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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Picking six specific numbers can net someone nearly $1.5 billion on Wednesday night.

The Powerball drawing is worth an estimated $1.4 billion, or a one-time $634.3 million cash payout, the second-largest Powerball jackpot in two years.

The winning numbers in Wednesday's drawing are 03, 16, 29, 61, and 69, the Powerball is 22, and the Power Play multiplier is 2x.

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While the annuity value of the jackpot is $1.4 billion, the lottery reports that most winners take the cash payment. Wednesday’s drawing is the 41st drawing since the last jackpot was won on May 31; the most consecutive drawings between winners is 42, which was set in April 2024.

Wednesday's jackpot is the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot ever as well as the sixth-largest lottery jackpot overall.

RankJackpot sizeLottery game1.$2.04 billionPowerball2.$1.765 billionPowerball3.$1.602 billionMega Millions4.$1.586 billionPowerball5.$1.537 billionMega Millions6.$1.4 billion (estimated)Powerball7.$1.348 billionMega Millions8.$1.337 billionMega Millions9.$1.326 billionPowerball10.$1.269 billionMega Millions

Monday's drawing resulted in 10 $1 million prizes for people who matched the five white numbered balls and two $2 million prizes for those who matched the five balls and played the multiplier -- none of those tickets were sold in Ohio. Overall, there were more than 4.5 million winning tickets worth at least $4 sold for the drawing.

The odds of winning the jackpot – 292.2 million to 1 -- never change, no matter how many tickets are sold. The reason for this is the odds of winning are based on hitting the right combination of numbers, not how many other tickets are vying for the prize. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9.

Powerball tickets cost $2 each and are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m.

Joel and the candycane.

MARION, Ohio (WCMH) – The Salvation Army in Marion is rolling out a state-of-the-art vehicle that could be a game changer for disaster relief across Ohio.

The Marion Corp’s new emergency disaster services canteen is equipped with technology and resources to serve families better when a crisis strikes.

It'll serve Marion County and surrounding rural areas with meals, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care. It's the first in the division with Starlink satellite internet, allowing responders to stay connected even when storms and disasters knock out traditional power and communications.

The Salvation Army said trained volunteers can have it stocked and on the road within hours of an emergency.

"We don't ever know when a disaster is going to strike, and oftentimes, we think we'll be OK,” Salvation Army Marion Corps Officer Capt. Kristin Price said. “With the recent floods that took place, we saw how quickly they wiped away everything. As a community, we need to be more prepared. We need to be ready. We need to have plans in place."

The canteen can also be utilized for community programs, such as mobile food pantries, soup kitchens, and summer feeding programs.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Animal rescue groups say Columbus is facing a growing stray cat crisis.

They warn the population is outpacing resources, leaving shelters and volunteers overwhelmed. Now, they need the community's help so the problem doesn't get worse.

City Cats of Columbus founder, Renee Hallman, said she's flooded with intake requests all week.

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"I'm busy every week. I can just set a trap outside and catch a cat," Hallman said. "It's that bad."

On nearly every block in some Columbus neighborhoods, you'll find them. Stray cats are multiplying faster than rescues can catch them. Hallman said groups like hers are up against a number of challenges.

"For me, it's lack of donations and it's honestly just lack of people willing to put in the work and volunteer as well," Hallman said. 

Hallman said two big issues are driving the problem. She said it comes down to people abandoning their pets and neighbors feeding strays without getting them fixed to prevent more litters.

"There's not enough homes for all of these cats," Hallman said. "So spaying and neutering is really how we stop this issue."

Hallman said low-cost spay and neuter clinics are available in central Ohio. Columbus Humane holds its Community Cat Initiative every Friday at the cost of just $25 and people don't have to be affiliated with a rescue or shelter.

"If you go to a normal, like your regular old vet, I've been given the estimate anywhere between $400 to $800 for spay and neuter," Hallman said. "That's out of the question for a lot of people."

Hallman said the community can help in other areas too like donating, fostering or even learning how to trap-neuter-return to stop these cat colonies from growing.

"A lot of the local shelters will rent out traps," Hallman said. "They do take a deposit, but they rent out traps. So, it's very accessible. You just have to go pick them up. I know Columbus Humane does it. Colony Cats does it." 

