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Tag: COLUMBUS

  • What will college football look like in 10 years? Massive changes loom

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State and Florida State got into the win column. Texas and Alabama did not. The first big weekend of major college football is in the books, and now, players and athletic departments can settle into a new, once-unthinkable era in which schools pay athletes and a team’s ultimate goal isn’t a bowl game, but the playoff.

    Nobody should get too comfortable.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State and the Big 12 Conference are among those who have explored deals with private equity firms, though neither reached agreements

    • Another way private equity might get into the game is through the idea of a super league

    • Absent a super league, the Big Ten and SEC figure to dictate what the playoff looks like, both for the remainder of the current contract and the next one

    In just seven years, the main funding source of all this change — a menu of media deals highlighted by ESPN’s $7.8 billion contract to televise the College Football Playoff — will either be renegotiated or blown up amid even more change. Whatever happens, another round of jockeying will almost certainly include a massive influx of even more cash.

    What could stem from that is any or all of the following: the introduction of private equity, an NFL-style super league with a bigger playoff, a greater gap between haves and have-nots in college sports and, of course, increased payouts for players.

    “I think it will still be called college sports, but I think it’s going to look completely different in the next five, 10, 15 years,” said Paia LaPalombara, a partner at the Church, Church, Hittle and Antrim law firm who specializes on college sports deals and previously worked at the NCAA and in the Ohio State athletic department.

    CFP is one part of a bigger TV rights puzzle

    Most of the billions ESPN pays to televise the newly expanded 12-team playoff goes directly to the conferences, with the SEC and Big Ten getting the most money starting in 2026 and the ACC, Big 12 and Notre Dame collecting multiple millions.

    All those conferences also have their own media-rights deals — the SEC and Big Ten are worth $1 billion or more — and when those deals expire, sports media experts who see live sports as maybe the most valuable property in TV and streaming believe the value will increase dramatically.

    “It’s not just the playoffs, it’s the top 50 schools,” said sports marketing expert Joe Favorito. “Are they worth ‘4X’ what they’re worth now for their rights? They could be. It’s going to be a reimagining of it all.”

    All of this bodes well for college athletes, whose portion of the revenue sharing is tied to the amount their schools bring in for the next 10 years under terms of the $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement that allows their schools to share revenue — to pay them — directly as of July 1.

    Could private equity make a difference?

    Under terms of the settlement, schools are allowed to pay players up to 22% of revenue from certain categories such as media rights, ticket sales and sponsorship. For the next school year, that means a school can spent up to $20.5 million to keep athletes happy alongside whatever third-party NIL deals are being struck. But that’s hardly their only expense as the House settlement reduced the incoming revenue for schools and conferences over the next decade. The settlement also increased the number of those expensive scholarships schools can give out across all sports they sponsor.

    Can private funding be a solution to what some see as a cash crunch for athletic departments eager to lure and retain top talent and still pay a growing number of bills?

    “The thing about private equity is, we’re owned by the state of Ohio and the state of Ohio is not for sale,” Buckeyes Athletic Director Ross Bjork said. “Private equity has to buy something. I see these reports about how Ohio State is valued by Forbes at $2.3 billion. But nobody could buy 10% of that.”

    Not that some aren’t trying to make this work. Florida State and the Big 12 Conference are among those who have explored deals with private equity firms, though neither reached agreements. Undoubtedly, they won’t be the last to try.

    “There are definitely ways to do it,” said Dave Checketts, the former pro sports executive who is in the private equity space. “I know a public school right now that’s talking about selling basically half of what I’d call their athletics-entertainment business. That means the revenue they get from football, basketball and, in this case, they have a concert business. You come up with a number, then multiply that by five years of revenue and sell half of it to private equity.”

    Would a super league drive revenue?

    Another way private equity might get into the game is through the idea of a super league.

    Two separate investors backed concepts called “College Sports Tomorrow” and “Project Rudy,” looking for ways to take 70 or more teams at the top of college football and combine them into an NFL-style league with huge payouts.

    Neither commissioner from the two biggest conferences likes the idea.

    “I have yet to see a single thing in any plan that contains things that we couldn’t do ourselves,” Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said last year, reflecting the reality that around 80% of Power Four conference schedules are either league games or games against other Power Four teams.

