Columbus news

• Mother charged with sex trafficking disabled teen daughter

  23-08-2018 23:11
  
  COLUMBIA, Mo. — A Missouri mother has been charged with accepting money and cocaine in exchange for letting men sexually assault her 14-year-old daughter who authorities say has cerebral palsy and the mental capacity of a 2- to 3-year-old.The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that 49-year-old Renee Collins, of Columbia, was charged Tuesday with second-degree trafficking of a child and first-degree child endangerment.Her boyfriend, 44-year-old William Thomas Jr., of Rocheport, is also charged
  
  Read more

• Woman who made false rape claim gets 1 year in jail

  23-08-2018 22:38
  
  BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A woman who police say had a sexual encounter with two college football players in Connecticut and later made false rape allegations so she wouldn't lose a potential boyfriend has been sentenced to one year in jail.Twenty-year-old Nikki Yovino was sentenced Thursday in Bridgeport Superior Court. She pleaded guilty in June to misdemeanor charges of falsely reporting an incident and interfering with police.Police say Yovino, of South Setauket, New York, was attending Sacr
  
  Read more

• Autopsy finds Mollie Tibbetts killed by 'sharp force injuries'

  23-08-2018 22:25
  
  BROOKLYN, Iowa — The Iowa college student who was allegedly abducted by a stranger while running last month was killed by "multiple sharp force injuries," investigators announced Thursday.Preliminary autopsy results from the state medical examiner's office also determined that 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts was the victim of a homicide, the Division of Criminal Investigation announced in a press release.The agency did not release additional details about the injuries she suffered or what caus
  
  Read more

• Hospital to Build Parking Lot on Former Africentric Site

  23-08-2018 21:18
  Nationwide Children’s Hospital plans to build a 700-space parking lot on the site of the former Africentric school. The 7.5-acre site on East Livingston Avenue was acquired by the hospital for its appraised value of $15.025 million, one of several prominent pieces of property that Columbus City Schools auctioned off last fall. Gina Bericchia, a […]
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Report: Betsy DeVos considering letting school districts buy guns with federal funds

  23-08-2018 20:25
  
  The Department of Education is considering allowing states to use federal funding to purchase firearms for educators, according to a New York Times report citing multiple people with knowledge of the possible plan. Secretary Betsy DeVos' Education Department is considering using the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants program in federal law, which makes no prohibition against purchasing weapons, to approve any state or district plans to purchase firearms, the Times reported. Such spen
  
  Read more

• Mega Weekend – An End of Summer Arts Edition!

  23-08-2018 20:00
  There’s always something great happening in Columbus, and we’re excited to list a few highlights every week. Check out some of the event categories happening this weekend, and be sure to check the event calendar for an in-depth look at events happening on specific days (links below!). Tickets are available for the The Coffee ColLab […]
  
  Read more

• 600-foot drug tunnel to Mexico discovered under KFC kitchen

  23-08-2018 19:55
  A tunnel that stretches from a former Kentucky Fried Chicken in Arizona all the way to a home in Mexico was discovered last week by investigators, who believe the secret passageway was used for drug smuggling, KSWT reports.Homeland Security Investigations said the tunnel was discovered on August 13, after the owner of the former KFC, Ivan Lopez, was pulled over by the San Luis Police Department. A canine unit alerted officers to two toolboxes in Lopez' truck. Inside the boxes, authorities say th
  
  Read more

• Family of student sexually assaulted by former Dublin teacher sues school district

  23-08-2018 18:45
  
  The parents of a 15-year-old girl sexually abused by a former Dublin City Schools teacher have sued the school district.The suit was filed in federal courtThursday morning.It accuses Dublin City Schools of failing to remove Gregory Lee from the classroom despite years of documented misconduct and concerns involving female students.Gregory Lee is currently serving 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual battery of the girl, and to child pornography charges.Federal investigators found h
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Woman killed, officer injured in police-involved shooting in west Columbus

  23-08-2018 18:34
  
  COLUMBUS, Ohio – Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened Thursday in west Columbus.Officers were called around 11:30 a.m. to the intersection of Bellows Avenue and S. Yale Avenue.Police said an undercover officer was stabbed by a woman while working on a case. The woman was shot multiple times.She was transported to Grant Medical Center where she later died. Police have not identified her at this time.The injured officer was taken to a local hospital and is in s
  
