BROOKLYN, Ohio (WJW) -- An attorney for the Brooklyn High School head football coach who resigned after players used the term "Nazi" in play calls pushed back against what he considers a wrongful termination.

It happened during a Friday, Sept. 22, game against Beachwood High School. That district in statement Saturday stated "players used a racial slur freely throughout the night."

In a statement released Thursday on behalf of resigned coach Tim McFarland, attorney Peter Pattakos said the term has been commonly used for decades to signal an opposing blitz at all levels of American football. He called the outcry that led to McFarland's resignation "political correctness run amok."

The notion that the use of this term in last Friday’s football game implies any antisemitism or intent to offend on the part of McFarland or any of the Brooklyn High players, coaches or community is not only false but absurdly so. The term 'Nazi' is by no means an anti-Semitic slur. As a matter of historical fact, the term 'Nazi' is well known to describe a notorious German political party that, after coming to power in Germany, employed aggressive military attacks known as 'blitzkriegs.' The term 'blitz' has long been a commonly employed term in the militaristic sport of American football, which is derived from this Nazi-era German military term, to describe similarly aggressive tactics by defensive players.

While McFarland is mindful of the atrocities committed by the Nazis in the holocaust leading up to World War II, the idea that someone would be offended by hearing the commonly used pass-protection call 'Nazi' at an American football game had not occurred to him until his counterparts on the Beachwood sideline brought the issue to his attention in the second quarter of last Friday’s game.

At that point, McFarland immediately instructed his team to stop using the term, and told the Beachwood coaches that he would personally apologize to any players who were offended. The Beachwood coaches told him that an apology would not be necessary, and the game then continued to completion.

Attorney Peter Pattakos, on behalf of Tim McFarland

McFarland handed in his resignation on Monday, Sept. 25, according to the district. Pattakos on Thursday said it was because district officials "demanded" it.

"Now a group of kids at a local public school are left without their beloved head coach, leader and mentor in the middle of their football seasons. Those responsible -- especially the Beachwood politicians who are using this incident to score cheap political points for themselves -- should be ashamed of themselves," Pattakos wrote. "McFarland is weighing all legal options available to him against those who caused this extremely damaging and defamatory firestorm."

Read the full statement below:

The Ohio High School Athletic Association appeared to back Brooklyn City Schools' decision to break with McFarland in a statement released to FOX 8 News on Tuesday.

"The OHSAA expects that the school will not have any similar issues moving forward, as offensive language has no place in sports at any level and goes against the values of sportsmanship, respect and education-based athletics," it reads.

In an interview with The Associated Press Thursday, former Brooklyn High School coach Tim McFarland said he never meant any offense by using the term and that it “didn't even occur” to him that it could be taken as antisemitic. But the team's use of “Nazi” has been largely criticized as such, especially given that the plays were called during a game against Beachwood High School — a school based in a largely Jewish Cleveland suburb. Peter Pattakos, McFarland’s lawyer, balked at the idea of the word Nazi being deemed antisemitic and said it is a historical term, not a slur. Citing an Ohio high school coaching book from the 1990s, Pattakos said “Nazi” is often used in football to warn teammates of what is known as a “blitz." Beachwood Schools Superintendent Robert Hardis and the Beachwood Board of Education said in a news release that McFarland’s statement shows he is “demonstrating further ignorance” and “succeeds in taking a terrible situation and making it worse.” The Ohio High School Athletic Association said it does not track the names of certain plays or calls used by high schools, but that they are aware of the situation and that “offensive language has no place in sports at any level.” McFarland, who has been coaching for 43 of his 70 years of age, said he was asked to resign by Brooklyn Schools and felt he had no choice in the matter. Brooklyn Schools Superintendent Ted Caleris declined to comment on McFarland's statement. He also said he ordered his players to stop using the call just before halftime, when Beachwood officials brought it to his attention. Statements from both school districts confirm McFarland's actions. McFarland also said that he offered to personally apologize to any of the Beachwood players the call may have offended. But he said he was told by Beachwood coaches that it was not necessary.

Both the school districts said they are currently focused on a joint response to the community regarding the Sept. 22 game and determining how best to focus on their students. ___

Samantha Hendrickson is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues

The meeting, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and held virtually, came on the heels of the governor contracting COVID-19 earlier in the month. It was his second time receiving a positive test.

DeWine confirmed during the conference that he was 10 days out from initially contracting the virus. He added that he took another COVID-19 test prior to attending, and it came back negative.

"My experience was fairly light, candidly," DeWine said; "I had been vaccinated several times before, and I took the drugs that were prescribed as soon as I was diagnosed with it, and frankly, have had a pretty easy time. I feel good."

The ODH director and governor noted that data is showing high-risk populations, such as people who are 60 and older, are being hospitalized the most by the virus.

"We're still losing two people a day, who are dying from COVID," DeWine. "Getting the vaccine is certainly the best thing you can do and give the best chance of not getting really sick once you get it."

Over the course of the summer, Ohio saw COVID-19 cases sink to record lows for 2023. The state had less than 2,000 new cases per week heading into June. More recently in the course of September, cases trended upward before falling back down. the Ohio Department of Health reported Thursday that the state had 7,721 new cases in the past week. Comparatively, it saw 8,224 cases from Sept. 15 through Sept. 21 and neared 10,000 in the week prior.

Hospitalizations have also risen through September before falling, with the latest report showing 255 compared to 312 patients during the week of Sept. 15. Deaths climbed consistently, with ODH reporting 33 compared to 28 in the week prior.

Still, the pair of speakers did not see any kind of coronavirus public safety protocols coming back anytime soon.

"I don't see that we're going to be imposing any kind of mask mandates," DeWine said. "The vaccine is readily available."

Progressive Field is the 11th oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.

The improvements are expected to be completed over the next three years, focusing on the following areas:

• A revamped Upper Deck featuring multiple social spaces for fans to enjoy. The Upper Deck will have a Beer Garden, a new group outing space, and new concession spaces, including two new View Box bars.
• A new terrace hub on the 200 and 300 levels with a Cleveland Beer Hall food and beverage experience on the 400 level. 
• A Dugout Club combines the best of both worlds when it comes to premium seating, allowing for the same great field-level seats that currently exist while creating a new exclusive lounge behind home plate. The Club will also have seven private lounges.
• A Clubhouses & Service Level that will be updated for the first time since the ballpark opened in 1994.
• A new four-level E. 9th Street building with a new kitchen and commissary for Guardians concession, and more storage facilities for the ballpark.
• The Guardians Front Office will also be fully renovated for the first time since 1994.

According to the Cleveland Guardians, the funding for the projects will be supported by the new lease agreement which extends the current lease to 2036. It was agreed upon between the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, the State of Ohio, the Gateway Economic Development Corporation of Greater Cleveland and the Cleveland Guardians.

The estimated total of the projects will be $202.5 million with $67.5 million coming from the Cleveland Guardians.

According to the Guardians, all renovations are expected to be completed by the 2025 season.

2024 Opening Day Project Completion:

• Upper Deck Experience
• E. 9th Street Building

2025 Opening Day Project Completion:

• Terrace Hub
• Dugout Club
• Clubhouses & Service Level
• Administrative Offices

Manica is serving as the lead design architect on the finalized projects.

During a press conference, Trooper Corey King confirmed Kentucky State Police were contacted by the FAA around 11 p.m. on Wednesday about a missing four passenger plane with two people known to be on board.

Trooper King said the two occupants of the plane a student pilot and an instructor from Eagle Flight Academy who were returning to Owensboro from Bowling Green. The FAA said the plane was last seen around Whitesville.

The Ohio County Coroner confirmed the identity of the two killed in the crash as pilot Timothy McKellar Jr, 22, of Custer and flight student Connor W. Quisenberry, 18, of Beaver Dam.

Authorities believe severe weather in the area played a role in the crash. During the time of the crash there was a severe thunderstorm warning for the area.

According to a news conference, the left wing of the missing plane and some mechanical parts were found in Ohio County, after a patch of white was spotted from the air using drones. The debris field was located around 9 a.m., according to Trooper King.

Daviess County Sheriff Youngman, say that papers and charts that they had previously found were not close to the wing that was found.

Kentucky State Police, the Ohio County Coroner, NTSB and the FAA are investigating.

This is a developing story.

The mobile home fire happened on the 200 block of North Milborne Road in East Union Township in Orrville.

According to a press release, the fire caused extensive damage to the building and created a substantial hazard to nearby occupied homes and vehicles. State Fire Marshal investigators ruled the fire’s cause as arson.

The investigators are looking for any information to bring those responsible to justice. The Blue Ribbon Arson Committee is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for this fire.

Anyone who has information should contact the State Fire Marshal’s tip line at 800-589-2728.

"Back in the late spring, we saw an uptick in the number of missing children cases. Now we are seeing a second wave of an uptick in missing children. We can attribute it to kids being back in school, the weather is still decent," said Majoy.

Right now, the Ohio attorney general's "Missing Children" website has more than 45 children listed as missing in Northeast Ohio in the month of September.

In August, there were 35.

"We also have to remember that a good majority of cases are runaways. It doesn't minimize the urgency because they are putting themselves in danger, but they aren't abductions," said Majoy.

Majoy is also president of Cleveland Missing, a local nonprofit.

"I don't want them to put Cleveland in a light that we have all these vanishing children because it's not quite the case. Do we have an uptick? Yes. Is there concern? Of course, but at the same token, law enforcement is doing their due diligence," said Majoy.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost acknowledged the problem, as well as the work of local law enforcement Wednesday.

"We know that law enforcement recovers 90% of the children that go missing. With that being said, one kid missing is one kid too many. BCI offers assistance to law enforcement to help in the effort to safely return children home," said Yost in a statement.

Majoy added that the public can be law enforcement's greatest asset.

Cleveland police add that in 2022, detectives solved 99% of all missing person cases received. So far this year, 94% of all cases have been solved.

Instacart is an online grocery delivery and pick-up service.

Instacart is now available at more than 200 Giant Eagle grocery stores, including those in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Giant Eagle will continue to offer groceries being selected by Giant Eagle employees and ready for pick-up.

Using Instacart will now allow for delivery to a customer's doorstep.

They arrested a 66-year-old grandfather wearing a Michael Myers mask and carrying a fake knife and toy gun, who said it was all part of a game with his grandson, according to a news release from Westlake police Capt. Gerald Vogel.

"I'm playing with my grandson. We're chasing each other around," the North Olmsted man told police officers while they arrested him, guns drawn.

The woman told police the man approached her car at a plaza near the intersection of King James Parkway and Center Ridge Road before 7 p.m. on Wednesday and brandished the plastic knife, "saying something to the effect of 'Let's go,'" before leaving on foot and hiding behind other vehicles and bushes.