Hallman said she's also a big advocate for "adopt don't shop." She encourages residents to support the local rescues like hers that are doing the hands-on work every day to keep the stray cat population under control. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- New video from Grove City police shows a chase Saturday that ended in a deadly crash.

Police said they were originally investigating an alleged theft involving two suspects.

Grove City Police Lt. Jason Stern said the situation was tragic, but preventable. 

“Listen to the police, follow the police's instructions. Just stop," Stern said. "As it happened, we were so far away from them, we didn't even have a chance to try and do a pursuit interception technique or anything to stop them. Just couldn't catch up because it was so fast. But those decisions cost two people's lives."

He said officials are still reviewing the incident to make sure proper protocols were followed, as they do with all chases.

Stern said the two suspects, identified as 47-year-olds Christopher Reed and Kelly Wise, allegedly stole from Dick's Sporting Goods on Stringtown Road, but were later spotted near Walmart off Buckeye Parkway.

In the video, officers spot one of the suspects getting into a silver car and pulls up next to the car to stop them from leaving. The suspects speed off, clipping the police cruiser and zooming past several pedestrians. The officer follows the suspects but loses them. 

Stern said an off-duty officer spotted the suspects on White Road and called back their location. The officer said he was passing cars and driving on the opposite side of the road.

The officers found the car on Hoover Road, where the car can be seen driving on the opposite side of the road at an estimated 70 mph. The officers could not catch up to the car.

“That and the real, real alarming part of this was that continued driving on the wrong side of the road, in the wrong traffic lanes, that is so unbelievably dangerous," he said. "We are very grateful that no, no innocent people were injured or struck at any point. I mean, it could have started at Walmart. They were right there feet away from these pedestrians walking in front of Walmart."

Another officer then meets the car on Interstate 71. He radios that he is initiating a pursuit because of the reckless driving.

That officer keeps airing speeds over the radio reaching as high as 120 mph. The suspect car cut across four lanes, almost hitting a motorcycle. 

The car gets off on Greenlawn Avenue, driving toward the cemetery and officers follow.

In the video, the sun blocks the actual crash but the aftermath is visible. The officers quickly switched from enforcement to rendering aid when they see the two people are unresponsive. They perform CPR for several minutes. Stern said he wishes this could’ve ended differently.

“I am grateful that no innocent people were struck or injured. I'm grateful that our officers are OK. And it is so tragic that the decisions of that driver cost two people their lives completely avoidable. All they had to do was stop or just not drive like that,” Stern said.

Grove City’s criteria for initiating a pursuit is as follows: “an offense of violence or when the suspects' continued or imminent actions present a danger to human life or may cause serious physical harm.” 

The officers involved are still on full-time duty and are receiving officer support.

The case is under investigation.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Among college marching bands, Ohio State's Best Damn Band In The Land ranks as one of the most popular and recognized groups in America. 

And in the OSU band, the honor of dotting the "I" in Script Ohio stands as the most well-known individual honor among college bands, with senior sousaphone players earning that responsibility each year.

Sydney Reeves, a fourth-year sousaphone player from Dublin, will have the honor of Dotting the I during Saturday's alumni band show as the Buckeyes face Grambling State.

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"I'm getting a little nervous, it’s like a nervous-excited,” Sydney says. 

She's nervous because of just how much dotting the i means to her family; you could say she was born to do it.

"When she was two, said she wanted a little tuba to keep under her bed, and her whole life and adolescence was dedicated to this one goal,” Sydney's mother Wendy Reeves said.  

Wendy Reeves understands the nerves because she's been there herself – Wendy dotted the I in 1992, one year before her boyfriend, Chad, did the same. As it turns out, they were sousaphone soulmates.

"He proposed at a Skull session in front of 10,000 people, and we got married before we were done with band, so we were actually a married couple in the band,” Wendy Reeves said. The coupled dotted the I at the same time during a Cleveland Browns game, becoming the first married couple to ever dot together. 

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Sydney Reeves began playing the tuba and the sousaphone well before her high school career at Dublin Coffman; Wendy Reeves works as a band director in the district, and her daughter grew up chasing the dream of performing the same routine as her parents. She also has two other family members who marched in TBDBITL. 

