

After no one won Powerball's top prize on Wednesday, the jackpot is now the sixth-largest in the game's history, at $1 billion. The winner could take home nearly $453.1 million in cash. The next drawing is set for Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Powerball tickets can be purchased at any Ohio Lottery retailer.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Brutus Buckeye is not just a mascot; he's the heartbeat of Ohio State.

Brutus has been a part of the Buckeye Nation for nearly 60 years, and over that time, he's gone through quite the transformation. According to fans, every version of the icon we know today tells part of Ohio State's story.

It all started in October of 1965 when two Ohio State students built the very first Brutus head out of papier-mâché. 

"The big head certainly stuck out," Buckeye fan Brandon Binkley said.

That version didn't last long, but it launched a tradition. 

"I love when he crowd surfs, doing the pushups, everything," Buckeye fan Joshua Ventura said. "All that's just amazing."

Brutus was replaced with fiberglass just a month later, which was a bit lighter and easier for the student inside to haul around.

Changes to Block O student section unite college fans

"He started off small and now I would say he is the most popular mascot in all of college football," Ventura said.

From cartoonish smiles to the more athletic look fans see today, small updates have kept him modern. But the heart of Brutus has stayed the same.

"The energy that he brings and the spirit he brings to everybody is just amazing," Ventura said.

Brutus' personality has grown, too, from a shy student volunteer inside the suit to an energetic, dancing symbol of Ohio State spirit.

"We're nuts, right?" Buckeye fan Bob Scavina said. "We're poisonous nuts, and I think he embodies it perfectly."

Saturday, as the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Texas Longhorns, Brutus will be leading Buckeye Nation as he always does, representing more than just a game, but a token of school pride.

"He's certainly highly energetic," Binkley said. "He's out there, you know, showing it off, doing the O-H. I think that's certainly a big factor in kind of just getting the fans motivated."

Brutus has stood the test of time, and his evolution is still going strong.

"There's none more iconic than Brutus," Scavina said. 

Brutus was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2007, cementing his place not just in Ohio State football but in college football tradition. 

ATHENS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Gov. Mike DeWine joined Athens County leaders, students and families Friday afternoon for the groundbreaking of the new Athens High School.

The $69 million project was supported by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC), which contributed $27.7 million. The school opening is the final phase of Athens City School District's facilities plan. The district already built two elementary schools, renovated an elementary and middle school, and demolished three "outdated" elementaries.

The groundbreaking is the culmination of nine years of planning. Athens residents have all contributed; most of the funding came from a voter-approved property tax levy that passed in November 2023.

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The 153,140-square-foot building includes advanced safety measures to protect students on all three stories. The district has secure entry vestibules, enclosed spaces between the entrance and and access to the building's interior. The district also invested in new surveillance systems for increased security.

The new high school will open for the 2027-2028 school year.

While in Athens, DeWine was also asked about his decision to send National Guard troops to Washington D.C. as part of President Donald Trump's

"Their mission is very limited -- it's not to make arrests, it is to do really two things. One is to guard federal buildings, and the other is to do some patrols," DeWine said. So I am monitoring what they are doing there. I had the chance to talk to some of our troops the other day."

DeWine said the mission was set for 30 days, but it's possible Ohio will be asked to extend the deployment.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Buckeyes' opening match against Texas is driving some of the strongest travel demand of the season.

Data shows it's a very popular weekend to be in Columbus. According to AirDNA, a short-term rental analytics company, Columbus is seeing a 68% increase in nights booked for this weekend.

AirDNA, which was started by an AirBnB host looking to expand his business, found rates for Columbus rentals are higher than this time last year. Last year's opening game was against Akron.

Changes to Block O student section unite college fans

"It's probably going to be one of the biggest games in the country and it's happening in the first week of the year," Jamie Lane, AirDNA chief economist, said. "Everyone's excited to sort of kick off college football and and you couldn't get a bigger sort of game with Ohio State versus Texas."