She noted he had a small boy with him.

Officers caught up with him walking with the boy near the intersection of Center Ridge and Dover Center roads. Body camera video shows an officer jump out from the car with a pistol drawn.

The man was still wearing the mask. Officers found a toy handgun in his pocket, and he also admitted to having a plastic knife.

"Evidently, the 66-year-old was taking care of his 6-year-old grandson when he decided to play a 'game' with the child," Vogel wrote. "Neither the victim, who called 911 immediately, nor the officers found the game entertaining."

The man was taken to the Westlake jail and booked on an aggravated menacing charge. The boy was taken home to his parents, who live nearby.

Before Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers even finished the first sentence of his argument, justices began peppering him with technical questions that suggested they may be reticent to step in and lift a county judge's order that has been blocking the law since last October.

Flowers was representing Republican Attorney General Dave Yost, whose appeal also asserts Preterm Cleveland and the other Ohio clinics that filed the lawsuit lack the necessary legal standing to sue.

Flowers argued that the state has the right to appeal Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins' order if it can show it's suffering “irreparable harm” while the law is on hold. Flowers said each abortion that takes place that would have been prevented under Ohio’s 2019 ban constitutes such harm.

The appeal plays out against the backdrop of a November election in which Ohio residents will vote on an amendment to enshrine a right to abortion in their state constitution, passage of which would likely impact both the suit and the law.

The law, signed by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in April 2019, prohibits most abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant. The legal battle over the law comes as a proposed constitutional amendment that would protect abortion access in Ohio will go before voters in November.

“The problem with the First District's ruling ( denying Ohio's request to appeal Jenkins' order) is that, if it’s right, then all 88 (county) common pleas courts can unilaterally, indefinitely suspend operation of state law for as long as it takes to conduct discovery, to hold the trial and issue an injunction,” Flowers told the court.

The appellate court ruled Yost's appeal premature, as the order was merely an interim step that paused enforcement of the law while the lawsuit is carried out.

Preterm's attorney, B. Jessie Hill, argued that the state's decision to appeal the stay at the Ohio Supreme Court defies “long-standing, well-established rules" on such actions.

On the question of legal standing, Hill told the court that the clinics, and their physicians, were the proper parties to bring such a lawsuit — not individual pregnant women who are seeking “time-sensitive health care”.

“They are not in a position to hire an attorney, bring a lawsuit, seek an injunction, and then, even if they were to bring it, they’re not going to remain pregnant for very long,” she said.

Flowers challenged the notion, pointing out that the most celebrated abortion lawsuit in U.S. history, Roe v. Wade, was brought in the name of an individual patient.

But when he suggested that abortion clinics also could not prove the necessary “close relationship” to the category of people covered under the suit, and that their business interests in conducting abortions represent a conflict of interest, Justice Jennifer Brunner pushed back.

“There's the Hippocratic oath, though. I mean the medical profession is a profession," she said. “It's not what you would portray it as, as just some kind of monied factory.”

The Ohio abortion law had been blocked as part of a different legal challenge until the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its landmark Roe v. Wade decision last summer that had legalized abortion nationwide. That ruling left it up to states to decide the matter.

Ohio clinics then brought their challenge to state court, arguing that a similar right to the procedure exists under the Ohio Constitution. Yost had also requested in his Supreme Court appeal that justices rule on the main premise of the case — that the Ohio Constitution protect the right to an abortion — but the court left that question to the lower courts.

Data collected last year by AP VoteCast, a broad survey of the electorate, showed that 59% of Ohio voters believe abortion should generally be legal. Just last month, Ohio voters soundly defeated a measure that GOP lawmakers placed on a special election ballot that would have raised the threshold to pass constitutional amendments to 60% — a proposal seen as a first step to defeating the abortion amendment that will be on the fall ballot.

Why the Cleveland Browns won’t be on TV in Youngstown this week

The picture of a black squirrel with a white-tipped tail was shared by Olmsted Township resident Larry Pecsok. A Google search reveals that people captivated by the unique combination of black and white have cleverly dubbed the animals "squnks."

Although we are certain that is not a technical term, it does describe the unusually-colored squirrel pretty well.

While it's technically impossible for skunks and squirrels to breed since they are genetically so dissimilar (here's an easy explainer on how animal hybrids work), it hasn't stopped many online throughout the years from spotting creatures like the "squnk" seen above.

Based on research, however, it's more likely the "squnk" seen here is actually an eastern gray squirrel that descends from a gray squirrel-fox squirrel breeding. As Smithsonian Magazine explains, these "black" squirrels actually just have gene variants that make them darker due to the gene variant passed from fox to gray.

These varieties of eastern gray squirrels can be seen in Canada as well as many parts of the northern and midwest U.S., including Ohio. Famously, back in 1961, 10 black squirrels were captured in Canada and then released on the Kent State University campus. The animals are even considered the school's unofficial mascot, with events named after them.

Despite how mundane their explanation may be, black squirrels are pretty rare. Kent State reported in 2011 that there are likely only about 1 black squirrel for every 10,000 squirrels in North America. So if you see one — snap a picture!

Other animals with rare color pigments that have made news headlines include an albino porcupine, swell shark, turtle, and raccoon – just to name a few.

An invasive insect has been spotted in the Dayton area for the first time and experts are asking the public if you see one -- report it.

Man arrested after teen beaten in Warren

According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the box tree moth is an invasive pest from East Asia that threatens boxwood plantings and the horticulture industry.

Boxwood is an important decorative shrub and is one that is a valuable part of Ohio’s nursery economy, explain experts.

Officials say the box tree moth was first spotted in Ohio in June near the border of Hamilton and Clermont counties. The invasive bug was also detected in Warren and Butler Counties. Now, a sighting has been confirmed in Montgomery County, according to a release from the ODA.

The box tree moth is different than the spotted lanternfly, which is another invasive insect that has made headlines in Ohio recently.

Here is what you can do to help stop this pest:

• Familiarize yourself with the insect’s appearance and signs of damage on boxwood shrubs.
• Check any boxwood plants you have for signs of box tree moth life stages.
• If you find any signs of infestation, take a picture, and report it.
• Note: Signs of feeding include chewed, cut, or missing leaves, yellowing or brown leaves, white webbing, and green-black excrement on or around the plant.

If you see one, CLICK HERE to report it.

The Bone Thugs-N-Harmony rapper, born Anthony Henderson, is in serious condition and in the ICU at a Los Angeles-based hospital.

TMZ said only family members have been able to see Krayzie at this time, and that it all began Friday when he started coughing up blood, leading him to the hospital and being put on a ventilator.

An initial evaluation found a "bleeding artery in one of his lungs."

"Afterward, we're told Krayzie was placed in an induced coma -- with the idea being that would help the healing process," TMZ said.

But as the bleeding continues, another surgery is imminent.

Other members of the famed hip-hop group and even LeBron James have sent their thoughts and prayers to the 50-year-old on social media.

The musician was just in Cleveland in August when part of East 99th Street was renamed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Way.

At the time, he told FOX 8 why the street renaming meant so much to him and his pioneering hip-hop group.

“Man, it means everything. It shows us that the foundation we laid down, it shows that it is still there,” he said.

Investigation underway after toddler found unconscious in Warren apartment

According to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, the six defendants were indicted by a Lawrence County grand jury in connection to the case. They include former Patriot EMS Fleet Manager Tony Wilson; his wife, Malea Wilson; his sons Christopher and Tony Lee Wilson; and his daughter and son-in-law Tiffany and Joshua Wiseman, according to Yost's office.

The OH AG's office says Wilson is accused of stealing the fuel cards and then giving them to his relatives. The relatives are accused of using the stolen cards to buy personal gas and for resale beginning in April 2020, totaling approximately $75,000 stolen from the company through the fuel cards, according to Yost.

The investigation began in March 2022 when the owner of Patriot EMS noticed "unexplained charges" on fuel cards for ambulances he says were no longer in service. According to Yost's office, video evidence and spending records showed Wilson and his family putting gas into their own vehicles as well as into "large fuel containers" and for other individuals. Tiffany and Joshua Wiseman are also accused of reselling gas for a 50% discount, according to Yost.

Man sentenced in shooting death of father in Boardman

Yost's office says the defendants face the following charges:

• Tony Wilson - Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, 2nd-degree felony; theft, 4th-degree felony; theft of a credit card, 5th-degree felony.
• Malea Wilson - Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, 2nd-degree felony; theft, 5th-degree felony; receiving stolen property, 5th-degree felony.
• Tiffany Wiseman - Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, 2nd-degree felony; theft, 4th-degree felony; receiving stolen property, 5th-degree felony.
• Joshua Wiseman - Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, 2nd-degree felony; theft, 4th-degree felony; receiving stolen property, 5th-degree felony.
• Christopher Wilson - Theft, 5th-degree felony; receiving stolen property, 5th-degree felony.
• Tony Lee Wilson - Theft, 5th-degree felony; receiving stolen property, 5th-degree felony.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a complaint in federal court on Sept. 19, accusing United Healthcare of unlawfully rejecting a former employee’s religious exemption requests to a COVID-19 requirement and then firing her. The employee, working remotely at the time, objected to the use of cells derived from fetal tissue in the development of the vaccines.

“Once an employer is on notice that an employee’s sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance prevents the employee from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, the employer must provide a reasonable accommodation unless it would pose an undue hardship,” Debra Lawrence, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Philadelphia District Office, said in a news release. “Neither healthcare providers nor COVID-19 vaccination requirements are excepted from Title VII’s protections against religious discrimination.” 

Amanda Stone had worked for United Healthcare since 2014, according to the complaint, and most recently served as a clinical administration supervisor. She began working remotely in 2018 due to budget cuts and never had to enter United Healthcare facilities for work.

In October 2021, United Healthcare implemented a COVID-19 vaccination requirement but exempted fully remote employees. Despite the exemption, the complaint claims, Stone was ordered to receive a vaccine.

According to the EEOC’s complaint, Stone is a Christian whose religious beliefs preclude her from receiving vaccines developed or tested using “cell lines derived from aborted fetuses.” She submitted two religious exemption requests, which were both denied. After placing her on a month of administrative leave, United Healthcare fired Stone in January 2021 for her vaccine refusal. 

Stone complained to the EEOC, and this March the commission found reasonable cause to believe that the company violated Title VII’s prohibition against religious discrimination. The EEOC asked United Healthcare to participate in commission-supervised conciliation, but the employer failed to do so, according to the complaint.

A United Healthcare representative said in a statement that the company disagrees with the EEOC’s determination and said it plans to “vigorously defend ourselves.”