    “Project Rudy” investors were floating a reported $9 billion investment with a chance to drive a $15 billion increase in media revenue over 12 yearrs, according to Yahoo! Sports.

    Such a move could involve antitrust issues — the combining of the big conference media rights is against the law — and might hasten a complete breakup of the NCAA as we know it, significant because the smaller schools play an outsize role in the success of March Madness.

    Is more realignment to come?

    Absent a super league, the Big Ten and SEC figure to dictate what the playoff looks like, both for the remainder of the current contract and the next one.

    What’s hard to know is whether they will keep vacuuming up more teams to expand the size of their own footprints.

    After Florida State and Clemson threatened to possibly depart the ACC, the league tried to cement its future by making a deal with them that restructures its media rights deal to give more money to teams that draw more viewers.

    The Big 12 is at 16 teams. It’s hard to demolish that, even if only five have roots dating to the start of a once-Midwestern conference that now stretches across four time zones.

    The Pac-12 was once part of the Power Five but nearly disintegrated and looks more like a Group of Five league as currently constructed, soon to be filled with schools that are still not as big as the big boys.

    Jeffrey Kessler, a lead attorney for players in the House settlement, said change remains inevitable in college sports, with the players set to benefit the most.

    “The reality is that the biggest revenue schools are in a different parameter as the schools with lower revenue,” he said. “There’s been a continuous movement of those schools, frankly, getting more independent decision-making and more control over their own destiny. There’s no reason to think that won’t continue. But I also don’t see them leaving the NCAA.”

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • What will college football look like in 10 years? Massive changes loom

    [ad_1]

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State and Florida State got into the win column. Texas and Alabama did not. The first big weekend of major college football is in the books, and now, players and athletic departments can settle into a new, once-unthinkable era in which schools pay athletes and a team’s ultimate goal isn’t a bowl game, but the playoff.

    Nobody should get too comfortable.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State and the Big 12 Conference are among those who have explored deals with private equity firms, though neither reached agreements

    • Another way private equity might get into the game is through the idea of a super league

    • Absent a super league, the Big Ten and SEC figure to dictate what the playoff looks like, both for the remainder of the current contract and the next one

    In just seven years, the main funding source of all this change — a menu of media deals highlighted by ESPN’s $7.8 billion contract to televise the College Football Playoff — will either be renegotiated or blown up amid even more change. Whatever happens, another round of jockeying will almost certainly include a massive influx of even more cash.

    What could stem from that is any or all of the following: the introduction of private equity, an NFL-style super league with a bigger playoff, a greater gap between haves and have-nots in college sports and, of course, increased payouts for players.

    “I think it will still be called college sports, but I think it’s going to look completely different in the next five, 10, 15 years,” said Paia LaPalombara, a partner at the Church, Church, Hittle and Antrim law firm who specializes on college sports deals and previously worked at the NCAA and in the Ohio State athletic department.

    CFP is one part of a bigger TV rights puzzle

    Most of the billions ESPN pays to televise the newly expanded 12-team playoff goes directly to the conferences, with the SEC and Big Ten getting the most money starting in 2026 and the ACC, Big 12 and Notre Dame collecting multiple millions.

    All those conferences also have their own media-rights deals — the SEC and Big Ten are worth $1 billion or more — and when those deals expire, sports media experts who see live sports as maybe the most valuable property in TV and streaming believe the value will increase dramatically.

    “It’s not just the playoffs, it’s the top 50 schools,” said sports marketing expert Joe Favorito. “Are they worth ‘4X’ what they’re worth now for their rights? They could be. It’s going to be a reimagining of it all.”

    All of this bodes well for college athletes, whose portion of the revenue sharing is tied to the amount their schools bring in for the next 10 years under terms of the $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement that allows their schools to share revenue — to pay them — directly as of July 1.

    Could private equity make a difference?

    Under terms of the settlement, schools are allowed to pay players up to 22% of revenue from certain categories such as media rights, ticket sales and sponsorship. For the next school year, that means a school can spent up to $20.5 million to keep athletes happy alongside whatever third-party NIL deals are being struck. But that’s hardly their only expense as the House settlement reduced the incoming revenue for schools and conferences over the next decade. The settlement also increased the number of those expensive scholarships schools can give out across all sports they sponsor.