Saturday's game will be the alumni band game where Script Ohio is performed to all four sides of Ohio Stadium. Sydney Reeves will dot one of the four I's and then she will also dot the I at the Minnesota game later this season. While Wendy Reeves will be watching proudly from the stands, Chad will not: four years ago, Chad died unexpectedly. 

"He would have loved it so much,” Wendy Reeves said. "And he's, he was so proud of Sydney. He and Sydney were incredibly close, And I just know he's smiling down on her.”

Sydney Reeves said she’s making sure her dad is along for the ride Saturday.

"I have a Buckeye on a string that he wore when he was in band,” she said. “I wore all my first year. It's old, it's kind of falling apart. So I've saved it to wear for only when I dot just so that I have that with me. It's a tradition and I'm really excited to continue on this and continue the legacy of my family.”

POWELL, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium community is mourning the loss of a zebra that died after the animal collided with part of its outdoor habitat.

In a social media post, the zoo wrote that Paula, a zebra in the Heart of Africa area of the zoo, died after initial findings showed she collided with a gate in the outdoor habitat, suffering fatal injuries.

"Paula was cherished for her spirited personality and the joy she brought to guests and staff alike," the zoo wrote. "Her passing is a difficult loss for all of us, especially the Heart of Africa animal care team who worked so closely with her every day."

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The zoo described zebras as a "flight species," saying they can startle easily. To help prevent future accidents, the zoo said new visual barriers and safeguards have been installed in the zebra habitat.

There were no signs of outside disturbances, altercations, or other health concerns among the herd, the zoo said.

"The wellbeing of the animals entrusted to us will always be our highest priority, and we remain committed to continuously learning and enhancing care practices to provide the best possible environment for every animal at the Zoo," the zoo posted.

POWELL, Ohio (WCMH) -- A student-led nonprofit raised more than $2,000 in one week to purchase hygiene products for homeless and low-income Delaware County residents in need.

"We want to give local products to these people, so that not only can we help them, but also we want to raise awareness around this, like, issue that many individuals are not focusing on," Hersh Gandhi, CEO of the Brighten Initiative, said.

Gandhi, a senior at Olentangy High School, founded the Brighten Initiative after a summer internship with the Attorney General's office. Gandhi said he learned about various public health issues during his tenure, including how wealth disparities contribute to health conditions. Upon returning to school, he teamed up with fellow senior Videesh Veeragandham, COO of the nonprofit.

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Veeragandham, Gandhi and a quickly assembled team of nearly 30 volunteers have dedicated their free time to collecting donations and distributing products. The student-run group has ordered more than 7,200 items, including toothbrush kits, shampoos, lotions, razors and more, in just a week of work.

Gandhi said student volunteers will assemble hygiene kits to distribute at local shelters and Delaware County schools. By the end of September, they hope to distribute more than 500 kits.

The pair said they've been staying up until 2 a.m. to work on the project. As full-time students balancing college applications, extracurriculars, and AP classes, Gandhi, Veeragandham and their peers are finding time whenever possible.

"As seniors, we don't really have a lot of classes this year because we're mainly done with our credits," Veeragandham said. "So in between periods when we do have free time, we do focus on the nonprofit and keep planning things out."

Although Gandhi and Veeragandham plan to attend college next year -- studying public health and neuroscience, respectively -- the duo hopes the Brighten Initiative will persist. They started a student club to coordinate volunteers and want to launch an educational program for younger students by the end of the month.

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Project Empower is an educational campaign with posters and worksheets geared toward K-8 students. Gandhi coaches tennis and Veeragandham teaches science classes to middle schoolers at his temple, so both have experience teaching younger students. Gandhi said they've already made elementary school materials and are working on programming for middle schoolers.

"We want to empower elementary school students too, so that when they grow up, they can also be aware of the issue and obviously help out themselves," Gandhi said.

The pair said they will continue collecting donations and have a GoFundMe and Venmo where every dollar goes to purchasing items. Gandhi said every dollar donated can buy two products for a family in need.

The project is part of a lifelong passion for both students. Gandhi and Veeragandham said they both want to be doctors to help address public health issues firsthand. They encouraged their fellow students and community members to contribute.