“We continue to respect individual beliefs, while working to ensure the health, well-being and safety of our colleagues and those we are privileged to serve,” the statement read.

The EEOC is seeking back pay for Stone, as well as compensation and punitive damages for United Healthcare’s “malicious and reckless conduct,” according to the complaint.

Do COVID-19 vaccines contain ‘cell lines from aborted fetuses’?

When COVID-19 vaccines became available to the public, some anti-abortion advocates objected to the use of fetal cell lines in testing and development.

None of the COVID-19 vaccines contain fetal cells, but cell lines derived from donated fetal tissue were used in their development.

Many vaccines, including ones for rabies, rubella and Hepatitis A, were developed using fetal cell lines derived from two abortions performed in the 1970s and 1980s. Fetal cell lines are commonly used in research for their easy replicability, and cells used today contain no matter from the original fetal tissue.

Most COVID-19 vaccines were developed and tested using these fetal cell lines. Fetal cell lines were used in testing the efficacy of the mRNA vaccines, but the actual vaccines are not produced using the fetal cell lines. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses fetal cell lines in some of its production – but the vaccine does not contain fetal tissue.

So often, crooks rip people off for big bucks. But that didn’t happen this time.

In this case, it looked like $10,000 had been lost for good to con men. A senior citizen got a phone call, felt threatened, and sent off an overnight package with big bucks. But that desperate family got a big surprise after calling Westlake police.

"Whoever set her up for all of this told her that they're going to come to our house in the morning to get her paperwork and everything else," a relative of the victim told police.

Then Westlake dispatcher Dan Udrija got involved. He does not work as a detective. But he saw the call had come in, and he followed the money. It had been sent through a shipping service to Houston.

Udrija's thought was, "If we have a chance let’s get it back," he told the I-Team.

The I-Team obtained recordings of calls the dispatcher made while investigating. He ended up calling the location in Houston where the package had been sent.

"Got a question. I'm calling from the Westlake, Ohio, police department. Do you guys take UPS packages there?" he asked.

At first, it seemed like a dead end.

A man who’d answered the phone replied, "Let me just ask the manager, real quick."

The dispatcher had tracked the package with all of that money to an auto parts store in Texas. It didn't seem to make sense, but it turned out the store handles packages.

But did this package get delivered, and then picked up? Or was it still there?

The man who had answered the phone said, "We don't have the package, sir."

Yet Udrija didn’t give up.

“You know, it said an Eli signed for it. Can I talk to him, real quick?" he asked.

Incredibly, the store manager had accepted the package, and he still had it.

"I don't know when it came in, but it’s here right now," the manager said on the phone.

Another recording shows the Westlake police dispatcher then calling Houston police.

"You need an officer assist at this location? What's going on?" a Houston police call-taker said.

Udrija arranged for Houston police to go and get the package from the auto parts store. The senior citizen got all of her money back.

"If this was my family that this happened to, I would hope there would be somebody out there that would say, ‘Hey, I don't want that to happen,'" Udrija told the I-Team.

Yet another recording shows the reaction of the family of the victim of the scam.

"Awesome. Oh my God. You guys, thank you so much. Oh my gosh, I can't even," a woman told Udrija.

Westlake police gave the dispatcher a letter of commendation.

In the end, the bad guys didn’t get caught. But, getting the victim her money back gave Udrija a feeling that’s priceless.

"The ‘wow’ factor was being able to deliver that package to her and open it with her at the front window of the police department," he said.

Man arrested after teen beaten in Warren

According to a statement from Superintendent Dr. Tracy Reed, a fight broke out at the dance being held at the field house of Reynoldsburg High School - Livingston Campus.

Police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd, with one student taken to the hospital for what the statement said was a medical reaction to the pepper spray.

According to Reed's statement, no guns were fired during the incident.

"The students involved in the altercation are not representative of Reynoldsburg Schools," Reed wrote in the statement. "District leaders will not tolerate this type of behavior. Such actions may result in 10-day suspensions coupled with recommendations for expulsion."

A spokesperson for the district said Reynoldsburg students were involved in the incident.

The fight remains under investigation.

On Thursday, Donovan Elementary School in Lebanon had shared plans for the following day's event on social media, but explained that students without enough funds in their meal account, and those with negative balances, would be unable to participate.

"A student must have money on their account to purchase an ice cream," the school said. "If a student has a negative balance they will not be able to purchase an ice cream even if they bring their $1 for ice cream."

The original post went on to explain that students would not be allowed to purchase ice creams for fellow students who did not have enough money in their accounts.

By Friday, the post racked up over 11,000 reactions, 13,000 comments and 5,400 shares. Of the 13,000 who commented, many were outraged over the policy.

"This is gross," one person wrote. "I hope you realize how disgusting this is and stop punishing students over something they can not control. I'm repulsed. Do better."

By Friday at 9:30 a.m., Donovan Elementary School addressed the initial post, saying it "lacked empathy."

"We are sorry for the way the message was communicated," the post read. "The wording lacked empathy and sensitivity for students who have low or negative meal account balances. We work very hard to provide school lunches to students by removing barriers and eliminating the stigma associated with the lunch assistance program. This post inadvertently sent the message that we would embarrass students or turn them away for an issue outside their control. The message fell short of our values as a district and we sincerely apologize."

Donovan Elementary, however, did not indicate that it would walk back any policy prohibiting certain students from purchasing ice cream. Rather, the school wrote that its initial post was "intended to communicate to Donovan parents how several district-wide rules apply to a la carte items purchased in the cafeteria."

A la carte items, like ice cream, cannot be purchased by students with negative or insufficient funds, and nor can they be purchased with cash, the school explained.

"We also do not permit students to purchase food for their classmates without prior parent permission," the post continued.

Despite being prohibited from purchasing a la carte items, students at Donovan Elementary with negative or insufficient balances are still provided with meals, school officials confirmed.

"We sincerely apologize for the way this information was communicated," the post concluded.

Judging by the responses on Facebook, the school's explanation still didn't sit well with readers. And shortly after the school posted its update, the owner of the Mz. Jade’s Soul Food restaurant in neighboring Middletown confirmed she had donated $411.15 towards the lunch debt at Lebanon schools.

"I was a parent with kids with balances before and I couldn't do nothing about it," the restaurant's owner posted to Facebook on Friday evening. "[S]o now that I could I did."

"Have a blessed night," she added.

The first came Wednesday from the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. Its reasoning being that "states that have legalized recreational use of marijuana experience increased absenteeism and workplace injuries."

Also opposing Issue Two is the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board. It stated, "There are real risks for people who use marijuana… People can and do become addicted to marijuana."

Brown joined striking workers in the Streetsboro area Friday afternoon to show his support.

He says executives with both General Motors and Chrysler's parent company Stellantis are making many times what rank and file workers are making now, after employees helped save both companies years ago when they went into bankruptcy and needed bailing out.

"These companies are prosperous because these workers did the major, major givebacks to the company. So this company owes them a lot more than they're offering at the bargaining table. It's really that simple," Brown said.

The union expanded its walkout on Friday to encompass 38 parts-making facilities across the country that supply GM and Stellantis.

Union leaders say they spared Ford from additional pickets after that company agreed to more of the UAW's demands.

Browns update playing status of newly signed running back

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources went in-depth with David Parrott of the Division of Forestry in the video series Ohio Fall Color Forecast, discussing what Ohioans can expect to see in the fall of 2023.

When will the leaves change color this year?

Leaf colors throughout the state are expected to be most vivid from Oct. 9 through the 30. Peak colors will vary within that span of time depending on where in the state you are.

The northeastern corner of the state may see peak colors as early as Oct. 9, extending through the northern part of the state through roughly Oct. 16. Central Ohio will see peak color around Oct. 23. The southern part of the state will finally see peak color around Oct. 30.

Why do leaves change color in the fall?

Leaf colors are affected by a variety of environmental factors, including length of daylight, temperature, rainfall and wind. Bright sunny days, cool nights and a medium level of rainfall through September and October result in the most vivid colors.

Dry conditions, like much of the area experienced this year, can cause trees to be more stressed, leading them to lose their chlorophyll -- the green pigment in leaves that captures light energy -- early. This will cause the colors to change and drop their leaves earlier than other areas of the state that received higher levels of rainfall.

As long as an area gets enough rainfall without storms that could blow leaves off the trees, the combination of sunny days and cool nights is setting up the condition for beautiful vibrant colors this fall, according to Parrott.

In addition to weather conditions, a tree's genetics can also have a major impact on the colors. There are over 125 different tree species in the state, each adding its own texture and color to the fall foliage. Some of the first tree species to change are buckeye trees, which will turn yellow or orange, and black gum trees, which will turn a bright red.

Mahoning County Auditor releases breakdown of property value increases

Not only are the colors of leaves on trees changing, but other plant life will add to the rainbow of colors as well. Poison ivy and Virginia creeper will experience a change, shifting from green to shades of yellow and deep reds.

As of the time of this article, the Ohio Fall Color Progress Map shows mostly green trees, but we can expect to see some early pops of color very soon.

Mahoning County Auditor releases breakdown of property value increases

But instead of treating the girl as a crime victim, an officer seemingly threatened to charge her under a law most people view as designed to protect child victims.

The shocking interaction was recorded last week on body camera audio and by the father's doorbell camera in Columbus, Ohio. The footage drew criticism from the public and from experts who said law enforcement officials have long misused laws meant to protect children by threatening to charge them with being part of the same crime.

Experts said the incident also showed that training for officers on how to respond to child exploitation cases is spotty and not standardized between police departments.

Watch the body camera footage below:

“It was a complete fail on a legal level and on a human level,” said Scott Berkowitz, founder and president of the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. “I don’t know who immediately goes to blaming a child in a situation like that. It’s inconceivable.”

In the redacted body camera recording obtained by The Associated Press, the father asks if there's anything the police can do. A female officer is heard replying that his 11-year-old could be charged with creating “child porn."

The parent protests that she is a child, a victim who was manipulated by an adult.

Man accused of assaulting officer to be evaluated

“It doesn’t matter," the officer said. "She’s still creating it.”

The angry father ends the conversation and slams the door behind him. The video he posted to TikTok had been watched more than 750,000 times as of Thursday.

Police have not released the father’s name. The AP, which does not identify victims of alleged sexual abuse, reached out to him on social media and by phone this week but did not receive a response.

Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant responded quickly in a statement that the officers' conduct was being investigated and that it did not meet the division's standards for how victims should be treated.

Bus with HS students crashes, kills 2

On Tuesday, Bryant told Nexstar's WCMH that the officers lacked empathy and were not a reflection of the department.