    Can private funding be a solution to what some see as a cash crunch for athletic departments eager to lure and retain top talent and still pay a growing number of bills?

    “The thing about private equity is, we’re owned by the state of Ohio and the state of Ohio is not for sale,” Buckeyes Athletic Director Ross Bjork said. “Private equity has to buy something. I see these reports about how Ohio State is valued by Forbes at $2.3 billion. But nobody could buy 10% of that.”

    Not that some aren’t trying to make this work. Florida State and the Big 12 Conference are among those who have explored deals with private equity firms, though neither reached agreements. Undoubtedly, they won’t be the last to try.

    “There are definitely ways to do it,” said Dave Checketts, the former pro sports executive who is in the private equity space. “I know a public school right now that’s talking about selling basically half of what I’d call their athletics-entertainment business. That means the revenue they get from football, basketball and, in this case, they have a concert business. You come up with a number, then multiply that by five years of revenue and sell half of it to private equity.”

    Would a super league drive revenue?

    Another way private equity might get into the game is through the idea of a super league.

    Two separate investors backed concepts called “College Sports Tomorrow” and “Project Rudy,” looking for ways to take 70 or more teams at the top of college football and combine them into an NFL-style league with huge payouts.

    Neither commissioner from the two biggest conferences likes the idea.

    “I have yet to see a single thing in any plan that contains things that we couldn’t do ourselves,” Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said last year, reflecting the reality that around 80% of Power Four conference schedules are either league games or games against other Power Four teams.

    “Project Rudy” investors were floating a reported $9 billion investment with a chance to drive a $15 billion increase in media revenue over 12 yearrs, according to Yahoo! Sports.

    Such a move could involve antitrust issues — the combining of the big conference media rights is against the law — and might hasten a complete breakup of the NCAA as we know it, significant because the smaller schools play an outsize role in the success of March Madness.

    Is more realignment to come?

    Absent a super league, the Big Ten and SEC figure to dictate what the playoff looks like, both for the remainder of the current contract and the next one.

    What’s hard to know is whether they will keep vacuuming up more teams to expand the size of their own footprints.

    After Florida State and Clemson threatened to possibly depart the ACC, the league tried to cement its future by making a deal with them that restructures its media rights deal to give more money to teams that draw more viewers.

    The Big 12 is at 16 teams. It’s hard to demolish that, even if only five have roots dating to the start of a once-Midwestern conference that now stretches across four time zones.

    The Pac-12 was once part of the Power Five but nearly disintegrated and looks more like a Group of Five league as currently constructed, soon to be filled with schools that are still not as big as the big boys.

    Jeffrey Kessler, a lead attorney for players in the House settlement, said change remains inevitable in college sports, with the players set to benefit the most.

    “The reality is that the biggest revenue schools are in a different parameter as the schools with lower revenue,” he said. “There’s been a continuous movement of those schools, frankly, getting more independent decision-making and more control over their own destiny. There’s no reason to think that won’t continue. But I also don’t see them leaving the NCAA.”

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • OSU Wexner Medical Center suffers network outage after ‘routine network upgrade’

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center confirmed in a statement to Spectrum News 1 that they’d suffered a network outage Friday afternoon after “issues with a routine network upgrade.”

    Progress is being made, they said, by their engineers to restore services.

    “We continue to care for our patients using our down time procedures that are designed to maintain operations,” the statement reads. “Our emergency departments are on divert status. Outpatient care sites are open. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to restore systems.”

    This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Blue Jackets remember Johnny Gaudreau one year after his death

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — One year ago, on Aug. 29, 2024, Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, died after being struck while riding bicycles.

    What You Need To Know

    • Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau, and his brother, Matthew, were struck while riding bicycles near their hometown in New Jersey

    • It happened the night before their sister’s wedding

    • The Blue Jackets honored Johnny in a social media post a year after his death

    The two were hit the night before their sister’s wedding near their childhood home of Carneys Point in New Jersey. Their deaths sent shockwaves through the family and the sports world and all the fans who loved to see Johnny play. 

    Memorials were quickly set up, including outside of Nationwide Arena, home of the Blue Jackets. Hockey sticks sat on front porches, and residents donned their “Gaudreau” jerseys in honor of the young brothers. 

    Johnny was 31 and Matthew was 29 when they died. 

