COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A fast-casual fried chicken chain is preparing to expand into Ohio with 10 restaurants, including at least one location in the Columbus market.
Zaxbys has signed a development agreement to launch 10 eateries in Ohio, according to a news release. The company did not reveal locations but said the new restaurants will open throughout Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus. Zaxbys currently does not have any locations in the state.
The chain is known for its chicken, which comes in the form of tenders, sandwiches, tacos and wings. It also serves salads and sides such as crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, fried pickles and fried white cheddar bites. Desserts, including milkshakes, cookies and fried cheesecake bites, are on the menu as well.
Founded in Georgia in 1990, Zaxbys has spread to more than 980 locations across 17 states, primarily in the Southeast. Chief Development Officer Mike Mettler said the planned Ohio restaurants mark a “pivotal step in accelerating Zaxbys’ footprint across the Midwest.” The chain also is preparing to debut in the Chicago market and continue expanding in Indiana.
The 10 Ohio locations will be run by Charles Terry, a former NBA strength and conditioning coach. Terry is a “seasoned franchise operator” who has co-owned 14 Crumbl Cookie locations since 2021, including the brand’s top-performing store worldwide in Ontario, according to the news release.
“Zaxbys’ commitment to community and its ability to bring people together over great food mirrors our own values,” Terry said in a statement. “We’re excited to bring proven systems and high standards to a new market while creating places where neighbors feel like family.”
NBC4 reached out to Zaxbys to see if it could share any specific plans for the Columbus area but did not receive an answer.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A recently introduced Ohio bill would empower law enforcement officials to arrest drivers who refuse to provide identifying information during a traffic stop.
Under House Bill 492, declining to provide a name, address or date of birth to police officers during a traffic stop would be classified as a fourth-degree misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 30 days in jail.
State law already requires drivers to provide identification during a traffic stop at the request of law enforcement. However, refusing to do so is currently an unclassified misdemeanor, which is generally a nonarrestable offense that can only be punished with a fine or community service.
The bill was introduced by Reps. Sharon Ray (R-Wadsworth) and Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison) on Oct. 1. Abrams said the idea for the legislation was brought to Ohio representatives by law enforcement officials.
“Our law enforcement face risk each day they put their uniform on and start their shift,” Abrams said at the bill’s first hearing on Oct. 14. “House Bill 492 provides our law enforcement with an extra tool in the toolbox as they work to keep our communities safe.”
Ray stated being charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor gives jails the authority to fingerprint and identify an individual before they are let go. She said in some cases, those who refuse to provide officers with identifying information during traffic stops have warrants out for their arrests for dangerous crimes.
“With the consequence for not identifying yourself to an officer being a minor misdemeanor, there is no real action that an officer can take,” Ray said at the introductory hearing. “Right now, our laws don’t fully reflect the reality of these encounters or give the officers a chance to identify a potentially dangerous individual, but with House Bill 492 they will.”
A hearing for proponent testimony was held on Oct. 28, with the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, and Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association showing their support for the proposal.
Michael Weinman, director of government affairs with the FOP, said a growing number of drivers are turning to “social media lawyers,” who tell their followers they do not have to identify themselves to law enforcement.
“These people, along with sovereign citizens, will turn on their cameras and escalate a rather mundane event by arguing with officers and challenging them until force is the only option left,” Weinman said. “Traffic stops are dangerous and, at times, lead to injury or death to law enforcement. This danger is exacerbated by these people who want to squabble with the officer and refuse to identify themselves.”
Another hearing was held on Tuesday for opponent testimony. Zachary Miller, legislative officer with the Office of the Ohio Public Defender, was the only person to speak out against the measure.
“The escalation of these penalties for minor, nonviolent conduct at traffic stops is coercive and disproportionate to the conduct,” Miller said.
HB 492 awaits additional hearings before the House and Senate could potentially vote on the proposal. If passed by the Statehouse, the bill would then head to Gov. Mike DeWine for final approval.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Doctors and organizations opposed to abortion recently testified in support of an Ohio bill that would require public schools to show videos about fetal development annually, beginning in third grade.
The Ohio House Education Committee on Oct. 28 heard proponent testimony on House Bill 485, dubbed the “Baby Olivia Act.” The legislation would mandate that schools show a video created by Live Action, an organization against abortion, called “Meet Baby Olivia,” which walks viewers through fetal development and narrates that life begins at conception.
In addition to “Meet Baby Olivia,” the legislation would require the annual screening of a high-definition ultrasound video showing fetal development that is at least three minutes long. Under the bill, schools that do not comply could face a lawsuit from the Ohio attorney general.
The proposal states that a school must, upon request, make related instructional materials available to parents. Parents may choose to opt their children out, according to the bill’s sponsor Rep. Melanie Miller (R-Ashland).
Eleven individuals submitted testimony in support of the bill for the hearing. One of those supporters was Dr. Alicia Thompson, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist in Westerville. She argued that the Baby Olivia film “accurately depicts what every obstetrician knows and sees daily: that human life begins at the moment of fertilization.”
“Measures like the Baby Olivia Act are necessary to counter the prevailing narrative that diminishes the embryo or fetus as merely a ‘clump of cells,’” she said. “The video uses medically accurate dating that begins at fertilization – the standard framework used in embryology – and it explains developmental milestones in plain language that adolescents and young adults can understand.”
Dr. Bill Lile, a Florida-based board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist who is known as the “ProLife Doc,” also testified in support of the bill.
“The Baby Olivia educational video provides clear, scientific and visually compelling evidence of fetal development and humanity,” Lile said. “These babies in the womb are not abstract ideas – they are living, growing human beings, and they are patients.”
Among the other supporters were representatives with Ohio Right to Life, the Center for Christian Virtue and Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio.
“The right to life movement has long recognized that education and awareness are among the most powerful tools for change,” said Katie DeLand, director of policy and legislative affairs with Ohio Right to Life. “When individuals – especially young people – are given the opportunity to learn the truth about human development, it transforms how they view themselves and others, leading to lasting respect for the dignity of life at every stage.”
While lawmakers are expected to hear from opponents of the measure at a later hearing, some have already spoken out against the bill, including executive director of Abortion Forward Kellie Copeland. She argued that adopting state-mandated health education standards for K-12 would better serve students, as Ohio is the only state in the country lacking such guidelines.
“Students should learn the science around human reproduction, but those lessons should also include medically accurate and comprehensive information that is proven to encourage teens to delay the start of sexual activity until later in life and give them the tools to prevent unintended pregnancy and plan how to start a family when they are ready to do so,” Copeland said. “This propaganda video full of misinformation is the opposite of that.”
Planned Parenthood has also come out against the Baby Olivia video in general, calling it “manipulative” and stating that its up-close shots misrepresent fetal development. The reproductive healthcare provider argues there is “very little mention” of the mother in the video and that it “downplays the risks of pregnancy.”
Ohio is among more than 20 states that have introduced legislation mandating schools show the Baby Olivia video or similar content. Six states – Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota and Tennessee – have passed such laws.
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