“Every victim of crime deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion and decency,” Bryant said. “What I saw in that video did not reflect those actions.”

Bryant told WCMH that as soon as she heard about the incident, an officer reached out to the family to apologize and reassure the man that detectives would investigate.

Columbus police spokesperson Andrés Antequera said the agency has a nuanced policy that considers each case individually, but that “the focus is to protect the minor through education, counseling and social services, not criminal charges.”

He said the department sometimes provides information on those resources to parents, as well as referrals for services.

But Antequera said Ohio statutes are clear that minors who create, possess or distribute images of child sexual abuse, even of themselves, are violating the law. He said prosecutors ultimately decide when to file charges, but he did not answer when asked whether Columbus police had arrested minors under similar circumstances in the past.

The AP filed a written request with the Franklin County prosecuting attorney's office seeking information on whether minors have been charged under the statute, but had not received a response as of Thursday afternoon.

Rebecca Epstein, the executive director of the Center on Gender Justice and Opportunity at Georgetown Law, said charges against victims are common. Epstein co-authored a report in April looking at how survivors of sexual assault and abuse are often criminalized.

“Girls who experience sexual abuse are often the ones who are punished for the sexual abuse that they experience. Rather than being treated as survivors who need support, they are funneled into the criminal justice system," she said. “Our culture assigns complicity to girls who are too young to legally even consent to sex.”

Epstein said minors who are trafficked or coerced into sexual acts or into creating or soliciting sexual materials can often be charged with crimes.

In the early 2000s, as cellphone cameras became common and “sexting” entered the national vernacular, juvenile justice advocates began fighting against prosecutors who wanted to charge minors for consensually sharing explicit images with other minors.

Riya Saha Shah, the senior managing director of the Juvenile Law Center, said the center was part of that advocacy and has continued to raise concerns about sexual exploitation laws being used against child victims.

“These laws were really intended to prevent sexual abuse of children, to protect against the exploitation of children,” Shah said. “So weaponizing these laws against children to bring charges against them really misunderstands the law, and even worse, is flouting the law’s purpose.”

It's hard to know how many children are charged, partly because prosecutors can use the charges to elicit guilty pleas to lesser offenses, she said.

Shah, who said she also has an 11-year-old daughter, called the police response to a parent seeking help disappointing but not surprising.

“There was no investigation into who the individual was who has these images in their possession,” Shah said. “It went right to punishing her, which unfortunately is all too common in a system that really isn't designed to help first, but rather to punish first.”

Berkowitz said the interaction reflected the importance of training and the scarcity of standardized training for interviewing and interacting with child victims of sexual crimes.

The AP requested information on any training the responding officers had received, and asked why the father's call was not directed to specialized departments within the Columbus Division of Police, but police had not responded as of Thursday afternoon.

Berkowitz said a possible lack of training resources doesn’t excuse the officers’ behavior.

“This should be pretty basic stuff that when an adult abuses a child, you do everything you can to stop it, not to blame the child,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Officers were called to the area of Langton Avenue and East 111th Street around 4:45 p.m. for reports of gunshots.

When they got there, officers found that a man and a six-month-old baby and a man were shot. They were both taken to the hospital.

According to investigators, officers found the suspects on Wadsworth Avenue and after a standoff, all three of them were taken into custody.

Earlier in the evening, Garfield Heights police asked residents on Wadsworth Avenue, Langton Avenue and East 110th Street to shelter in place amid an active police situation.

That order has since been lifted, but police were still in the area Thursday night. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation was also on the scene.

The shooting remains under investigation at this time.

Mahoning County Auditor releases breakdown of property value increases

It happened Thursday at about 2:13 p.m.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a 1.9 magnitude earthquake about 1.6 miles from the center of Madison, Ohio.

Madison, Ohio, is about an hour from Youngstown and about 40 minutes from northern Trumbull County.

The earthquake was most likely not perceptible. According to the USGS, damage does not usually occur until the magnitude reaches somewhere above 4 or 5 and one can typically be felt at about 3.0.

“It highlights the dangers that law enforcement officers face every day. We often think about injury by gunfire or apprehending a suspect. Sometimes just being in the area of an incident like this can result in an injury, right?” said Pete Cassucio, an executive board member with the local Fraternal Order of Police.

Two officers in a marked cruiser were driving eastbound on East Fifth Avenue near Interstate 670 when a silver Hyundai sedan ran a red light and struck the cruiser, according to Columbus police.

The Hyundai fled on East Fifth Avenue toward Stelzer Road, and officers were unable to locate it -- and as of Thursday afternoon, police are still looking for the driver.

Five minutes later, police responded to the 1300 block of Coburg Road on reports of a disturbance involving two vehicles and a group of juveniles. On arrival, officers witnessed a vehicle traveling on Seabrook Avenue without its headlights on.

They attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver fled down a dead-end street and stopped in the 1300 block of Picard Road. Two officers exited the cruiser, with one chasing after the passenger, who attempted to run away. The passenger, a 14-year-old boy, was arrested.

The driver tried to pull away and struck the other officer, who had exited the cruiser. The car was found near Picard Road and Seabrook Avenue, but the driver was not found.

The officer was taken to Grant Medical Center and was in stable condition. The two officers whose cruiser was struck on East Fifth Avenue were treated for minor injuries at Ohio State East Hospital.

Raymond Walker lives nearby and described the incident as chaotic.

“It was about 20 police out here, cars everywhere, shining lights. We didn't know what was happening,” Walker said.

Columbus Division of Police Commander Shaun Dillon said some people believe that juveniles are “just going to get away with it.”

“That's just not the case. We will pursue them. We will charge them with appropriate crimes, and we'll investigate these until we identify the offenders involved,” Dillion said.

Seven elected members of the state education board are suing the state over the impending executive takeover of most of the board’s responsibilities in early October. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Franklin County, argued the restructuring of the education department – added as a last-minute provision to the state’s biennial budget – violates the constitutional mandate that Ohio has a functioning state board of education.

If left to take effect, the state board would still exist, but most of its powers would be transferred to a governor-appointed director of the Department of Education and Workforce.

“The General Assembly is not permitted to abolish the constitutionally created Board via legislative workaround,” the complaint read. “And what the Ohio Constitution forbids the General Assembly from accomplishing directly, it also forbids the General Assembly from achieving indirectly.”

Under a tight deadline to pass a budget before the end of the fiscal year, the Ohio Senate folded in Senate Bill 1 days before forwarding the budget to the governor. SB 1, which had stalled in the legislature after passing the Senate in March, establishes a governor appointee and two deputy directors to oversee policy implementation, rulemaking, curricula evaluation and other tasks currently relegated to the board.

The state board would retain some authority – specifically, to administer educator licenses, oversee licensee disciplinary actions and approve land transfers. But those responsibilities are “perfunctory,” the complaint claims. By stripping the board of its integral duties, the legislature has made the board a “shell” of itself.

“When the Education Takeover Rider in HB 33 takes effect, the Board will continue to exist on paper as a legal entity, but it will functionally cease to exist in effect as a body responsible for education governance in the State of Ohio,” the complaint read.

Christina Collins, a state board member for the seventh district and plaintiff in the complaint, told NBC4 that the state overhaul of the Department of Education puts children’s education at risk.

“It is really important to take these steps before the transition is underway,” Collins said. “We need to stop this train that is already careening down the tracks before it goes any further.”

Elected members of the board represent regions across the state, some with vastly different educational needs, Collins said. Eleven of the board’s 19 members are beholden to the needs of their constituents, she said, making engagement with community members, families and teachers crucial to the functioning of the board.

But if most powers are transferred to a governor appointee, Collins said, the public will have far less ability to offer input when policies, curricula and standards are introduced. The department director would not be held to the same public meeting laws as the state board, meaning statewide decisions about K-12 education would happen behind closed doors.

The complaint also argues that the legislature erred when passing the budget itself, by not having three readings of the finalized proposal, on three separate days, before sending it to the governor. The lawsuit seeks a preliminary – and eventual permanent – block on the Department of Education overhaul, and for a judge to render the provision void. The changes to the department are slated to take effect Oct. 3.

Republican lawmakers had touted SB 1 as a solution to the “inherently flawed” governance structure Ohio has maintained since constitutionally establishing the state education board in 1953. The state board is inefficient in implementing policy, lawmakers have claimed, and Ohio’s children are struggling to succeed academically because of the board’s policy failures.

“We are in a situation where we need serious, fast change to improve our schools,” Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) said during a March committee hearing on SB 1. “The system that is in place right now is a system that is designed to be slow and bureaucratic. We don’t have time for bureaucracies when you’ve got passage rates in the low single digits on proficiency, when kids, hundreds of thousands of them, are behind.”

Collins agreed that the state board of education is designed to move slowly – but she said that’s one of its strengths. Policy impacting millions of school-age children should be carefully considered, evaluated, and scrutinized in the public eye.

The transition of power from the state board to an executive cabinet position follows a pattern by the legislature – and legislatures across the country – to consolidate power and decrease public participation in the policymaking process, she said. 

“This push to get rid of public voice and get rid of transparency – yeah, that will speed things up, but there’s no democracy involved in that,” Collins said. “That’s an authoritarian government, not a democratic one.”

The governor's office does not normally comment on pending litigation, a spokesperson said.

Read the full complaint below.

DeWine tested positive for the virus Tuesday, just hours after speaking at a news conference with state and city leaders -- during which he coughed and looked fatigued. As of Wednesday, a spokesperson said he was resting at home as he was experiencing symptoms.

COVID hospitalizations have increased statewide, and doctors in central Ohio say that trend is being seen locally, too. Once the newest version of the COVID vaccine is available, Dr. Christina Liscynesky -- a physician and associate professor of internal medicine at Wexner Medical Center -- said it is important Ohioans stay updated on their vaccines.

“COVID is clearly not as bad as it was in the beginning, but it is still causing issues,” Liscynesky said.

Liscynesky, who specializes in infectious diseases, said she has noticed an uptick in COVID patients at the hospital. She said she isn’t concerned, however, about hospitals becoming overwhelmed again -- but some patients are at higher risk.

“Around our cancer hospital and what I've been seeing, there are patients who have gotten b cell depleting therapy or something called Rituxan, and have not been up to date with their COVID vaccines,” she said. “They are having a harder time getting rid of the COVID.”

The Food and Drug Administration approved the newest COVID booster on Sept. 12, and Liscynesky said it's vital people get the jab.

“With time and with the way that our immunity builds up, hybrid immunity through vaccination as well as infection, we will continue to have less and less severe symptoms,” she said.

The latest shot will be most necessary for people who are immunocompromised or anyone who is around someone who is immunocompromised.