"They don't have to do a crazy project like how we hope to do," Gandhi said. "They can just be mindful and understand that even giving one bottle of shampoo to a homeless shelter is a pretty big accomplishment in their own hearts, and that would help a whole family."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Two suspects arrested in connection with an attempted robbery that turned fatal have been sentenced to multiple decades in prison.

According to court documents, Dreyton Johnson was sentenced last week to serve at least 23 years in prison with a potential maximum sentence of 28 ½ years. Johnson, along with co-defendant William Armstead, both teenagers at the time of the incident, were being tried as adults for the murder of 21-year-old Andrew Combs.

Combs died on Dec. 13, 2022, after being shot at a Hilltop Sunoco gas station at the intersection of West Broad Street and Harris Avenue.

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Columbus police reported that Combs was attempting to thwart a robbery at the gas station, where the suspects were holding up a victim at gunpoint. Combs punched one of the suspects in defense of the robbery victim, and the suspects pushed Combs outside, where he fell.

Witnesses reported that the suspects pulled out guns, with at least one of them firing shots at Combs, who was still on the ground. He was hospitalized with four gunshot wounds and died a short time later.

Johnson, now 18, was 15 years old at the time of the fatal shooting. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, aggravated robbery and felonious assault. Armstead, now 19, was 16 years old in Dec. 2022. He pleaded guilty in June to the same charges and received a minimum of 15 years in prison with a maximum sentence of 20 ½ years.

Both suspects, who were initially charged with murder and aggravated robbery, received mandatory three- and one-year gun specifications in their sentences.

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David Johnson, 23, who had been accidentally released from prison after the death of his one-year-old son due to a fentanyl overdose, was also suspected to be involved in Combs murder. He was not charged, according to court records, but has since been sentenced to serve a total of 37 years in prison after pleading guilty in two prior cases.

One year after Combs death, his family filed a lawsuit against the Sunoco gas station, claiming the business has a responsibility to ensure the safety of its customers and hold it partially responsible. The lawsuit alleged Sunoco on West Broad Street had a history of violent incidents and failed to add any security measures to help keep customers safe.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A New York-based hamburger chain will debut at Easton Town Center on Wednesday in the building that formerly housed Melt Bar and Grilled. 

Bareburger will hold a soft opening on Wednesday and Thursday, with limited hours of 4 to 9 p.m., before its grand opening on Friday with its regular hours of 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., according to owner George Mathew. 

The new eatery is located at 4206 Worth Ave., where Melt previously operated before it shuttered in July 2024 amid financial challenges for the Ohio chain stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The brand has since closed all of its locations.

The new Easton burger joint will mark Bareburger’s second location in the Buckeye State. The first launched at 463 N. High St. in the Short North in 2014 and is also operated by Mathew. Founded in 2009, Bareburger is a franchise-based chain with 30 locations throughout New York, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut and Ohio.

• (Photo courtesy/George Mathew)
• (Photo courtesy/George Mathew)
• (Photo courtesy/George Mathew)
• (Photo courtesy/George Mathew)
• (Photo courtesy/George Mathew)
• (Photo courtesy/George Mathew)

Stump to close Italian Village plant shop after 10 years in business

Bareburger serves a variety of hamburgers, including traditional and smashburgers made from beef, along with bison and elk burgers. The eatery features multiple vegetarian and vegan options as well, including burgers made from black beans, falafel and Impossible Beef.

Other options on the menu include chicken sandwiches, salads, wings, pastrami, cheesesteaks and BLTs, along with sides such as honey Brussels sprouts, fried cauliflower, pickle chips and plant-based nuggets. The chain is also known for its milkshakes, with flavors like matcha green tea coconut, vanilla and chocolate. 

Bareburger at Easton’s regular hours include Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with hours extended to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After a decade of business in Columbus, the original location of Stump plant shop will close its doors for good on Saturday.

Owners Emily and Brian Kellett announced the closure in a social media post in August, describing the decision as the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. The couple opened the shop in the Italian Village at 305 E. Fifth Ave. in 2015, exactly one year after meeting and forming a shared vision of combining plants with intentional design.

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"We had no idea what we were doing, just a whole lot of passion and a dream of creating a space filled with thoughtfully designed products, plants and people," the Kelletts wrote.