  Read more

• 32 children's medicines recalled for possible contamination

  23-08-2018 18:26
  
  King Bio is voluntarily recalling 32 children's medicines because of potential "microbial contamination," the company said in a statement on Wednesday.The medicines, which include those meant to relieve common illnesses including fever, cough, flu, tummy aches, nosebleeds, and earaches, were sold nationwide.According to the company, "the use of drugs products with microbial contamination could potentially result in increased infections that may require medical intervention, and could result in i
  
  Read more

• Organization helps central Ohio students get fresh start to new school year

  23-08-2018 18:04
  CLINTONVILLE- The Charity Newsies work from summer to mid-winter to offer clothing, uniforms, supplies and more to families ready to send children to school."It makes me so happy," said second-grader Naomy Jackson as she chose a pair of jeans with small sequins on the back. "Every girl likes sparkles, even my little sister likes sparkles. I love these jeans."Leaders at Charity Newsies say the efforts are to ensure no child goes to school with inadequate clothing and supplies. Tawnja Jackson said
  
  Read more

• Ex-Michigan State gymnastics coach charged in Nassar case

  23-08-2018 18:00
  
  LANSING, Mich. — Former Michigan State gymnastics coach Kathie Klages was charged Thursday with lying to police amid an investigation into the school's handling of sexual abuse complaints against former sports doctor Larry Nassar.The charges were announced by special independent counsel Bill Forsyth, who was appointed by the state attorney general to investigate the university. If convicted of the felony and misdemeanor counts, Klages could face up to four years in prison.Klages has denied
  
  Read more

• Sears to close another 46 unprofitable stores, including 2 in Ohio

  23-08-2018 17:32
  
  HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings Corp. is closing another 13 Kmart stores and 33 Sears stores as sales shrink and losses grow.The ailing company said liquidation sales at the 46 unprofitable stores marked for closure will start Aug. 30, according to the company website. They'll close in November.The company said Thursday it informed its workers.In January, Sears said it was closing 100 stores. It announced in May that it was closing another 100.The move comes as Sears is considering
  
  Read more

• OSU Professor Discusses Ohio’s ‘Feathered Superhighway’ at Columbus Science Pub

  23-08-2018 17:04
  It was an unusually cool August day at COSI’s CityView Patio, a perfect reminder that the migratory birds of the Western Hemisphere will soon make their epic journey south for the winter. On their way to South America or the Caribbean, many of those birds will stop and recharge in Ohio, especially on the shores […]
  
  Read more

• Statewide tip line sees spike in calls over school safety concerns

  23-08-2018 17:01
  COLUMBUS - There’s a phone number every parent needs to know when it comes to calling in something – or someone - suspicious at their child’s school:844-SAFER-OH.“We rolled it out in July 2014, and since then, about 2400 schools are partnered in the tip line,” says Jason Bowman, an infrastructure protection manager at Ohio Homeland Security.The Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Public Safety launched the SaferOH tip line that will accept both c
  
  Read more

• Ohio measure eases drug crime penalties, may trim sentences

  23-08-2018 17:01
  
  COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohioans will vote in November on whether to reduce penalties for non-violent drug crimes while allowing many current inmates to seek shorter sentences.Issue 1 would reduce purchase, possession or use of a host of drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and LSD, from felony to misdemeanor offenses. Jail time couldn't be imposed until the third offense.The constitutional amendment also allows reductions of up to 25 percent on the sentences of current inmates who part
  
  Read more

• Cleveland Zoo announces birth of 2nd Eastern black rhino

  23-08-2018 16:56
  
  CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has welcomed a second newborn Eastern black rhino calf this year. The mom rhino gave birth on August 20, which makes her now the mother of 5 calves. “We’re very excited to welcome our second Eastern black rhino calf born here at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo this year,” said Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Executive Director Christopher Kuhar, PhD. “We hope these significant births inspire guests to learn more about this critically endangered
  
  Read more

• Columbus-born lion dies at Phoenix Zoo after illness

  23-08-2018 16:16
  
  PHOENIX — The Phoenix Zoo says an eight-year-old African lion named Kitambi has died after a brief illness.Zoo officials say Kitambi passed away on Tuesday night.He started showing signs of illness Friday when he acted lethargic and lost his appetite. Tests revealed an infection in his right rear leg and a depletion of white blood cells.Zoo officials say Kitambi's health deteriorated rapidly despite efforts from the animal care team like IV fluids and antibiotics.His body was transported t
  
  Read more

• Columbus Personal Assistants Look to Eliminate the Weekly To-Do List

  23-08-2018 16:00
  Columbus native Nikki Veneziano launched Columbus Personal Assistants in August of 2017. A year later, her company has grown to employing 11 assistants serving the central Ohio region. Veneziano holds a BFA in Dance with an emphasis in Musical Theatre and is a certified personal trainer. She worked as a personal assistant in New York […]
  