The average daily rate for a rental this weekend is $307, a $60 increase from this time last year.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Walking up and down Lane Avenue, you can feel the Gameday Eve excitement in the air. 

Local apparel stores have had lines wrapped around them all day.

“I think it is the game of the season and it sure feels like it,” said Kelly Dawes, owner of College Traditions. “People are acting like it. You know, football season never ended for us after the national championship, but I think it's just going to be one for the books.”

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Dawes said she’s seen local Buckeye fans and fans who have traveled across the country. 

“It's our bread and butter,” Dawes said. “It's our Christmas time. I mean, these whole weekends, really, Friday, Saturday and Sunday just really keep us alive. We're a small, family owned business, and so these weekends really make a difference.”

Fans at College Traditions said they are ready for the big game.

“I think our boys are going to be victorious,” said Erin Habersack, an Ohio State fan.

Habersack said she has witnessed Ohio State face off against Texas before. 

“I was actually in both the one at Texas and the one that we played here,” Habersack said. “Obviously, the one at Texas was way more exciting because we won.”

Buckeye season ticket holder, Paul Kory, will be hiding something on Saturday.

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“When I went to college, I had to get out of Ohio to go where it's warm,” Kory said. “And I even have a Texas tattoo right there. So I am a Longhorn, but more importantly, I'm a Buckeye.”

Kory said he plans to tailgate with his daughter and other Buckeye fans, and cover up that tattoo Saturday.

“Absolutely nobody's going to see that,” Kory said. “So I'm going to buy the big jersey and just make sure it's covered.”

Even some Longhorns fans from Texas were there to check out the store.

“I typically go to a few games a year and I just thought it'd be cool to come out here,” said Mark Denman, a Texas fan. “Well, it is two of the bigger college programs in the country. You know, both teams bring in the most revenue out of any college football team, and both teams have a whole lot of history.”

Dawes said the lines have been long all week, and the store has more than 2,000 items in stock. 

“Oh my gosh, everything is flying off the shelf,” Dawes said. “Of course, a lot of people are buying red because it's a scarlet out, but really they're just grabbing everything.”

The fans said that they know the season opener will live up to “the game of the year hype” and they have some predictions of their own. 

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“I think it should be like 34-32, The Ohio State University,” Kory said.

“I got the same prediction as him, 34-32, but I just think it'll be the University of Texas over Ohio State," Denman said.

“I think we're going to win by, I think, It'll be 21-24, but guys, let's see if I'm right,” Dawes said.

Dawes said it's weeks like this that keep her business alive. 

It was busy around Ohio Stadium Friday.  As a reminder there are some road closures around the stadium Saturday.

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) is investigating a fatal hit-and-run collision from Friday morning.

According to OSHP, the fatal collision happened around 5:44 a.m. Friday on State Route 159 near mile marker 3. Troopers allege 28-year-old Bruce Hardesty, the driver of a Chevrolet Uplander, struck a pedestrian and left the scene.

OSHP said Hardesty abandoned his vehicle near the 200 block of North Bridge Street in Chillicothe, where he was later located and arrested by the Ross County Law Enforcement Complex.

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The pedestrian, identified as 35-year-old Frankie Bostwick, was originally transported to a local hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. OSHP was assisted on scene by the Chillicothe Police Department, Ross County Sheriff's Office, Chillicothe Fire Department and the Ohio Department of Transportation.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State Highway Patrol said Labor Day is one of the worst holidays for impaired driving. 

Add in a highly anticipated Buckeye home opener and central Ohioans can expect the roads to be packed. 

The stretch of summer that includes Memorial Day and the Fourth of July is when OSHP sees one-third of its fatal accidents for the year. 

“It's deadly because of holidays, you have more traffic because people are traveling. You have kids home from college,” Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Tyler Ross said. 