• The Italian Village shop at 305 E. 5th Ave. will close its doors for good on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo/Stump)
• The Italian Village shop at 305 E. 5th Ave. will close its doors for good on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo/Stump)

The store became known not only for its curated greenery but also for hosting community events, such as pop-up brunches and poetry readings. Over the years, Stump expanded to additional locations, including shops in Savannah, Georgia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Lancaster, Ohio.

The Kelletts said they are stepping away from retail ownership but will continue to support the business. Management of the remaining shops will transition to local managers: Kiley in Savannah, Brett and Allison in Philadelphia, and Jenny in Lancaster.

The Italian Village shop's longtime manager, Egan, who has been with the company for nine years, will collaborate with the Kelletts on new projects that have yet to be announced.

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Before closing, the Italian Village location will host a 10-year anniversary celebration on Friday.

"It's bittersweet, but mostly, we're filled with gratitude," the post read. "Thank you for showing up to shop, for growing with us, and for loving plants as much as we do."

Stump's other locations will remain open under the new leadership.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus officials are weighing a proposal to expand the city's business certification program to include more small companies as part of an effort to align with federal orders limiting race and gender initiatives.

The proposal comes as cities nationwide are grappling with a series of executive orders issued by the Trump administration this year that target diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Lara Baker-Morrish, a deputy city attorney, said during an Aug. 26 Columbus City Council hearing that the potential negative impact of running afoul of those orders includes "not only the loss of considerable federal funding, but also the potential for prison terms."

The city's Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which has long provided free business certifications for those owned by minorities, women, the LGBTQ+ community and veterans, would see the biggest changes. Under the proposal, the office would revise its certifications to include two new categories: Small Regional Business Enterprises, for eligible small businesses in the Columbus area, and Regional Business Enterprises, for those located anywhere in Ohio.

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Jason Jenkins, the office's director, said the new categories would maintain access for business owners to benefits like bid discounts, incentive credits, increased city contracting opportunities and participation in business development initiatives -- while basing eligibility on the size of the company instead of identity.

"To potentially be in compliance, we would have to stop setting those goals based on race and gender," Jenkins said during the August hearing, adding that the proposed changes would still cover a large portion of business already certified under the existing program. "Ninety-three percent of our certified businesses, currently, have the potential to be transferred over to the Small Regional Business program," he said.

Councilmember Nicholas Bankston, who chaired the hearing, emphasized that the proposal is not yet final.

"This is a proposal. Nothing is decided," Bankston said. "Our consideration of this proposal does not equate to the rollback of DEI initiatives, or us giving in to the demands of the current president and his administration. In actuality, these changes expand the work of the office and gives it more flexibility to serve our small business community."

Still, community concerns surfaced during the public testimony portion of the hearing. Gayle Saunders, a Black business owner whose firm, Saunders PR Group, is certified through the city's existing program, said she was "hoping to hear of specific legislative action that has happened against the city to precipitate this."

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"While the goal of modernizing language to supporting regional small businesses is commendable, we think that adding additional race-neutral frameworks risks reversing years of hard-fought progress," she said. "Race-neutral approaches remove that intentionality, leaving minority and women-owned businesses vulnerable to being overlooked once again."

In response, Baker-Morrish referenced a ruling from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which found that race- and gender-conscious programs must meet high constitutional standards under the 14th Amendment to be upheld. While Columbus was not involved in the case, she noted that "because the city of Columbus is located within the Sixth Circuit, the reasoning in that case would equally apply."

The debate comes after city officials first confirmed in May they were reviewing programs in light of shifting Trump administration orders. At the time, a spokesperson for Mayor Andrew Ginther said his administration "strongly disagrees" with federal directives, but was "working closely with the city attorney's office" to ensure compliance without compromising values.

Under Ginther's leadership, minority business participation in city contracts has grown from 8.4% in 2016 to 19.1% in 2024, representing more than $600 million in economic impact, according to the mayor's office.

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Bankston reiterated the city's commitment to inclusion, even in the face of legal and political pressure.