    Since then, the Blue Jackets franchise and fans continue to mourn and pay tribute to their legacies. In April, the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League raised Gaudreau’s No. 8 to the rafters with his family present. No. 8 represented the same number he wore for the Blue Jackets as well as the Calgary Flames, which is where he played before he came to Columbus. 

    A year after their deaths, the Blue Jackets posted a video on Friday in memoriam on its social media, saying. “forever in our hearts.”

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    Lydia Taylor

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  • Georgia golfers strutted their stuff on TOUR Championship Sunday

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    Brian Harman (above, rear, in purple) is one of four Georgia residents at the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Russell Henley proudly represented his hometown of Columbus, Georgia, as he walked to the first tee at East Lake Golf Club. Henley was well within arm’s reach of the two men at the top of the leaderboard on Sunday, Patrick Cantlay and Tommy Fleetwood.

    Russell Henley, a native of Columbus, Georgia, started the day in third place. He got off to a strong start on Sunday. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Henley and his pairing for the day, Keegan Bradley, a native of Woodstock, Vermont, were 14 and 13 under, respectively, when things got started. Fleetwood and Cantlay were 16 under.

    Russell, with the crowd at the first tee firmly behind him, got off to a strong start on Sunday. He would birdie the second hole, while Bradley was having issues with his ball rolling down the hill on the second hole.

    Fellow Georgians Brian Harman and Andrew Novak were paired up and teed off earlier in the day. Harman nailed a putt on the third hole that brought the crowd to its feet, while Novak’s drive to start the third hole nearly hit the pin.

    Spectators watched as Brian Novak and Brian Harmon worked their way through the course at East Lake Golf Club on Sunday, August 24, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Georgia golfers were playing well on their home turf at East Lake Golf Club. You could hear faint Georgia Bulldog barks in the background whenever Harman or fellow former University of Georgia golfer Harris English hit well throughout the tournament.

    Henley, also a Georgia Dawg golfer back in the early 2000’s, remained in the hunt during the first part of the day. By 3 p.m. Both Henley (second) and English(tied for 14th) were in the top 15 with 13 holes to play.

    THIS STORY WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED DURING THE TOURNAMENT

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • Leo Campana, Ignatius Ganago spark Revolution to 2-1 victory over Crew

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Leo Campana and Ignatius Ganago scored first-half goals and the New England Revolution held on for a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday night.

    New England (8-12-7) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute when Campana used assists from Luca Langoni and Carles Gil to score his sixth goal of the season. Langoni’s assist was his second and Gil collected his 10th.

    The Revolution took a two-goal lead in the 39th minute when Ganago scored for a second time in his 18th career appearance. Rookie defender Mamadou Fofana notched his first assist in his 25th appearance and start.

    Columbus (12-6-9) cut it to 2-1 in the 71st minute on Dániel Gazdag’s second goal this season. Defender Malte Amundsen had his third assist to match his career high.

    Matt Turner saved five shots in his third start this season for the Revolution.

    Patrick Schulte totaled three saves for the Crew.

    The Revolution avenged a 1-0 home loss to the Crew in the second match of the season.

    New England was coming off a 1-3-0 homestand before improving to 5-4-5 on the road this season.

    Columbus his gone 2-3-2 in its last seven matches and falls to 8-3-4 at home.

    The Revolution will host Charlotte FC on Saturday. The Crew travel to play the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

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    Associated Press

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  • First responders train with simulated mass-injury event

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — From festivals to sporting events and even concerts, we host a long list of large-scale events in the Buckeye State, which often draw thousands of fans to enjoy the fun. With so many people at one place at the same time, that raises the risk of an emergency situation or terror attack injuring numerous people at once.

    What You Need To Know

    • A simulated explosion Thursday at the Columbus Fire Training Academy allowed first responders to practice triaging patients at a mass-injury incident

    • OhioHealth emergency medicine residents participated in the training acting as patients

    • The training involved agencies that would already be present at a large-scale event, like fire, police, amateur radio and medical professionals 

    While first responders hope something like that never happens in Ohio, teams practiced assisting patients impacted by a simulated tragedy Thursday at the Columbus Fire Training Academy to be better prepared in case of an actual mass injury incident.