Labor Day weekend festivities, parades in central Ohio

Over Labor Day weekend, crashes in Franklin County have steadily increased over the last three years. 

“There's a lot of variables there, you have youth-related crashes, teen-related crashes and drivers that don't have experience or maturation behind the wheel of a vehicle,” Ross said. 

Ross said drivers who are not familiar with the roads are also a common factor. This year, that could include the massive influx of people in town to watch the Longhorns take on Ohio State. 

“We've already seen an increase of travel coming into Columbus. It's going to be a big weekend. So you couple that on top of Labor Day, there's going to be a lot of people on our roadways,” Ross said. 

Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2024

Last year, there were 264 Labor Day weekend crashes in Franklin County, up 13 from the year before. The majority happened inside the city of Columbus (186), but next on the list are Gahanna (12) and Grove City (11). 

Crash severityCountFatal1Injury possible34Minor injury suspected48Property damage only174Serious injury suspected7Total264

“That's not just impaired driving or distracted driving. Obviously, those are huge concerns, but speed in general. We have a really bad problem right now, people being aggressive and offensive behind the wheel of a vehicle,” Ross said. 

Most of the crashes in Franklin County resulted in property damage, but OSHP data shows there was one fatal crash in Franklin County. Across the state, there were more than a dozen last year. 

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“I don't think anybody goes out and plans to kill themselves or somebody else, but it happens every 4th of July, every Labor Day, every Memorial Day, these big drinking holidays. We see it every year. That's why you're going to see the patrol be highly disciplined, highly active,” Ross said.

Last year's 264 central Ohio crashes was a higher count than the two previous years:

Sept. 1-4, 2023

Crash severityCountInjury possible23Minor injury suspected41Property damage only175Serious injury suspected12Total251

Sept. 2-5, 2022

Crash severityCountFatal2Injury possible26Minor injury suspected41Property damage only177Serious injury suspected4Total250

OSHP is tracking holiday weekend crashes already. They started at 12:01 Friday morning and go on until 11:59 p.m. Monday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A former Columbus police officer serving time in prison for killing an unarmed man has appealed his conviction.

In November, Adam Coy, 48, was found guilty of murder, reckless homicide and felonious assault in the death of 47-year-old Andre Hill. Coy was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in July, but appealed the charges this week.

The appeal was not a surprise, as Coy's attorneys said last month that he would appeal the verdict on the grounds that he was acting within his training as a police officer.

Coy shot Hill four times on Dec. 22, 2020 while responding to a nonemergency suspicious vehicle charge. Hill had begun exiting a garage at Coy's request when Coy fired.

Hill was holding a lit phone screen in his left hand and had his right hand at his side, partially obscured from view by a parked car. Coy testified that he believed Hill had a silver revolver in his right hand. The item was actually a set of keys.

Coy's trial lasted two weeks and the jury deliberated for 12 hours. The trial was initially scheduled for March 2022, but was postponed three times after Coy was diagnosed with classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Hill filed a motion for a new trial in February, but after arguments in April, the judge denied the motion on June 30.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Up until this football season, Ohio State’s student section -- known as Block O -- has been split in half: One group on the south side of the stadium and the other on the north.

The Ohio State Athletic Department recently announced changes to the game day experience, including unifying the entire Block O section in the south stands. The leaders of Block O said this will only make them stronger.

“I think just us being louder and being all together will truly drive and make the 'Shoe the atmosphere that it should be,” Adam Smith, president of Block O, said.

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Smith said when the department came to him with this idea, it came as a surprise, but a welcome one.

“It's just going to drive that noise and drive that energy even more,” he said.

Before the section can really be unified and provide a blanket of noise, the work started in the Block O office inside the Ohio Union. Football Director Cameron Thompson has been busy meticulously planning the card stunts.

“Just excited for the opportunity to be able to lead the section. I'm excited to bring my personal swag or whatever that looks like to the section,” Thompson said.