“In particular for our cancer patients, because they are getting treated for their cancer and their cancer therapy needs to go on as scheduled in order to treat the cancer,” she said. “The problem is that we have patients who don't have good immune systems, who aren't able to form these antibodies or these surveillance systems, and those people can still get severe COVID.”

But it is hit or miss whether the newest COVID booster -- against the XBB variant -- is available yet in central Ohio.

Both Columbus Public Health and the Licking County Health Department said they have ordered the vaccine and are waiting for it to come in. Franklin County Public Health said it does have the newest vaccine in stock, but is waiting for guidelines from the CDC on how to distribute it.

The Ohio Department of Health said it is slowly starting to receive the new vaccines for some programs.

The rollout process has changed since the government allowed the public health emergency to expire in May. The government used to be the sole provider of the vaccine. Now providers can purchase the vaccine directly from manufacturers.

As for the general public, the Ohio Department of Health said it did not have a date for when the vaccine will be available.

The airport has never revealed how an intruder recently went unnoticed.

So, FOX 8 went to the top, catching up with Director of Port Control Bryant Francis after a Cleveland City Council hearing.

For the first time, he answered questions on camera.

Police say last month a worker at Hopkins found a woman inside an aircraft maintenance building. Police say the woman had been in a secure area for hours.

"How did that security breach go undetected for so long?" FOX 8 asked Francis.

"That's an understandable question," he answered. "The reality is, this incident is still under investigation. So, there are still a lot of things we need to understand, work through, figure out."

The incident even temporarily shut down air traffic. Travelers FOX 8 talked to wondered how Hopkins security broke down.

"What is still under investigation, or still unknown? Or, how much of this is still unknown?" we asked.

"That, I can't speak to either. What I can say, there is a federal process," he said.

Bryant Francis was very guarded, but before now, the airport said even less. Earlier, a statement said the airport has layers of security and there was a “timely” response.

Yet, police say the intruder got into the secure area at 3 a.m. and didn't get caught until 6 a.m.
Wednesday morning, April Ford went before a county judge pleading not guilty.

A complaint filed by police says she “did breach the security fence," however, that complaint does not say how she did that.

Records show Ford had been on the run before getting hauled in for court. At her hearing, she said little.

Though at one point, she was asked, "Ms. Ford, do you have money to hire your own lawyer?"

"I don't have no money," she said.

The judge also did not order her held in jail despite having been wanted on a warrant before the hearing.

The airport director referred FOX 8 to the feds, but the Transportation Security Administration referred them back to Hopkins.

Looking ahead, what about fixing the security gap this case exposed?

"I am committed to making sure we understand what occurred and what we can do even better, even stronger as it relates to our security plan," Francis said.

Still, a month after a security breach so much about the investigation is still a mystery.

CLEVELAND (WJW) -- Tailgaters heading downtown for Browns games can expect to pay more to park starting Oct. 1.

That's when the city's new parking lot rates take effect, part of a citywide overhaul of parking. Legislation setting the new rates was approved by council members on Monday.

“As we work toward our goal of smart parking across the city, we have to factor in rising operational costs as well as the cost of the necessary upgrades,” the city's Chief Operating Officer Bonnie Teeuwen is quoted in a news release. “Parking in Cleveland is well below market rate, especially for special events and at peak times, making these adjustments essential for continued maintenance and improvements to our facilities.”

Not all the parking lot rates are changing right now, although the legislation gives the city that authority. Here are the changes to rates and caps taking effect on Oct. 1:

Willard Park Garage

• Zero to 60 minutes: $4 flat rate; $1.50 for each additional 30 minutes; $12 daily
• Special event parking is capped at $60
• Browns gameday parking: $40 per space
• Monthly rate for non-city employees: $150 (capped at $175)

North Coast Municipal (Muni) Lot

• Daily rate for cars, SUVs, small trucks: $5 (capped at $10)
• Daily rate for RVs, buses, oversized trucks: $35 (capped at $50)
• Non-city employee monthly rate: $70 (capped at $100)
• Special event parking is capped at $50
• Browns gameday parking: $40 per space
• Overnight rate for RVs and buses: $75 (capped at $80)
• Overnight rate for cars: $25 (capped at $30)

Canal Basin Lot

• Daily rate: $5 (capped at $10)
• Weekday special event parking (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.) is capped at $50
• Browns gameday parking: $20 per space

The notice teases new information about new municipal lots and improvements to street parking is "coming soon."

Other parking changes

The legislation also includes an increase to West Side Market parking.

At the West Side Market, free parking on market days drops from 90 minutes to 60 minutes and the parking fee increases from $1 per hour to "up-to" $3 per hour after that.

Council also approved increases for meters, which will also be able to be adjusted based on demand.

“I never expected this,” Brooks said, as his attorney and friends pulled up in front of his home in a limousine.

Brooks went to prison in 1988 for a murder he says he never committed.

Brooks was convicted of the 1987 murder of Clinton Arnold. The murder happened in Cleveland’s Luke Easter park. Brooks was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

His attorneys said evidence was withheld from his defense counsel when the case went to trial.  His conviction was overturned in April. He was released from prison in the spring and kept on house arrest.

On Tuesday, Cuyahoga County prosecutors filed a motion asking to have the case dismissed.

On Wednesday, his family, friends and attorneys helped him celebrate his freedom.

He and his son, Dwayne Brooks Jr., said they now want to help others that are wrongfully convicted.

Brooks said when he went to prison he was 22. At that time, he had dreams of becoming a professional boxer or rapper.

“I was pretty good,” Brooks said with a smile.

He never got to pursue those dreams. He gave us a sample of song that took 35 years to complete.

Brooks recited some of his song, “I couldn't relate to nobody, I was all alone. I was trapped just like an ostrich, I tried to cut the pain, while they held me hostage.

If the Ohio Senate does not soon pass a bill entitling survivors to their full amounts granted under the Boy Scouts’ $2.7 billion bankruptcy settlement, nearly 2,000 survivors from Ohio will lose out on more than half of their settlement amounts. At a committee hearing Wednesday morning, Boy Scouts survivors and advocates pleaded with lawmakers to forward the Scout’s Honor Law to the Senate floor, with an emergency provision so it can take effect upon signing. 

House Bill 35, which unanimously passed the House in March, would waive the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse claims for Boy Scouts survivors and is the key to unlocking their full settlement amounts.

Under the terms of the bankruptcy settlement, each state’s statute of limitations factors into what survivors hailing from that state can receive. In a state with one of the shortest limitation periods in the country – barring childhood sexual abuse survivors from seeking civil remedy after they turn 30 – Ohio survivors are currently slated to receive between 30 and 45% of what they’re owed.

That means that for every survivor who can receive up to $1.7 million, a survivor in Ohio may get a maximum amount of just more than $630,000.

The Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy in 2020 after collapsing under the weight of the largest child sexual abuse case in U.S. history. Last July, a federal judge solidified plans to disburse $2.7 billion under the Boy Scouts’ bankruptcy settlement to the more than 80,000 survivors who filed claims against the organization for unchecked sexual abuse that spanned decades.

“Survivors weren’t just raped. They were robbed, their voices were stolen, they were systematically silenced,” said Chris Graham, one of the authors of the Scout’s Honor Law. 

Graham is not one of the men seeking recourse against the Boy Scouts. But as an outspoken survivor of childhood sexual abuse by church leaders, he said he is called to advocate for fellow survivors, many of whom disclosed their abuse for the first time in lawsuits against the organization.

“Their plan as children was to never tell anybody,” Graham said. “So there’s a lot of healing in doing the exact opposite of that.”

Survivors recouping funds under the expedited claims process have until Oct. 3 to submit documentation to the Boy Scouts’ settlement trust for review and disbursement. Others have a yet-to-be determined amount to do the same – but the legislature only has a year from the creation of the settlement trust to revise or eliminate the limitations period.

Despite no public opposition to the bill, one of its sponsors, Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati), said at a previous committee hearing that several insurance groups and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce were concerned about the “slippery slope” from carving out exceptions to eliminating the limitations period entirely. Seitz has regularly opposed statute of limitations changes, arguing that limitations periods promote fairness in the justice system and ensure that people and institutions do not have to defend themselves against decades-old claims.

But the defense of limitations periods falls flat to survivors who said that the impacts of sexual abuse on their lives are far-reaching and long-lasting.

“I understand that some members of the legislature have an opinion that memories of deep personal trauma can fade over time, and that belief reinforces the need for Ohio to maintain some of the nation’s most restrictive statute of limitations for victims of sexual assault,” testified Seth Porter, a survivor who was abused by a scoutmaster in Chillicothe. “As a victim of sexual assault myself, I can assure you that my memories have not faded over the past 27 years.”

A Child USA survey of more than 1,500 Boy Scouts survivors found that, on average, survivors waited until age 42 to disclose their abuse for the first time. More than 70% of those survivors were abused multiple times.

Senate President Matt Huffman confirmed that the bill would pass as an emergency, allowing it to go into effect upon the governor’s signing.

“We are going to pass it next week, as an emergency, out of the Senate,” Huffman said.

As advocates urged lawmakers to move to allow Boy Scouts survivors to recover 100% of what they’re owed, they’ve also cautioned that the Scout’s Honor Law should not be the last time the legislature touches statutes of limitations. 

While Seitz disapproves of broader reform, fellow HB 35 co-sponsor Rep. Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park) has introduced legislation that would give most child sexual abuse survivors until age 55 to sue their perpetrators. Emily Gemar, director of public policy at the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, testified Wednesday that the Scout’s Honor Law is a vital step – but just the first of many the legislature should take in securing justice for survivors.

“No legislated caveat to a limitations period for specific groups of survivors will suffice to hold institutions accountable for the distinct trauma of decades-long cover-ups and inaction,” Gemar said. “It only creates a system wherein survivors must lobby the legislature each time an abuse case is uncovered.”

Body camera footage obtained by The Associated Press showed the Sept. 15 interaction between the father and two officers. The father angrily closed the door after one of the officers told him his daughter could face charges for producing or recording child sexual abuse images despite being a victim.

The parent posted to TikTok a now-viral security video of the conversation, which has generated widespread criticism of the police’s response.

The officers' conduct is being investigated, as well as any crime that may have been committed against the girl, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said in a statement late Tuesday. She also said the department reached out to apologize to the father.

Police have not released the father’s name, and the AP does not identify victims of alleged sexual abuse or domestic violence. He didn’t immediately respond to phone messages or on social media from the AP on Wednesday seeking comment.

Both the security video and the audio from the redacted body camera footage show the officers talking with the father outside his home after midnight.