"Municipalities throughout this country, including ours, are being attacked by federal court systems that have shifted to targeting and criminalizing DEI work," he said. "As long as I sit in this seat, I remain committed to championing diversity, equity and inclusion, regardless of what form it takes. This is our moment to be intentional. Not just simply as a city, but as a society."

The proposal remains under review, and no vote has been scheduled.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A case in the Ohio Supreme Court involving a 94-year-old Marine Corps veteran who lost his eye after cataract surgery is challenging a state law that caps damages for pain and suffering in medical malpractice lawsuits. 

After losing his eye, John Paganini sued the doctor who performed the procedure, Dr. Gregory Louis, and the Cataract Eye Center of Cleveland in 2022.

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A Cuyahoga County jury awarded him $1.48 million for his pain and suffering, but the defendants fought the decision, asking the court to reduce this amount to $500,000. They cited an Ohio law passed in 2003 that caps noneconomic damages – or those for intangible losses – at $500,000 for medical malpractice lawsuits involving permanent physical deformities.

Both a trial court and Eighth District Court of Appeals denied the defendants’ request, saying the cap in Ohio law is unconstitutional because it violates residents’ due process rights. The appeals court called the rule arbitrary and unreasonable and offered an analogy: if a man was run over by a doctor and lost his leg, there would be no limit on the damages, but if he lost his leg in surgery, there would be a cap. 

The defendants appealed the lower courts’ decisions to the Ohio Supreme Court, and in May, it agreed to hear the case, which will set a precedent for medical malpractice litigation.

The lawsuit stemmed from Paganini’s cataract surgery, which took place in December 2021. The morning after the procedure, Paganini saw black dots and called his doctor’s office to make an appointment. When he arrived, Paganini reported pain in his eye and foggy vision, and Louis observed some symptoms consistent with endophthalmitis, a severe infection of the eye. 

However, Louis did not suspect Paganini had the condition at the time because his symptoms were common among patients after cataract surgery, according to court records. Therefore, Louis sent him home with a different diagnosis and did not refer him to a specialist, which he would have done if he suspected he had endophthalmitis.

A couple of days later, still experiencing eye pain, Paganini saw a specialist who diagnosed him with acute endophthalmitis. Despite undergoing surgery to treat the infection a short time later, the condition ultimately led to the loss of his eye. 

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Although the Ohio Supreme Court has yet to schedule oral arguments, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and a group of organizations including the Ohio Hospital Association and Ohio State Medical Association, filed briefs with the high court in August that argued for the state law. 

Yost pointed to a “significant health care crisis” that Ohio faced in the late 1990s and early 2000s, largely due to medical malpractice litigation and “out of control noneconomic damage awards.” During that crisis, he said more than half the state’s medical liability insurance carriers left, and physicians and hospitals faced significant increases in insurance premiums.

He stated the 2003 law helped confront this crisis and pointed out that the law does not limit damages that represent economic losses, such as hospital bills, in any way. 

The appeals court disagreed with this argument in its ruling, stating the legislature has failed to demonstrate how capping noneconomic damages for a small group of highly injured people will have any impact on malpractice insurance rates.  

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Pickerington school board member serving in two other leadership roles was momentarily cleared of wrongdoing, but questions persist from community members online about her alleged actions.

Vanessa Niekamp was charged with tampering last month in her role as executive director of the Pickerington Food Pantry. Although Pickerington Police Chief Tod Cheney said the charges are not related to her other roles as Violet Township's fiscal officer and a school board member, the overlap has drawn criticism on social media. Niekamp said she separates her work between roles and adheres to strict ethical guidelines.

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Cheney said a Pickerington detective spent hundreds of hours of work over two years digging through thousands of financial statements and bank records. At the culmination of his investigation, Niekamp was accused of tampering with a July 2023 food pantry record in her role as executive director.

Cheney recommended felony charges of forgery, theft by deception and tampering. However, Niekamp initially reached a plea deal with a special prosecutor to face a first-degree misdemeanor charge. Cheney criticized the decision on social media, calling for felony charges.

Before the plea deal was completed, the special prosecutor resigned, saying Cheney's post "irreparably harmed the relationship between law enforcement and the special prosecutor.” On Aug. 18, the case was dismissed without prejudice on request of the state of Ohio. This means the case is closed, but prosecutors are able to pursue charges again at a later date.