  Read more

• Wright State faculty union threatens strike

  23-08-2018 14:47
  
  DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Wright State University's unionized faculty members are threatening to strike ahead of a fact-finder's report that's due next month.Wright State chapter of the American Association of University Professors will hold two meetings before they vote on the report. The union has scheduled a strike date for Oct. 1.According to the union, Wright State's contract proposal offered up earlier this year didn't include raises. They say it reduced health care benefits as well.The bo
  
  Read more

• South Africa blasts Trump over racially divisive tweet

  23-08-2018 14:15
  
  JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The South African government lashed out at President Donald Trump on Thursday after he tweeted that his administration would be looking into farm seizures and the "large scale killing of farmers" in South Africa.The government said Trump's tweet was based on "false information" and reflected a "narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past." It said it was meeting with the U.S. Embassy on Thursday as it seeks to clarify Trum
  
  Read more

• Kroger to Phase Out Single-Use Plastic Bags by 2025

  23-08-2018 13:41
  
  CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced today it will phase out single-use plastic bags and transition to reusable bags across its Family of Stores by 2025.Seattle-based QFC will be the company's first retail division to phase out single-use plastic bags. The company expects QFC's transition to be completed in 2019."As part of our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste commitment, we are phasing out use-once, throw-it-away plastic bags and transitioning to reusable bags in our stores by 2025,"
  
  Read more

• Kroger to phase out plastic bags at all stores

  23-08-2018 13:41
  
  CINCINNATI (AP) — The nation's largest grocery chain will be plastic-bag free at all of its nearly 2,800 stores by 2025.Kroger Co., which orders about 6 billion bags each year, will begin phasing out their use immediately at one of its chains based in Seattle, a city that has been proactive on reducing plastic use.The company, based in Cincinnati, operates 2,779 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia, serving almost 9 million people daily through two dozen different grocery chain
  
  Read more

• $3.4M awarded to former Ohio female firefighter over harassment claim

  23-08-2018 12:34
  
  A federal jury has awarded $3.35 million to a female ex-firefighter in Ohio who says she was the longtime victim of sexual harassment.Amie Morningstar of the Circleville Fire Department alleged she was subjected to equipment tampering, clothing destruction and gender-related slurs. She also said she was required to meet tougher training and work standards than male counterparts and denied promotions because she's a woman.A federal lawsuit said the harassment got worse after she reported it to he
  
  Read more

• Golfers Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson set for pay-per-view matchup

  23-08-2018 12:26
  
  The winner-take-all match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson is on.WarnerMedia says it has secured the rights for a pay-per-view event it is promoting as "The Match." It will be 18 holes between Woods and Mickelson held Thanksgiving weekend at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. The winner will receive $9 million.The pay-per-view cost is to be announced later.Woods announced that the match was on in a tweet , setting off Twitter banter with Mickelson , who only signed up for a Twitter account Wednesd
  
  Read more

• Police officer calms boy with anxiety disorder after pulling over his mom

  23-08-2018 12:20
  
  Getting pulled over by the police is a nerve-wracking experience for most people, but for 7-year-old Jacob Hudson, it was absolutely anxiety-inducing.Jacob has PANDAS -- pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders caused by streptococcal infections -- his mom, Adrianne Hudson, told CBS News. The 7-year-old, who suffers from anxiety, was with his mom when she was pulled over for speeding in McKinney, Texas, earlier this month."I usually don't drive in McKinney at night, and I didn't pay atten
  
  Read more

• University of Iowa holds vigil for murdered student Mollie Tibbetts

  23-08-2018 12:15
  
  Hundreds gathered Wednesday at Hubbard Park in Iowa City for a vigil to remember Mollie Tibbetts, whose body was found earlier this week. According to CBS Cedar Rapids, Iowa affiliate KGAN, the vigil was organized by student government association at the University of Iowa, where Tibbetts was a student. "Carry on her legacy, remember this as a time the country came together for one girl, one girl that loved everyone, one girl that wanted the best for everyone," said Mollie's brother Jake Tibbett
  
  Read more

• Trump denies wrongdoing, says Cohen is making up stories

  23-08-2018 12:01
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump continued his steady stream of denials of wrongdoing Thursday as his White House grappled with allegations that the president orchestrated a campaign cover-up to buy the silence of two women who claimed he had affairs with them.Before dawn, Trump tweeted: "NO COLLUSION - RIGGED WITCH HUNT!" — a reference to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.Confronting mounting legal and political thr
  
