NEWARK, Ohio (WCMH) — While the defense for the man accused in a mass shooting at a New Albany warehouse has withdrawn an appeal on a competency hearing, it maintains its intent to submit an insanity plea. According to the Licking County Prosecutor's Office, defense counsel for Bruce Foster III, the man accused of killing [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A woman was struck by a pickup truck and dragged nearly 300 feet to her death Tuesday evening in northeast Columbus. According to a Columbus police incident report, a woman was crossing Cleveland Avenue in an east-to-west direction, near the Oakland Park Avenue intersection in North Linden. At the same time, [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A popular spring and summer destination just became more accessible from central Ohio. Allegiant Travel Company announced Tuesday morning that it is introducing a new nonstop flight from Columbus to Key West in Florida in 2026. The route will depart out of Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) beginning May 21, 2026, with [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Three people are dead and two people were injured, including a child who was thrown out of a window, after a fire broke out in an east Columbus home Tuesday morning. According to the Columbus Division of Fire, calls were received at 2:17 a.m. and crews arrived to the 2900 block [...]

MARYSVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) — One person is dead and four others injured, including two children, in a multi-vehicle crash Sunday evening in Union County. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, troopers arrived at a crash that occurred Sunday evening at 7:24 p.m. on Hyland Croy Road, near the Johnston Drive intersection in Jerome Township, [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Despite a small drop nationally in the price of gasoline, central Ohio gas prices continued to climb after a regional bump the previous week due to Midwest refinery issues and an unexpected spike in demand nationwide. According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in and around Columbus, Ohio, gas prices have [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A man who shot and killed a friend who reportedly would not leave his home has been issued a life sentence in prison. According to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, 45-year-old Robert Burnett was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 22 years in the death of [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A former pastor at a Columbus church could spend up to the next 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to rape charges. George Bell, 73, pleaded guilty last week to two counts of first-degree felony rape. In exchange for his guilty plea, two additional rape charges as well as two [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A man found guilty of murder after a gentlemen’s club caught fire in east Columbus has filed a motion for a new trial just days before his sentencing hearing. According to court records, attorneys for 42-year-old Nazeeh Yaktin filed a motion in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas for a new [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A man charged as part of an alleged home invasion resulting in the death of his father and one other person, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to one of four charges. According to court documents, Reginald M. Purnell, initially charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated burglary, and having weapons under [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A man who claimed self-defense in the fatal shooting of his roommate received his sentence Wednesday and could spend the rest of his life in prison. A Franklin County jury and judge rejected 39-year-old Brian Sias’ assertion that he shot and killed William Applegate in self-defense. A guilty verdict was rendered [...]

LOGAN, Ohio (WCMH) — An Akron man who pleaded guilty to placing a hidden camera inside the bathroom of a Hocking Hills cabin was sentenced beyond the recommended prison term agreed upon by opposing counsel. Jason Yard, of Akron, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, a second-degree [...]

UPPER ARLINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) — A man arrested in Upper Arlington after a reported attempted murder-suicide told police he could only think of “one way out” of an alleged sextortion scheme. According to a criminal complaint filed by Upper Arlington police, a 911 call was received at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 9 on a request [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A massive galactic geomagnetic storm transformed the central Ohio skies into a picturesque background for residents across the state. The celestial Northern Lights are colorful auroras courtesy of a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the sun. When CMEs reach Earth’s magnetic field, they spark a big interaction known as a [...]

NEWARK, Ohio (WCMH) — Attorneys for the man accused in a mass shooting at a New Albany warehouse have filed a motion to enter a plea. According to Licking County court documents, defense council for Bruce Foster III has filed motion stating its intent to enter in a plea of not guilty by reason of [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As expected, central Ohio gas prices are on the rise due to refinery issues in the Midwest and an unexpected spike in demand nationwide. According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in and around Columbus, Ohio, gas prices have risen 9.6 cents from last week, averaging out at $3.03 per gallon. [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A New Jersey judge ruled Monday that roadside comments made by the man accused of fatally hitting the Gaudreau brothers can be admitted as evidence in court. Attorneys for Sean Higgins, the man accused of striking and killing Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, argued the comments [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus police are searching for leads in a homicide in which charges against the original suspect were dropped this summer. According to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, investigators remain focused on the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Jayvon Gore, who was found in the 1400 block of Oakland Park Avenue in North Linden. [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A teenager has been arrested after Whitehall police received reports of several individuals talking about guns. According to a Whitehall police, officers responded Thursday to reports of suspicious activity at John Bishop Park, near the Whitehall Recreation Center. Reports received detailed several juveniles smoking marijuana and talking about guns. Upon arrival, [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — While the ongoing government shutdown has put a damper on federal food assistance, the state of Ohio is expected to get some relief.

Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered $7 million directed to foodbanks around Ohio due to uncertainty around food assistance benefits. DeWine's announcement comes in support of approximately 1.4 million low-income families who are caught in the crossfire by the suspension of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid the federal government shutdown, which began Saturday.

According to the governor’s office, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) will provide the support to regional food banks, including over $1.4 million to the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, the most among the listed food banks in Ohio. For a previous report on this story view the video player above.

In addition. DeWine said that the plan announced last week – providing up to $25 million in support of food assistance to help families impacted by the suspension of SNAP benefits – continues to move forward.

The state has transferred the following amounts to regional food banks listed below, with each amount based on the food bank’s percentage of customers in the SNAP caseload:

• Freestore Foodbank – $795,637.50
• Greater Cleveland Food Bank – $1,170,837.50
• Toledo Seagate Food Bank – $570,937.50
• Mid-Ohio Food Collective – $1,440,337.50
• Shared Harvest Foodbank – $1,431,937.50
• Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank – $887,337.50
• Second Harvest Foodbank of the Mahoning Valley – $427,437.50
• Second Harvest Foodbank of North Central Ohio – $275,537.50

The plan also directs ODJFS to provide up to $18 million in emergency relief benefits to more than 63,000 Ohioans who are at or below 50% of the federal poverty level. If the shutdown continues through November, the plan would double the monthly OWF benefit for OWF recipients.

DeWine said that this portion of the plan will also move forward and the ODJFS expects OWF recipients to receive their first installment of emergency relief benefits by Friday.