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He had his work cut out for him. The new Block O layout allows the crowd to increase to more than 3,000 members, which also means expanding the card stunts from two to three.

“That energy is contagious, if that energy is being spread through those three sections, which is even wider, that contagious energy is going to spread throughout the south and the whole student section and then through the whole stadium,” Thompson said.

The match up against Texas will be the culmination of all the work this team has been putting in since spring.

“I live for college football. It's one of the reasons I wake up in the morning every day,” Smith said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A judge has denied the Columbus Zoo's request to temporarily block Liberty Township from collecting a tax on admissions.

The lawsuit has ties to House Bill 315, which was passed in April 2024 and allows townships to tax up to $1 per admission ticket to provide for fire and emergency medical services. The zoo claims the law was meant to apply to large concert venues. Liberty Township, however, is seeking to use the law to tax zoo admissions.

The zoo filed a motion seeking to temporarily block the township from taxing admissions while the lawsuit plays out in court. Watch previous coverage in the player above.

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Judge James P. Shuck said the zoo classifies as an "entertainment venue" and therefore falls under the scope of the law. Shuck also ruled that the township's resolution does not require the zoo to pass on the tax to guests so the zoo cannot claim harm.

Shuck disagreed with the zoo's notion that it is a private, not-for-profit zoological institution.

"For instance, now through October 5th, the Zoo has invited the public to come to its premises for a Lantern Festival," Shuck wrote. "And, of course, one of the best known holiday attractions in Ohio is Columbus Wildlights. The fact that the Zoo is also a conservation and education institution does not alter the fact that it is also a major central Ohio entertainment venue."

The fee is scheduled to go into effect on Monday. Neither Liberty Township nor the Columbus Zoo have responded yet to NBC4's request for comment.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After an eventful opening week on the football field, some high schools look to prove their first win of the season isn't a fluke and others will try to bounce back.

After all, they say the most improvement is usually seen between the first and second weeks of the season. Olentangy defeated the defending state champion, Olentangy Liberty, in its opener, and Bishop Watterson withstood a scare from Big Walnut to extend its winning streak to 17 straight games.

Below is a list of games that will be featured on Football Friday Nite at 11:15 p.m. A complete list of games in the state is at the bottom. Check back all evening for updated scores and highlights.

Week 2 Schedule

• Columbus Academy at Jonathan Alder
• Hilliard Bradley at Hilliard Darby
• Delaware Hayes at Hamilton Township
• Westland at Grove City
• Davidson at Canal Winchester
• Gahanna at Groveport Madison
• Johnstown at Centerburg
• Tri-Valley at Granville
• Westerville North at Orange
• Northland at DeSales
• Glenville at Olentangy Liberty
• Upper Arlington at Berlin

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The wife of the late Johnny Gaudreau shared a heartfelt message on the one year anniversary of his death.

"I have the best husband," Meredith Gaudreau wrote in an Instagram story. "One year closer to seeing you again and being with you forever. Forever for real."

In the post, Gaudreau shared a video tribute that was posted by the Blue Jackets and the NHL.

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"8/29/2020 we got engaged. 8/29 is a reminder of what forever means to me," she wrote under the video. "I love you."

Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were both killed last Aug. 29 when they were hit by a suspected drunken driver while in New Jersey for their sister's wedding.

The alleged driver, Sean Higgins, was indicted on Dec. 11 after a grand jury submitted charges of two counts of reckless vehicular homicide, two counts of aggravated manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

Higgins, who was driving with a reported blood alcohol level of 0.087, struck the Gaudreau brothers last August as they were cycling after sunset on a road near Salem, New Jersey

Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” amassed 243 goals and 500 assists over 11 seasons in the NHL. He signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent two seasons ago and led the team in points with 74 and 60, respectively, including 101 assists. He chose the Blue Jackets over bigger contract offers, saying he wanted to be able to raise his family in central Ohio.

