Public Safety

Columbus Police, fire department and emergency response updates

Ohio House Panel Hears Testimony on Drag Performance Bill, Columbus Performer Nina West Testifies in Opposition

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Battle at the Statehouse: Nina West Joins Opposition Against Proposed Ohio Drag Performance Bill

COLUMBUS, The Ohio House Judiciary Committee heard a second round of testimony Wednesday on a bill that would restrict certain drag and gender-based performances to adult venues, drawing sharp disagreement from both supporters and opponents at the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus. House Bill 249, formally called the “Indecent Exposure Modernization Act,” is sponsored by … Read more

Avery’s Law Takes Effect Today in Ohio, Adding Stricter Rules for Dangerous Dog Owners Across Columbus and Franklin County

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Avery’s Law Now in Effect: Stricter Dangerous Dog Rules Begin Across Franklin County

COLUMBUS A new Ohio law named after a Reynoldsburg girl who was mauled by two pit bulls takes effect today, bringing tougher penalties for owners of dangerous and vicious dogs across Ohio including Franklin County. Avery’s Law, formally known as House Bill 247, was signed into law after Avery Russell of Reynoldsburg spent a month … Read more

Records Show Podcaster at Center of Ted Carter’s OSU Resignation Got $60K From JobsOhio and $94K WOSU Deal, for a Show That Made One Episode

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The Cost of a Scandal: Record Deals and $60K for One Podcast Episode Uncovered in OSU Probe

COLUMBUS The podcaster whose relationship with former Ohio State University President Ted Carter triggered his resignation secured $60,000 from JobsOhio for a podcast that produced just one episode and signed a nearly $94,000 production agreement with WOSU Public Media, according to newly released public records. The documents give the clearest picture yet of how deeply … Read more

Columbus Plumbers Issue Urgent Sump Pump Warning After Storms Knock Out Power

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Columbus Plumbers Urge Homeowners to Check Sump Pumps After Storms Cause Power Outages in Central Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Plumbing professionals in the Columbus area are urging homeowners to check their sump pumps after severe storms caused power outages across parts of central Ohio this weekend. Strong thunderstorms moved through the region Saturday and knocked out electricity for thousands of customers in Pickaway County and Fairfield County. Because most sump pumps … Read more

Ohio Senate Reviewing “Joshua Alert” Bill to Create Missing Child Alerts for Kids With Autism

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A digital emergency alert sign on an Ohio highway displaying information for a missing child.

The Ohio Senate is considering legislation that would create a statewide emergency alert system for missing children with autism and other developmental disabilities, a proposal that previously passed the Ohio House unanimously. House Bill 359 would establish what lawmakers are calling a “Joshua Alert,” a notification system designed to quickly alert the public when a … Read more

Columbus Cop Arrested After Strangling Girlfriend Twice Taken Off the Job

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Columbus Police officer Jacob A. Smith's court appearance for strangulation charges.

DELAWARE COUNTY — Jacob A. Smith, 50, a Columbus Division of Police officer, was arrested Saturday in Delaware County and charged with felony strangulation and illegal possession of a firearm in a liquor permit premises after he allegedly strangled his girlfriend twice outside a Polaris-area restaurant, according to court records.Smith was arraigned in Delaware County … Read more

Construction Worker Killed in Hit-and-Run on I-70; Police Search for Maroon Toyota

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Columbus Police investigating fatal hit-and-run crash on I-70 Westbound near SR-315 interchange.

COLUMBUS — A construction worker died early Saturday morning after a driver struck him inside an active work zone on Interstate 70 westbound near State Route 315 and fled the scene, according to the Columbus Division of Police. The crash happened at approximately 2:01 a.m. Police said a maroon Toyota sedan, believed to be an … Read more