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Regardless, the charges have raised concerns. Fellow Pickerington School Board Member Cathy Olshefski called for Niekamp to resign immediately at an Aug. 11 board meeting. Parents and community members took to social media to question the overlap between the school, township and food pantry, which all collaborate occasionally.

Was there overlap?

In 2022, Attorney General Dave Yost ruled that someone could hold office as a school board member and fiscal officer simultaneously so long as they "refrain from assisting in the preparation or presentation of the township’s budget,” refrain from voting on or discussing contracts between the township and school district, and does not participate in deciding on tax issues that would affect the township and school district they represent. 

Since being hired by the Pickerington Food Pantry in November 2017, Niekamp has voted on school fundraisers to support the food pantry 15 times. These votes were on larger budget allocations that included the food pantry, and did not always list the pantry by name. On Aug. 25, she also voted in favor of conveying land to Violet Township.

As a school board member, Niekamp said the district’s legal counsel and administration are tasked with designating agenda items that could pose a conflict of interest. Niekamp did abstain from an Aug. 28, 2023 vote about giving money to the township. She was also absent during a vote about tax exemptions for Violet Township in 2022.

Niekamp said as fiscal officer, she records the financial transactions of the county but has no authority to authorize them. She provided the job description for the township administrator, who is directed to prepare the town’s budget. Over the past three years, the food pantry has received $45,000 in total from Violet Township, but Niekamp said she cannot make decisions on where the funding goes.

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“I take these responsibilities very seriously and follow the guidance provided to maintain compliance with applicable laws and ethical standards,” she said.

This is not the first time Niekamp has been accused of altering records, although she was not previously charged. When she served on the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, a board member accused her of illegally altering a public record. The board voted against suspending her, but the allegation persisted. Niekamp eventually resigned over the claims and sued the board over a hostile work environment. A federal court dismissed the case.

Niekamp continues in all three of her roles. Her school board seat is up for election in November, but she is not seeking reelection.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus voters have important decisions to make on the November ballot, including races for City Council and the Columbus City Schools Board of Education.

Ahead of the election, a local organization called Columbus Stand Up is hosting a debate with some of the candidates, with the debate specifically geared toward young voters.

Two Democratic candidates are vying for a seat on Columbus City Council, and six people are running to fill three seats on the CCS Board of Education. 

On Sunday, all will debate in an event organized by young adults with the goal of educating other young people about the power of their vote in their city.

Karina Burck, a student at Ohio State University and the lead debate organizer, said she wants her peers to hear directly from the candidates who could impact their schools, their neighborhoods, and their city.

“Gen Z is going to be the largest generation in the U.S., so we want their voices to be heard in politics and for them to realize that their vote will influence the decisions that are made locally and nationally,” Burck said.

Deputy Director of Columbus Stand Up Kwesi Low said he wants young voters to be informed and feel included in local politics. That’s why anyone 25 and under who attends Sunday will be entered to win a Nintendo Switch 2.

“We want to give incentive to get people in the door,” Low said. “Hopefully, when they get in the door, they'll hear something that rings their ear and they'll see that they actually have an opportunity to make an impact now and for years to come.”

Columbus City Council candidates Tiara Ross and Jesse Vogel will debate first. Since they are both Democrats, Low said the debate will allow voters to learn whose vision they prefer despite an endorsement from the party.

“This typically happens in the primary election, so the fact that it's happening in the general election this year is kind of telling the larger narrative, and I'm really glad that people are paying attention,” Low said.

With six people running for just three CCS board seats, Burck said she hopes hearing directly from each candidate will help people differentiate between them all.

“It’ll be three new people on this board who need to have a plan ready for what they will be bringing and offering to help improve Columbus City Schools,” Burck said. “They directly impact the education that you or your child is getting.”

Burck hopes people her age will come to the debate and leave understanding why their vote matters in each and every election.

“Getting people involved in my generation is really important because, specifically, when it comes to voting, that's one of the easier ways to make a change,” Burck said.

The debate is at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, at Fort Hayes Education Center.

NBC4’s Kyle Beachy is one of the moderators.

The event is free and though it is geared toward young voters, anyone is welcome to learn more about their candidates. For more information about the debate, click here.