  Read more

• Officials: 2 killed, attacker dead in France

  23-08-2018 11:56
  
  Trappes, France (AP)- A senior French official says that an attacker has killed two people before being killed by police in a town west of Paris.Jean-Jacques Brot, the top government administrator in the Yvelines region, tweeted that the attacker Thursday in the town of Trappes was "neutralized" and had died. The tweet also said that two of the attacker's victims were killed and another seriously injured.Earlier, media reports said the attacker had used a knife on his victims before being shot b
  
  Read more

• Urban Meyer doubted abuse claims, removed texts

  23-08-2018 11:35
  
  Ohio State suspended coach Urban Meyer for three games on Wednesday night for mishandling repeated professional and behavioral problems of an assistant coach, with investigators finding Meyer protected his protege for years through domestic violence allegations, a drug problem and poor job performance.The superstar coach's treatment of his now-fired assistant was also clouded by his abiding devotion to the legacy of former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce, the grandfather of former wide receivers co
  
  Read more

• Urban Meyer doubted abuse claims, discussed removing texts

  23-08-2018 11:35
  Ohio State suspended coach Urban Meyer for three games on Wednesday night for mishandling repeated professional and behavioral problems of an assistant coach, with investigators finding Meyer protected his protege for years through domestic violence allegations, a drug problem and poor job performance.The superstar coach's treatment of his now-fired assistant was also clouded by his abiding devotion to the legacy of former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce, the grandfather of former wide receivers co
  
  Read more

• Man hit by car after leaving Journey, Def Leppard concert in Columbus

  23-08-2018 07:32
  
  COLUMBUS - Columbus Police responded to a report of a pedestrian hit by a car late Wednesday night. Officers arrived on the scene at Olentangy River Road and Lane Avenue just before midnight. They found a male victim with injuries. Police say that victim was in critical condition when he was rushed to Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. According to investigators at the scene, the victim was leaving the Journey and Def Leppard concert at The Schottenstein Center when he was hit.The driver remained
  
  Read more

• Police looking for man reported missing from east Columbus

  23-08-2018 04:08
  
  COLUMBUS, Ohio – Columbus police officers are looking for 67-year-old Lonnie Estep.Estep is missing from east Columbus.He was last seen wearing a black Ohio State t-shirt, blue jeans, and black tennis shoes.Estep was last seen driving a 2010 navy blue Chevrolet Malibu with Ohio license plates with the number GGZ 5536 in the area of Simpson Drive and Livingston Avenue.Police said there is damage to the front of the vehicle.Anyone with information is asked to call Columbus police at 614-645-
  
  Read more

• Steven Tyler demands President Trump stop playing Aerosmith songs at rallies

  23-08-2018 02:20
  
  Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has called on President Trump to stop using the band’s music at his events.Tyler and his attorneys sent a cease-and-desist letter Wednesday, one day after Trump used “Livin’ On The Edge’ at a campaign rally.The letter accused Trump of falsely implying that Tyler endorses the president.This is not the first time Trump and Tyler have feuded over Aerosmith’s music.Tyler’s attorneys said two previous cease-and-desist letters were se
  
  Read more

• Waffle House shooting suspect ordered to mental facility

  23-08-2018 02:04
  
  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The suspect in a deadly Waffle House shooting was ordered Wednesday to receive treatment in a mental facility for schizophrenia in hopes that he becomes fit to stand trial.Travis Reinking, 29, learned his fate in court just feet away from the man who authorities say wrestled an assault-style rifle away during the April shooting in Nashville that killed four people. It was the first time James Shaw Jr. saw Reinking since the act of heroism that has since landed him buddin
  
  Read more

• Whitehall police looking for missing 86-year-old woman

  23-08-2018 00:57
  
  WHITEHALL, Ohio – Police in Whitehall are asking for the public’s help in finding an 86-year-old woman.Police said Mary Groves was last seen around 5 p.m. Wednesday near Erickson Avenue. Groves suffers from dementia.She was last seen wearing a multi-colored top, light slacks, black shoes, and glasses.Police said Groves may be driving a white 2000 Honda Civic with Ohio plates EJF8494.She is 4-feet-11-inches tall and weighs around 115 pounds.If anyone has any information about where Gr
  
  Read more

• The Columbus Metropolitan Club, August 22, 2018

  23-08-2018 00:31 via youtube.com
  
  
  View video

• Columbus Metropolitan Club Healthcare: An Executive Perspective

  23-08-2018 00:31 via youtube.com
  
  
  View video

Follow @Colombus_News on Twitter!