He tells the officers his daughter is already asleep, and that he had hoped they could help talk to her about the seriousness of the situation. The female officer quickly tells him that his daughter could be charged with creating sexually explicit content.

The father protests and says that she is a child who was manipulated by an adult, according to the police report and the father's TikTok video. The officer asks him if she was taking pictures, and the father ends the conversation.

In audio of the body camera footage, the female officer can be heard asserting again as she walks away from the house, “She’s taking pictures of herself naked. She’s creating child porn.”

In a preliminary incident report, the officer lists the possible charge under investigation as “pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor” for creating or producing material, and cites a portion of the Ohio law that prohibits the creation, recording or publishing of child sexual abuse materials. A separate portion of the law that wasn’t cited prohibits knowingly soliciting, receiving, purchasing or possessing that material.

In a statement Tuesday, the police chief repeatedly referred to the 11-year-old as the victim of a crime. She said that the officers' conduct did not live up to her expectations that officers “treat every victim of crime with compassion, decency and dignity.”

The AP also obtained the audio from the father's police call and a dispatch log with notes called in from the responding officers.

According to the dispatch log, the father called 911 around 6:50 p.m. on Sept. 14, and was told they would send a female officer. He called again at about 7:50 p.m. to say the response was taking too long. Officers showed up at the family's home more than five hours later, after midnight on Sept. 15.

Video footage shows the father informing the officers his daughter is asleep and saying he wasn’t sure what they could do.

The police report identifies the officers as Kelsie Schneider and Brian Weiner. A number listed for Schneider went straight to voicemail. Weiner answered a call but asked a reporter not to contact him.

The notes from officers in the log and in the incident report place blame on the father for ending the conversation before they could discuss possible outcomes, saying he became “immediately upset.”

Despite the police chief's statement referring to the child as a victim, Columbus police have not responded to questions about whether she could still face charges.

A police spokesperson has also not answered whether any other children have faced charges in Columbus under Ohio's laws about child sexual abuse material. It was unclear whether the department has a policy regarding charging minors with those crimes.

Police said the actions of the officers was referred to the Inspector General's office and are under review.

One of the responding officers wrote in the incident report that she had contacted detectives in the sexual assault section, citing "the severity of the crime and the lack of cooperation” and had been advised to “take a miscellaneous incident report.” It was unclear why an officer from the sexual assault section or child exploitation division did not respond to the call as well as why the response was so delayed. ___

Samantha Hendrickson is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

A series of public meetings is expected over the next week to gather public input.

The time-crunched panel seeks to set district boundaries for legislative candidates before Dec. 20, when they must declare for the 2024 election. To meet all the logistical and legal requirements ahead of that deadline, a final vote must be taken by Oct. 23, Secretary of State Frank LaRose has said.

The commission was required to return to the table this year because five sets of Statehouse maps that it approved last year were found unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court, which held that they violated rules against gerrymandering to benefit a single party.

Republican state Sen. Rob McColley told fellow commissioners Wednesday that his plan is largely in line with bipartisan discussions.

The maps would create a 23-10 baseline advantage for Republicans in the state Senate and a 62-37 edge in the House, not counting 5 toss-up districts in the Senate and 11 in the House.

House Minority Leader Allison Russo said those numbers are nowhere close to the partisan split among Ohio voters, which is roughly 54% Republican and 46% Democratic.

“Let's be clear," she said. "This does not, by any stretch of the imagination, meet the proportionality requirements in Section 6 (of the Ohio Constitution).”

McColley said that by his reading, other constitutional considerations trump proportionality, including minimizing county splits — which his plan attempts to do.

The commission got back to business after two Republican legislative leaders who may be rivals for the House speakership next year settled a political dispute.

Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine had reconvened the commission Sept. 13, but he was unable to do anything more than swear in its members — himself, two other statewide officeholders and four state lawmakers — because Republicans were without a co-chair. The governor canceled a second attempted meeting that week.

DeWine set the next meeting for Wednesday, but then he came down with COVID-19 — precluding him from filling in as chair while Senate President Matt Huffman and House Speaker Jason Stephens came to an agreement.

Hours before the meeting was set to begin, Huffman and Stephens announced their decision. They designated a seemingly neutral third party without a particular stake in what the districts House members run in look like next year: Republican Ohio Auditor Keith Faber, as their party's co-chair.

The two-term auditor has served previously in both legislative chambers, including a stint as Senate president. He also was the only Republican during last year's failed efforts at drawing constitutional maps who voted against any of the GOP-drawn plans.

Russo and the commission's other Democrat, Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, introduced their own Statehouse maps Tuesday, but they were rejected along party lines Wednesday.

Vance held a press conference Wednesday on his proposed legislation.

The bill would ban any federal official, including the president, from issuing mask mandates for domestic air travel, public transit systems or schools.

"We introduced this legislation to stop the federal government from reimposing mask mandates in part because I see this gnawing hysteria starting creep back into the country," Vance said.

As of now, there hasn't been any sign that anyone in federal or state leadership is considering mask requirements or widespread restrictions regarding COVID-19.

On Saturday, a Columbus native said he would be experiencing a dream come true.

Cam Reinbolt grew up in Worthington.

Reinbolt is one of two marching band members who will be dotting the “i” in South Bend, Indiana, against Notre Dame. He will be joined by Mike Sterling, also an Ohio native from Twinsburg.

Reinbolt said that as a young musician, he never thought he would be in this position.

“Knowing how big this matchup is going to be this coming week, like this is going to stick in my memory just as well,” Reinbolt said.

Reinbolt said being the “i”-dotter is something you work on for your entire Ohio State band career.

“It took honestly, until I got to like my last couple of years of high school and started college, that I realized that like, ‘Oh, I could totally do that,’” Reinbolt said.

He had his first opportunity to dot the “i” at last week's home game against Western Kentucky.

“I just know I had the biggest smile,” Reinbolt said

He said Saturday's game on the road will be different.

“I don't think I even know the last time we've traveled to Notre Dame; I think it's been a while, so it should be a really good matchup," Reinbolt said. “Not that we don't have some following when we go on the road, but it's just a totally different energy being surrounded by the opposing team’s fans, and it's almost kind of fun to be in the stands when you're like surrounded by people that are rooting for the other team and we still get to play our fight song loud and proud.”

He said he was focused on taking in all of the scarlet and gray at Ohio Stadium last week. Reinbolt said that this week, he plans to show South Bend what The Best Damn Band In The Land is all about.

“This week, I think my main focus is going to be on making sure I look as good as possible, getting my legs up as high as I can when I'm strutting, making that battle snappy as possible, just to really show off for everyone who maybe hasn't seen a script Ohio before,” Reinbolt said.

He said he’s expecting the Buckeyes pride to show up strong on the road against the Fighting Irish.

“My parents are going to get to go,” Reinbolt said. “I know Mike, who is dotting with me, his parents are going. There's a few others. There's a pretty good group of band parents that I know will be traveling with us, too.”

Reinbolt said he went to Thomas Worthington High School and his marching band coaches there are proud to see him as the “i”-dotter.

According to the Hilliard Division of Police, officers found an infant in a car in the backyard of a home on the 4400 block of Paxton Drive South, in the Beacon neighborhood of Hilliard. The officers immediately administered CPR and the infant was taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital where it was pronounced dead.

Earlier in the morning, Norwich Township Fire Department medics had responded to a medical emergency at the same home and discovered evidence that a child had recently been born. Hilliard PD was called, and authorities searched the area.

Police, who have yet to identify the baby's gender, said an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of the infant’s death. Hilliard PD Chief Michael Woods confirmed that an adult woman was also taken to an area hospital and the investigation remains ongoing.

Hilliard PD is asking that anyone with information on the infant’s death to call 614- 876-7321.

One is House Bill 189, sponsored by Representative Al Cutrona (R-Canfield), which would exempt sales tax from certain guns and ammunition.

“We don’t tax our First Amendment right to newspapers, I don’t think we should tax our Second Amendment right,” Cutrona said. “I want to make sure there is fair access for law-abiding citizens to buy firearms.”

The bill was met with strong opposition from Democrats on the committee.

“This is the most morally bankrupt bill I’ve ever seen,” Representative Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) said. “It’s not a hypothetical to say more guns equals more death.”

The bill would also provide tax incentives for firearm industry manufacturers in Ohio. Cutrona said the legislation is partly about promoting economic development.

“It is an economic development bill,” Cutrona said. “And at the same time promotes our constitutional rights.”

The state does exempt taxes from things like baby products and feminine products. 

Those are things democratic lawmakers on the committee call necessary, so Democrats questioned why guns and ammunition would fall under the same umbrella.

“Firearms’ purposes have multitudes, for hunters, an opportunity for people to protect their loved ones,” Cutrona said. “It’s a fundamental right.”

On Tuesday, Governor Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) said he has "no thought" about this bill.

On the other side of the aisle, Representatives Darnell Brewer (D-Cleveland) and Sean Brennan (D-Parma) put forward House Bill 186 to exempt taxes from firearm safety devices, like gun locks.

“The widespread use of safety devices could save lives,” Brewer said.

But some lawmakers on the committee said they worry about the use of devices like gun locks in some instances.

“We don’t even know how long this [gun lock] takes to unlock and put a magazine in a gun and make sure it’s ready to fire,” Representative Scott Wiggam (R-Wayne County) said. “And we also know during a home invasion, things can be very tense.”

Brennan said it does not take long to remove the gun lock.

“This incentivizes responsible gun ownership by making sure those who want to own guns can do so safely,” Brennan said.

The bill would also require vendors to post a notice on all premises where firearms are sold, informing buyers that safety devices are exempt from sales tax.

MASSILLON, Ohio (WJW) — The Ohio Lottery announced a Northeast Ohio woman is a little bit richer after purchasing a winning scratch-off ticket.

Chandra Potschner recently bought two Billion game scratch-off tickets, and one of them ended up being a big winner — a second-tier prize of $1 million, paid out in installments of $50,000 per year for 20 years in a row, this is of course all before taxes.

Potschner, who purchased the ticket at Speedway #9314 on Erie Avenue in Massillon but is from Wilmot, opted against the annuity payments and instead chose the $500,000 cash option, which shakes out to $360,000 when taxes are said and done.

Potschner told Ohio Lottery she wants to invest her money.

The lottery said there are still 84 second-tier prizes left on this particular game, as of Monday. The odds of Potschner's win? One in 235,636, the lottery said.

Through changes included in the latest state budget, oversight of Ohio's education department will shift later this year from the State Board of Education and the superintendent it elects to a director appointed by the governor. As part of that process, many of the board's other powers will be transferred to the new director and the department will be renamed the Department of Education and Workforce.

