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

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 City Council Approves 368-Unit Apartment Complex at 5295 N. Hamilton Road in Northland

Proposed site for Langham at Chestnut Hill apartments on North Hamilton Road in Columbus

Columbus City Council approved rezoning for a 368-unit apartment development on 19.8 acres at 5295 N. Hamilton Road in northeast Columbus, clearing the way for Columbus-based developer The Daimler Group to build the project known as Langham at Chestnut Hill, according to official city records. The Columbus City Council agreed to change the zoning rules … Read more

Clintonville Neighbors Watch the Olentangy Closely, Haunted by 2020 Flood That Drove Families From Their Homes

The Olentangy River flowing high near the Broad Meadows bridge in Clintonville.

COLUMBUS — Charles Hughes still remembers the call from his son. It was May 2020, and floodwater from the Olentangy River was rising fast on the dead-end street near Broad Meadows Boulevard in Clintonville. Neighbors were throwing what they could into their cars. His son’s family waded through the water just to reach the driveway. … Read more

Kokosing Offers $100,000 Reward After Construction Worker Jordan Thomas Killed in I-70 Hit-and-Run, Driver Still Missing

Police looking for a maroon Toyota sedan involved in a fatal I-70 hit-and-run in Columbus

COLUMBUS — Kokosing Construction is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the driver who struck and killed one of its workers in a downtown Columbus work zone last week and drove away. The victim, Jordan Thomas, 25, died at the scene at 2:12 a.m. on February 28. He had worked … Read more

Flood Watch in Effect for Columbus and Central Ohio Through Thursday Afternoon; Up to 3 Inches of Rain Possible

Heavy rain and flooded street in Columbus, Ohio during a Flood Watch.

COLUMBUS — The National Weather Service in Wilmington issued a Flood Watch for Franklin County and several surrounding counties Wednesday morning, warning that heavy rain and thunderstorms could cause flooding through Thursday afternoon. The watch covers Franklin, Fairfield, Licking, Madison, and Clark counties including Downtown Columbus, Newark, Lancaster, Springfield, and Plain City. Flooding Is a … Read more