Johnny Gaudreau was named to the NHL's All-Quarter-Century team as part of the group of skaters who made their debuts after 2010. Watch previous coverage in the player above.

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Matthew Gaudreau also played hockey professionally for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League, and the Worcester Railers and the Reading Royals of the ECHL. He and Johnny played together at Boston College in 2013 and as a senior, Matthew led the Eagles in assists and points.

Matthew Gaudreau turned to coaching and became coach of Gloucester (New Jersey) Catholic High School hockey team in 2022.

The Gaudreau brothers were born in Salem, New Jersey, and grew up in Carneys Point Township. They were scheduled to be groomsmen in their sister’s wedding.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As fans in central Ohio prepare to cheer on The Ohio State Buckeyes during the home opener against the Texas Longhorns, alumni all over the world are making sure they are loud and proud.

The OSU Alumni Club of Greater London is just one of several groups hosting a watch party for this highly anticipated matchup. The club has approximately 100 members and they will be gathering at 5 p.m. (GMT) on Saturday. The theme is “High Noon at the Shoe.”

The club often hosts watch parties throughout the year. In January, dozens of Ohio State alumni and fans got together for a 12:30 a.m. kick off in London to watch the National Championship game.

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“It’s just always such a good atmosphere,” said alumni club board member, Dave Thomas. “We’re so privileged to bring all of these people together, just to show the Buckeye and Ohio spirit.”

Thomas is from England and studied abroad at Ohio State. He knows what it’s like to be inside Ohio Stadium for an important game. The club tries to keep that spirit and sense of community alive.

“It’s not quite like being at the Shoe, but it’s as close as we can get, so especially during those big games like That Team Up North, Penn State, the game we got Saturday, it’s going to be a very intense, loud and passionate atmosphere. It’s just good to be able to experience that 4,000 miles away from Columbus.” 

While the experience in London lacks the live sounds of The Ohio State University Marching Band, Brutus and hundreds of thousands of people in the streets of Columbus, board member Reed Flynt said it’s still exciting to see everyone come together to root on the Scarlet and Gray. 

“Once the game starts up and you see a Buckeye touchdown and you get the Ohio State music on the speaker, there’s still plenty of energy in there,” said Flynt. 

Both Flynt and Thomas are ready for a win to start the season. They know what’s at stake and will be representing Ohio State no matter what. 

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“It’s going to be a real test for the Buckeyes, but I know we can do it, especially in the Shoe,” said Thomas. “I’m kind of jealous I’m not out there, but we’ll do our best to replicate it over here in London.”

If you are traveling to London during the season and want to attend an OSU watch party, message the club on Facebook, Instagram or X. 

Thomas also said if you want to join the Alumni Club of Greater London Facebook group, mention in one of the answers to their questionnaire that you saw this story on NBC4. He said it will help them deter spam accounts.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Labor Day weekend has arrived, and central Ohio celebrations are already getting underway with several traditional events loaded with all types of entertainment, food and live music.

From arts festivals to parades and family-friendly activities, there is something for everyone to enjoy. See the list below for top Labor Day happenings across the region for a weekend of fun and festivities.

Bexley Labor Day Block Party
Date: Sunday, Aug. 31, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: East Main Street and Drexel Avenue, Bexley
Highlights:
• Block party with live music, food vendors, family-friendly activities, and more.
• Bexley BrewFest featuring craft brews, seltzers, and ciders from Ohio breweries (ticket required for BrewFest).

Canal Winchester Labor Day Festival
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 30 and 31, noon to 11 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1, noon to 6 p.m.
Location: East Waterloo Street and North High Street, Canal Winchester
Highlights:
• Tailgate Party for the OSU football game with on a giant screen.
• Ohio musical acts.
• Mini golf in Stradley Park.
• More than 40 craft vendors along East Waterloo Street.