The lawsuit, filed against the state and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, argues that the overhaul guts the mostly citizen-elected, independent and constitutionally-created state board of its responsibilities and gives undue power to the governor. The lawsuit also says the overhaul strips parents and communities of their voice by weakening the power of the board members they elect. Prior to budget's passage, 11 of the board’s 19 members were elected by the public, and 8 were appointed by the governor. DeWine's spokesperson Dan Tierney declined to comment on the pending litigation.

“(The overhaul) is a prime example of the broader movement by extremist-controlled governors’ mansions and legislatures to deprive communities of meaningful representation. In Ohio, these actions are contrary to more than seven decades of non-partisan control by directly elected representatives,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward, a national legal services nonprofit that is representing the board members who filed the suit.

Additionally, the suit argues that lawmakers improperly folded the education overhaul, originally its own measure, into the state's budget at the last minute — violating Ohio's “single subject” rule, which is meant to prevent lawmakers from jamming unrelated items into a single bill if they fear one of the items won’t pass. The suit also says the budget didn't receive the constitutionally-mandated number of readings after the education measure was added.

The state board members are asking for a temporary order to keep the changes from going into effect, and to eventually void the changes completely. State Senate Republican spokesperson John Fortney called the lawsuit “a desperate move and perfect example of how ineffective, incompetent and unaccountable this board has been with unchecked power."

The education overhaul has been controversial since it was first introduced in the Legislature in 2022.

Supporters, including DeWine, have praised it for bringing order to what they see as a disorganized system that hasn't properly addressed issues including the decline in student achievement during the pandemic, transportation shortages and chronic student absenteeism.

But it's also received significant backlash from teachers' groups, including the Ohio Federation of Teachers, who say the changes bring less order and more partisanship to education in the state. ___

Samantha Hendrickson is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

The governor's diagnosis came hours after he attended a public press conference alongside Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther for a new gun violence initiative. DeWine's office said he started experiencing "mild cold symptoms yesterday."

"Believing he had a mild head cold, he proceeded with his work day today," the governor's office wrote in a statement. "As the day progressed, his symptoms worsened, and his doctor advised that he take a COVID-19 test, which was positive. He reported having a 101-degree fever at the time of taking the test late this afternoon."

DeWine was resting at home as of Tuesday evening. The Ohio Department of Health said that the latest strain of COVID-19 can present like a head cold, and advised anyone experiencing even minor symptoms should take a test.

This is the second time that the 76-year-old governor has contracted the virus. He previously tested positive in August 2020, as part of a standard screening ahead of greeting then-President Donald Trump at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland. He spent the next 14 days quarantining and was surprised to have contracted it, given the limited number of people he had been around.

Baseball practice disrupted by coach’s felony warrant

According to a statement from the Hamilton County Coroner's Office, Sexton, known as Donnie Baker on "The Bob & Tom Show," died at a hotel in Harrison on July 21 from "combined toxic effects from fentanyl and ethanol (alcohol)."

Sexton's manner of death was reported as accidental after an investigation by Hamilton police and the Hamilton County Coroner's Office, according to the statement.

Sexton was known by millions of listeners for the comedic characters he played on air, including Donnie Baker, Kenny Tarmac, Floyd the Trucker and his spot-on celebrity impersonations. The Indianapolis native and resident of Tampa, Florida, had been on tour with his stand-up comedy show in Ohio at the time of his death, the show said.

His family released a statement after his passing, saying, “He was Donnie Baker to most of you, but Ron and Dad to us. Please respect our privacy at this time and pray for our family.”

In December 2022, Sexton was reportedly shot at by a man while in his vehicle. According to previous reports, Sexton was not hit by any of the bullets and he was alone in the vehicle at the time.

The charges that were filed in relation to the incident, which included attempted murder, were dismissed in late August after his death because there were no other reported witnesses of the incident.

Jocelina Joiner and WXIN's Tyrone Frazier III contributed to this report.

According to a department statement, the incident is being investigated by the Department of the Inspector General, "which investigates complaints of misconduct and/or excessive use of force by sworn personnel."

The video, which has not been verified by NBC4, appears to have been posted sometime Sunday, but it is not clear when the incident happened.

The video, captured by a home security system, showed two officers responding to a home at night. The 1:35 clip begins with an officer knocking on the home's door, then knocking again after no one answers the door.

At 50 seconds into the video, a man inside the home opened the door and spoke with police. He told officers he wanted them to respond earlier in the day, but a timeframe was not specified. A caption on the video claims a call was made to police at 6, but officers didn't respond until midnight.

The man said he initially asked for police to respond in order to talk to the child about what the caption claims to be an online predator situation.

The man said to the officer that he realized there probably isn't much they can do about it, which is when the police officer said, "I mean, she can probably get charged with child porn."

The man then said the girl is 11 years old, to which the officer responded, "She's creating it, right... It doesn't matter. She's still making porn."

"No she's not," the man said. "She's being manipulated by a grown-*** adult over the internet."

"Is she still taking pictures, though?" the officer asked, at which point the man told the officers to have a nice evening and thanked them for responding to the home before going back inside.

"Are you serious right now?" the man said as the door closed. The officers then leave the property.

NBC4 is not airing or linking to the video to protect the identity of the child who may be the victim of a sex-based crime.

The department's statement also said the online incident involving the child is being investigated by sexual assault unit detectives.

Browns’ Chubb done for the year with knee injury

The Ohio school made the announcement in a statement posted on its website Monday but did not name the three players nor specify any details about the alleged hazing. The school said it immediately notified law enforcement and initiated its own investigation upon receiving the report.

The school said assistant coach Curtis Carr will take over for Eigner as interim coach effective immediately, and William Switaj, the school's director of club sports, will serve in an interim advisory capacity.

A telephone number for Eigner could not be located Monday.

According to the office of Wright & Schulte, the 3-year-old can be seen on video running down a hallway at Rosa Parks Early Learning Center on Aug. 21.

In the video, the former employee can be seen slapping the child in the head, knocking him to the ground. The employee then picks the child up by his feet and carries him back to the classroom.

The employee has reportedly been terminated by Dayton Public Schools.

WARNING: Some may find the video below of the incident disturbing.

Wright & Schulte's office claims that the parents, Robert Tootle and Taneshia Lindsay, were not told of the full severity of the incident until Monday, Sept. 11, when they received the video.

"The child's parents are outraged that the school didn't tell them the full story about what happened to their child," the attorneys' office said.

Attorney Michael Wright said the parents are seeking transparency and accountability from the district and questioning the qualifications of the employee.

"Right now, we are still making determination as to what's going to be the next steps legally. We want answers to these questions. If they are not voluntarily given to us then I'll take additional legal actions to get the answers to these questions," said Wright.

"But right now, you know, the family's just wanting to make sure that their son is okay and he's safe when they drop him off, you know every day at school."

Dayton Public Schools has since issued the following statement in response to the incident:

In light of the recent incident at Rosa Parks Early Learning Center, the District is taking additional measures to ensure all 2,300 employees are properly trained and qualified for their positions in an effort to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. Fitness for duty will be measured in terms of job qualification, training, and social-emotional health and well-being. 

In addition, the Superintendent plans to meet with concerned parents at Rosa Parks Early Learning Center early next week to discuss the incident. The principal will share more details directly with families soon. As a reminder, the safety of all students is our utmost priority, and we would like to thank families for their support as we work to ensure a safe school environment for all learners.

Dr. David Lawrence, Interim Superintendent

The Dayton Police Department is also investigating this incident. The brought the case before the Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney. The Prosecutor confirmed his office will be reviewing the video to determine any charges.

A Delaware County grand jury announced Monday the indictment of former Columbus Zoo CEO Tom Stalf, former chief financial officer Greg Bell, and former director of marketing Pete Fingerhut, who face dozens of felony counts in the misuse of zoo funds, according to Ohio state Auditor Keith Faber.

The indictment totals include 89 felony counts and one misdemeanor, per Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.

“You can’t rip off donors like this and they need to be held to account," Yost said. "They need to have a felony conviction on their records and we believe that after we’ve proven this case in court that they will have that.”

An investigation released in 2021, conducted by the law firm Porter Wright, alleges Stalf and Bell misused zoo funds to attend sporting events, allow family members to live in zoo-owned houses, award a no-bid contract for construction at The Wilds and make other personal purchases.

Stalf and Fingerhut face felony charges of:

• Aggravated theft
• Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities
• Telecommunication fraud
• Money laundering
• Tampering with records
• Bribery
• Conspiracy to engage in a pattern of corrupt activity
• Extortion

Bell's charges include:

• Conspiracy to engage in a pattern of corrupt activity
• Aggravated theft
• Tampering with records

As Porter Wright carried out its independent investigation on the Columbus Zoo Board of Directors' behalf, it also hired accounting consultants from Plante Moran to conduct a forensic analysis. That company's audit, released in 2021, had placed funds lost at a much lower number. Compared to the $2.29 million found in the attorney general's investigation, the consultants had estimated that $631,651 had been misappropriated by the zoo's former executive team.

In light of the indictments on Monday, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium said its current leadership had made "significant changes to policies, procedures and oversight at multiple levels."

"Additionally, the Columbus Zoo has severed the relationship with several previous vendors, and has retained a new auditing firm to conduct its annual audit, ensuring a fresh perspective on its financial operations and a new advertising agency to better communicate its mission," a spokesperson for the zoo wrote.

Stalf and Bell voluntarily resigned from their positions in March 2021, but attorneys for the former CEO and CFO had different messages when the case first went public. While a lawyer representing Bell said he was committed to paying back everything he owed his former employer, Stalf's attorneys implied the investigation was unfair.

"Fair investigations do not start with two scapegoats and work backwards to get their desired results. Rather, fair investigations delve deep into each detail to determine the truth ... We have evaluated investigatory reports for the past 28 years and it is evident that this report was published under pressure from the media," said attorneys Mark Collins and Rex Elliott in a 2021 statement.

In a March 2022 settlement, Stalf agreed to pay back $400,000 to the Columbus Zoo for benefits he received inappropriately. Bell settled to pay $132,000 as well. At the time the two former executives had agreed to the settlements, the zoo's board of directors was also seeking payback from Fingerhut to the tune of $56,998.

The death highlights the need for an in-depth review of the use of remote-controlled locomotives, the Transportation Communications Union and Brotherhood of Railway Carmen said in a news release Sunday. Every major railroad has used such locomotives inside, and increasingly outside of, railyards across the country for years.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the death, which happened shortly before 4 a.m. Sunday in Walbridge, Ohio. Spokesperson Keith Holloway said the worker was struck and fatally injured when he walked into the path of a moving locomotive that was being operated by remote control.

