Veterans Day is being celebrated in central Ohio with events such as the MILVETS Veterans Day Rally, the Veterans Day National Ceremony, and a Sunrise Wreath Laying Ceremony. There are other activities such as flag placements and luncheons for veterans and their families.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Thousands of children across central Ohio received free winter coats on Thursday, just in time for frigid weather.

The drive was part of local nonprofit Bonzy Charities’ sixth annual Coat Day Columbus.

Eight schools participated, including elementary schools in Reynoldsburg and South Western City Schools. Every student was allowed to pick out a brand-new winter jacket.

“I was looking at the colors and I thought the blue one looked the best,” fifth-grade French Run student Aleen Hasan said.

Reynoldsburg City Schools Whole Child Support Director Ashley Pittman said the students had a choice and a voice while picking out their coats.

“They come in super excited, they're matching with their friends, they're able to kind of coordinate,” Pittman said.

Doug Godard, president and founder of Bonzy, said a coat can be the difference between a child coming to school or staying home on a cold day.

“This is one way of helping out the kids so they can be present at school,” Godard said while visiting Prairie North Elementary. “Students at this school are on free and reduced-price lunch programs and that’s the type of school that we focus on.”

Pittman said every child at French Run in Reynoldsburg walked away from school Thursday with a warm jacket. It’s one less thing for parents to worry about.

“Whether you really, really need the coat or it's just an extra one to have to play outside or grow into, that's fine. We don't want to draw attention to one single person,” Pittman said.

A brand-new coat for a child in need costs $25. You can donate and learn more about Coat Day by visiting the Bonzy website by clicking here.

GROVE CITY, Ohio (WCMH) -- South Western City Schools voters elected three new board of education members Tuesday, marking an ideologic shift for the board.

Camille Peterson, Chelsea Alkire and Kelly Dillon won the school board race, defeating a trio of Republican-backed candidates that included current board president Chris Boso. Upon taking office in January, Peterson, Alkire and Dillon have promised to fire district attorney Omar Tarazi, who is on retainer for the school board.

Peterson was re-elected, but Alkire and Dillon are new to the board. According to unofficial results, each received more than 19% of the vote. Peterson is a social worker, Dillon is a professor and Alkire is an educator who was nominated for Ohio Teacher of the Year.

Among its supporters, the elected trio was endorsed by the South Western Education Association, the district educators' union. See previous coverage of union negotiations with the current school board in the video player above.

"Under the leadership of Peterson, Alkire and Dillon, we will work together to expand opportunities for students, eliminate staffing shortages, provide students with the support and opportunities they need to succeed, and address morale among our education professionals," union spokesperson Emmalee Harding said.

Boso, who received nearly 15% of the vote, ran alongside Steve Feucht and Jason Gocha, who each received between 13% and 14%. The trio was endorsed by the Franklin County Republican Party and Sen. Bernie Moreno.

Parents who supported Boso, Feucht and Gocha told NBC4 they respected the election results but felt their candidates wanted the best for the district and would have helped it. Parents said they were hesitant to comment formally, citing concerns for their students because of the union's support for Peterson, Alkire and Dillon.

The SWCS board is formally nonpartisan, but political affiliations have been a major talking point regarding membership. The election results mark a shift on the school board, which has drawn criticism and support from parents for appearing to lean more conservatively under current leadership.

Among talking points was Tarazi's role on a conservative education panel that was not affiliated with the district. Promotional materials did refer to Tarazi's role with SWCS but did not receive district approval to do so.

Some parents considered leaving the district over the board's decision to join conservatively aligned education advisory groups, which promote English-only education and denounce "gender confusion." A smaller number of parents told NBC4 they thought the advisory groups would help combat distractions from learning. The district said it joined groups with an array of perspectives.

Along with endorsing Boso, Feucht and Gocha's opponents, the union filed a labor complaint with the state against Boso and fellow board member Julie Liskany in July. SWEA alleged Boso and Liskany's criticism of the union at a board meeting during contract negotiations was an attempt to inhibit union activity. Ohio law prohibits employers from interfering with union business.

SWEA said members are hopeful a new school board will help mediate the labor charge. According to the union, Tarazi declined state mediation of the labor concern on behalf of the board.

Between January and March 31, 2024, Tarazi billed the district $166,885 in legal fees. In July 2024, the board of education contracted Tarazi formally to serve on retainer at $9,000 a month. The district said hiring Tarazi allowed them to save more than $190,000 in legal fees.

NBC4 obtained billing statements for Tarazi's work, but all services are redacted due to attorney-client privilege. Some parents have spoken out against Tarazi's employment, raising concerns about transparency and district spending. SWEA said they look forward to new leadership, including the promise to fire Tarazi.

The election marked the end of a contentious race. In the final weeks of the race, Boso, Feucht and Gocha drew public criticism for an AI-generated video they posted that depicted their opponents making fabricated statements. In a statement, Peterson, Alkire and Dillon denounced the use of AI disinformation.

After the election on Wednesday, current board members, including Liskany, allegedly received unkind emails from opposing community members. One email posted to social media and independently obtained by NBC4 said, "Boso is gone. You are next," and condemned a "far right agenda." The email's author is not affiliated with Peterson, Alkire and Dillon's campaign.