Newark Labor Day Parade
Date: Monday, Sept. 1, from noon to 1 p.m. The parade will form at 10 a.m.
Location: Newark, starting at 3rd St. and Walnut, going north on 3rd St. to 350 Hudson Ave.
Highlights:
• Celebrate workers with floats, walking, or riding in the parade.
• Parade ends at USW Hall at 350 Hudson Ave., Newark.
• Food provided at USW 244 Union Hall around 12:30 p.m., rain or shine.

Worthington — St. Michael Church Labor Day Weekend Festival
Dates: Friday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 30 and 31, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Location: 5750 N. High St., Worthington
Highlights:
• Music, rides, food, bake sale, raffle, casino and silent auction.

Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival
Date: Monday, Sept. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Northam Park, 2850 Tremont Rd., Upper Arlington
Highlights:
• Celebrating the arts since 1966 with more than 120 artists.
• Fine art and fine craft work, including paintings, photography, jewelry, pottery, and sculptures.
• Hands-on art activities, live music, food trucks.

West Jefferson Ox Roast
Dates: Saturday, Aug. 30 through Monday, Sept. 1
Location: Garrette Park, West Jefferson
Highlights:
• Traditional ox roast festivities.
• Food, games and community activities.

West Liberty Labor Day Festival
Dates: Friday, Aug. 29 through Monday, Sept. 1.
Location: Lions Club Park, West Liberty
Highlights:
• 60th annual festival with free admission.
• Exhibitors, food trucks, live music, petting zoo, antique equipment show, and vendors.
• Parade on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom is going after Ohio for its homicide rate as part of his push to point out what he calls hypocrisy from the Trump administration over crime.

"Ohio's homicide rate is 160% higher than California's, but you wouldn't know that by watching FOX NEWS," Newsom's team posted on his official press office account, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Are Newsom's claims about Ohio's homicide rate true?

While Newsom is correct that Ohio's homicide rate is higher than California's based on data from 2023 -- the most recent year available -- he is incorrectly applying percentages, making his number inflated. He has made the same error in claims about other states as well.

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CDC data shows that in 2023, California had a homicide rate of 5.1 per 100,000 residents. Ohio had a homicide rate of 8 per 100,000 residents. That would make Ohio's homicide rate about 56% higher than California's, not 160%.

The debate over crime

Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has spent the last several days posting about the homicide rates in Republican-led states in response to President Donald Trump deploying the National Guard in Washington, D.C. to address crime. Trump has also suggested targeting other Democratic-controlled cities in blue states like Chicago and Baltimore.

"If the president is sincere about the issue of crime and violence, there's no question in my mind that he will likely be sending the troops into Louisiana and Mississippi to address the unconscionable wave of violence that continues to plague those states," Newsom said at a Thursday news conference.

In response, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said Newsom will do anything for attention and should focus on governing his state.

"We have crime in cities all across America, and we're against that everywhere," Johnson said in an interview on Fox News. "We've got to address it everywhere that it rears its ugly head. I think every major city in the country, the residents of those cities, are open to that."

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Newsom accused Trump of not being focused on the issue of crime and violence, but instead "expression of authoritarianism."

"Alabama is top three," he said. "Where's the President of the United States? I thought he cared. These are his states that voted for him."

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday criticized cities run by Democrats.

"This is President Trump's message to Americans in Democrat-run cities nationwide: Decline is a choice," she said. "You don't have to live in constant fear of being robbed, raped, or murdered. Your leaders are lying to you, and they have been failing you for decades."

Leavitt singled out Chicago for having the most murders of any U.S. city. A study from the Rochester Institute of Technology found that Chicago had 21.7 homicides per 100,000 people in 2024. Because the city has the third largest population, its homicide rate was the 8th highest in the nation.

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St. Louis, New Orleans, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Indianapolis, and Richmond, Virginia, all had higher homicide rates than Chicago, according to the study.

"The Trump approach of upholding law and order and allowing our brave men and women in blue to actually do their jobs to aggressively stomp out crime works," Leavitt said.