Fred Anderson is the third carman killed in an incident involving a remote-controlled locomotive, the unions said.

“Enough is enough. A full-scale review of the use and practices around remote-control locomotives is long overdue. CSX — and every railroad — must evaluate their use of these supposed technological advancements to ensure they are actually making our members safer, and not merely replacing people to continue lining the pockets of Wall Street,” Transportation Communications Union National President Artie Maratea said in the news release.

CSX officials at the railroad's headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida, confirmed the accident but declined to discuss the details of Anderson's death because it is still being investigated.

“CSX mourns the loss of this employee and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. The safety of our railroaders is our highest priority. CSX is working with officials to determine exactly what happened,” spokesperson Sheriee Bowman said.

The Federal Railroad Administration has approved the use of remote-controlled locomotives since 2005. They are primarily used inside railyards to help assemble trains. Regulators issued guidelines for railroads back then calling for precautions, including ensuring the trains don't operate at speeds above 15 mph, but there aren't detailed regulations on exactly how they can be used.

Typically, a railroad worker stationed on the ground near a train controls its movements with a remote, although sometimes that worker rides aboard the train while it is moving.

Railroad safety has been a key concern nationwide this year ever since a Norfolk Southern train derailed and caught fire in eastern Ohio in February. That crash prompted evacuations, lingering health concerns, a massive ongoing cleanup and calls for reforms.

CSX is one of the nation’s largest railroads, operating trains in 23 Eastern states and two Canadian provinces.

“When you’re talking about air taxis, that’s the future,” Republican Gov. Mike DeWine told The Associated Press. “We find this very, very exciting — not only for the direct jobs and indirect jobs it’s going to create, but like Intel, it’s a signal to people that Ohio is looking to the future. This is a big deal for us.”

Around the world, electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL aircraft are entering the mainstream, though questions remain about noise levels and charging demands. Still, developers say the planes are nearing the day when they will provide a wide-scale alternative to shuttle individual people or small groups from rooftops and parking garages to their destinations, while avoiding the congested thoroughfares below.

Joby's decision to locate its first scaled manufacturing facility at a 140-acre (57-hectare) site at Dayton International Airport delivers on two decades of groundwork laid by the state’s leaders, Republican Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said. Importantly, the site is near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratories.

“For a hundred years, the Dayton area has been a leader in aviation innovation,” Husted said. “But capturing a large-scale manufacturer of aircraft has always eluded the local economy there. With this announcement, that aspiration has been realized.”

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, lived and worked in Dayton. In 1910, they opened the first U.S. airplane factory there. To connect the historical dots, Joby's formal announcement Monday took place at Orville Wright's home, Hawthorn Hill, and concluded with a ceremonial flypast of a replica of the Wright Model B Flyer.

Joby’s production aircraft is designed to transport a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles (321.87 kilometers) per hour, with a maximum range of 100 miles (160.93 kilometers). Its quiet noise profile is barely audible against the backdrop of most cities, the company said. The plan is to place them in aerial ridesharing networks beginning in 2025.

The efforts of the Santa Cruz, California-based company are supported by partnerships with Toyota, Delta Air Lines, Intel and Uber. Joby is a 14-year-old company that went public in 2021 and became the first eVTOL firm to receive U.S. Air Force airworthiness certification.

The $500 million project is supported by up to $325 million in incentives from the state of Ohio, its JobsOhio economic development office and local government. With the funds, Joby plans to build an Ohio facility capable of delivering up to 500 aircraft a year and creating 2,000 jobs. The U.S. Department of Energy has invited Joby to apply for a loan to support development of the facility as a clean energy project.

Joby CEO JoeBen Bevirt told the AP that the company chose Ohio after an extensive and competitive search. Its financial package wasn't the largest, but the chance to bring the operation to the birthplace of aviation — with a workforce experienced in the field — sealed the deal, he said.

“Ohio is the No. 1 state when it comes to supplying parts for Boeing and Airbus," Bevirt said. "Ohio is No. 3 in the nation on manufacturing jobs — and that depth of manufacturing prowess, that workforce, is critical to us as we look to build this manufacturing facility.

JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef noted that its dedication to aviation has carried the Dayton area through serious economic challenges. That included the loss of tens of thousands of auto and auto parts manufacturing jobs in the early 2000s and the loss of ATM maker NCR Corp.'s headquarters to an Atlanta suburb in 2009.

“This marries that heritage and legacy of innovation in aviation with our nuts and bolts of manufacturing," Nauseef said. “It really marries those two together, and that’s never been married together before — not in this town. For a community the size of Dayton and Springfield, (whose people) take great pride, (and) have had rough, rough decades, it's a wonderful project.”

Bevirt said operations and hiring will begin immediately from existing buildings near the development site, contingent upon clearing the standard legal and regulatory hurdles. The site is large enough to eventually accommodate 2 million square feet (18.58 hectares) of manufacturing space.

Construction on the manufacturing facility is expected to begin in 2024, with production to begin in 2025.

Toyota, a long-term investor, worked with Joby in 2019 to design and to successfully launch its pilot production line in Marina, California. The automaker will continue to advise Joby as it prepares for scaled production of its commercial passenger air taxi, the company said.

The announcement comes as a bipartisan group of Ohio's congressional representatives has recently stepped up efforts to lure the U.S. Air Force’s new U.S. Space Command headquarters or Space Force units to Ohio. There, too, state leaders cite the aerospace legacy of the Wrights, as well as Ohio-born astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong.

___

Earlier versions of this article were corrected to reflect that the description of incentives and company investment is additive, with up to $325 million in incentives as part of the $500 million total, and to indicate that the name of the airline is Delta Air Lines, not Delta Airlines.

This article discusses domestic violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or abuse, there are resources available.

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 or live chat here.
• The Ohio Domestic Violence Network has a list of local programs and shelters, available here. You can also call ODVN at 800-934-9840 or 614-781-9651 to get connected with resources in your area.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- State Rep. Bob Young is facing new criminal charges after resigning from the Ohio House and being arrested for a second time in a pending domestic violence case.

The Republican lawmaker from Green was charged on Friday for menacing by stalking and again for violating a protection order on July 31, according to Barberton Municipal Court records. Filed by the Summit Country Sheriff's Office, both of the representative's new charges are first-degree misdemeanors.

Young "knowingly [caused] victim to believe that [Young] would cause physical harm to the said victim or cause mental distress," the court docket entry for the menacing charge states.

The representative submitted his resignation to Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens on Sept. 8, calling the criminal charges against him a "distraction" to the state legislature. Young was charged in early July with two counts of domestic violence and one count of disrupting public service communications following an incident at his home.

"I was hopeful that this matter could be resolved before this point, but I can no longer deny the distraction that this matter has caused the Ohio House of Representatives as an institution, as well as my colleagues, with whom I serve," Young wrote in his resignation. "Therefore, out of respect for them and the Ohio legislature, I will not continue any further while these matters are pending. The business of the Ohio House must continue uninterrupted, and no one individual is more important than that business."

Young is accused of hitting his wife and throwing her phone into a pool to prevent her from dialing 911, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. After pleading not guilty, he was released on a $5,000 bond and ordered not to contact his wife, according to Barberton Municipal Court records. On Aug. 28, he was arrested for allegedly violating the protection order.

The felony charge of disruption to public service communications has since been dismissed, and Young faces an additional assault charge for allegedly charging his brother and falling through a glass door after she sought "safe haven" away from Young, according to the incident report.

Stephens called for Young's resignation shortly after the initial charges were filed. Democratic lawmakers reignited calls for his resignation after his Aug. 28 arrest. Stephens removed Young from his position as chair of the House Pensions Committee days after the second arrest.

In July, Young said in a statement he would not resign and he denied that his actions were criminal. In his resignation letter Friday, Young vowed to "vigorously" defend himself against the criminal charges.

In July of last year, Indiana OB-GYN Caitlin Bernard, employed by IU Health, garnered national attention after sharing with the Indianapolis Star her account of providing abortion services to a 10-year-old girl from Ohio who had been raped.

This story quickly drew the ire of conservatives including Rokita who accused Bernard of failing to abide by Indiana patient privacy and mandatory reporting laws.

Rokita filed a complaint with the Indiana Medical Licensing Board against Bernard, alleging the physician had violated her patient's privacy. The board ultimately determined that Bernard had violated privacy laws and issued a reprimand and $3,000 fine against her.

Throughout this conflict, IU Health maintained that Bernard had followed Indiana's abortion reporting laws, and it would later state that it disagreed with the licensing board's decision.

But in a statement on Friday, Rokita alleged the health system violated numerous laws by supporting Bernard, accusing it of failing to prevent HIPAA violations in various ways and of being deceptive to consumers.

"We are requesting that the court issue a permanent injunction to prevent IU Health and the other defendants from continuing to violate HIPAA and for the maximum amount of fines, restitutions, penalties and damages allowed by law and that includes violations of Indiana's medical privacy laws," Rokita said in a statement.

When reached for comment, the company said in a statement, "At IU Health, we hold ourselves accountable every day for providing quality healthcare and securing privacy for our patients. We continue to be disappointed the Indiana Attorney General’s office persists in putting the state’s limited resources toward this matter. We will respond directly to the AG’s office on the filing."

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Indianapolis federal court, marked Attorney General Todd Rokita’s latest attempt to seek disciplinary legal action against Dr. Caitlin Bernard. The doctor's account of a 10-year-old rape victim traveling to Indiana to receive abortion drugs became a flashpoint in the abortion debate days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer.

Rokita, a Republican, is stridently anti-abortion and Indiana was the first state to approve abortion restrictions after the court's decision. The near-total abortion ban recently took effect after legal battles.

“Neither the 10-year-old nor her mother gave the doctor authorization to speak to the media about their case,” the lawsuit stated. “Rather than protecting the patient, the hospital chose to protect the doctor, and itself.”

The lawsuit named Indiana University Health and IU Healthcare Associates. It alleged the hospital system violated HIPAA, the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and a state law for not protecting the patient’s information.

Indiana’s medical licensing board reprimanded Bernard in May, saying she didn’t abide by privacy laws by talking publicly about the girl’s treatment. It was far short of the medical license suspension that Rokita’s office sought.

Still, the board's decision received widespread criticism from medical groups and others who called it a move to intimidate doctors.

Hospital system officials have argued that Bernard didn’t violate privacy laws.

“We continue to be disappointed the Indiana Attorney General’s office persists in putting the state’s limited resources toward this matter,” IU Health said in a statement. “We will respond directly to the AG’s office on the filing.”

In July, a 28-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for the child's rape.