    “When you put it into practice, you realize that the best laid plans, you know, everything needs to be tweaked a little bit and that we need to have different processes and adjust it,” said Dr. Brad Gable, OhioHealth medical director for simulation. “And if we have a chance to practice that before we actually encounter it, that means that our participants and the public are going to be safer as a result.”

    The training allowed first responders to try out a different system of triaging patients, grouping them by color to indicate their priority for treatment based on the extent of their injuries. 

    “They’re actually trialing a slap bracelet system to see if it’s useful and that they don’t fall off,” said Kara Portier, a simulationist with OhioHealth while watching the training. “But they do a very quick assessment of each patient to determine a priority of who needs to be treated first, second, third and so on.”

    For one of their training scenarios, first responders rushed to the scene of a simulated explosion that injured runners and bystanders at a race. OhioHealth emergency medicine residents played the part of injured patients. 

    “Being able to see it from a different perspective, from, you know, the patient side of things really allows them to have some really empathic care for, you know, the patients that we serve,” Gable said.

    A team of simulationists with OhioHealth applied makeup to everyone acting as a patient, including Dr. Winnie Gikunda, who was given fake burns. She was positioned near the explosion site where she waited until first responders arrived to assess her “injuries.”

    “It’s a very surreal feeling, like, ‘Oh, my God, this can happen to me and no one’s there to help me,’” she said. “So that definitely gave me a different perspective.”

    It is an experience she said she will never forget and will keep in mind whenever she is around a big group of people.

    “We hope that it doesn’t happen, but unfortunately it does,” she said. “So, I think the best thing would just… Just be prepared.”

    In addition to OhioHealth physicians, Columbus fire and police, race directors, amateur radio operators, the Red Cross and other agencies participated in the training. Each group would already be on site at a similar event to mitigate any potential safety concerns, and would be able to assist in an emergency.

    “It’s not uncommon to have an event that has four or five, six patients,” said Columbus Division of Fire Medical Director Dr. Robert Lowe. “But obviously once you start moving to 20 and 30 or God forbid, you know, more than that, there’s another level there, right? There’s a level of people needed. There’s a level of skill needed, and there’s a level of coordination needed with all of our health care partners and responding agencies.”

    He said helping as many patients as possible, as quickly as possible, is key, as well as prioritizing care for those with the worst injuries.

    “It’s teaching a framework of how to manage chaos,” Lowe said. “Because the biggest thing in this is not to get overwhelmed, not to get frozen. 

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    Jenna Jordan

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  • U.S. Navy to showcase new mixed-reality experience at Columbus Air Show

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Air Show returns this weekend and the U.S. Navy is showcasing its new mixed-reality experience for visitors.

    The air show runs from Aug. 22 to Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rickenbacker International Airport.

    What You Need To Know

    •  The Columbus Air Show runs from Aug. 22 to Aug. 24

    • This year features “Strike Group,” a multi-scenario, mobile mixed-reality experience designed to demonstrate the inner workings of Navy STEM careers

    • There are three challenges players can choose within the experience

    This year features “Strike Group,” a multi-scenario, mobile mixed-reality experience designed to show the inner workings of Navy STEM careers. Organizers said the experience is fully immersive and will showcase how technology and teamwork are critical to every role in the Navy.

    “From the depths of the sea to the heights of the stars, America’s Navy is the most highly skilled, technologically advanced military force in the world,” said Rear Admiral James P. Waters, commander of Navy recruiting command, in a news release. “A career in the Navy provides a life-changing experience filled with adventure, teamwork and support, and the ‘Strike Group’ brings all these aspects to life in the most realistic ways possible.”  

    There are three interactive challenges and experiences, including “All Hands,” “Train,” and “Seek.”

    In “All Hands,” players will test their skills on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in a five-person game. They will team up to launch an F-35C Lightning II jet from the USS Gerald R. Ford. They will have to load fuel, fly helicopters and pilot the aircraft itself. 

    Meanwhile, in “Train,” participants will be guided by a Navy SEAL trainer through a series of challenges testing physical strength, mental fortitude and willpower. 

    Finally, “Seek” will give visitors a chance to undergo a real-life submarine mission, an Ice Exercise (ICEX) near the North Pole. Players will have to work together and use their skills to navigate nuclear propulsion, sonar and navigation to break through thick sea ice.

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    Madison MacArthur

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  • Delaware County renews property-tax rollback

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    DELAWARE COUNTY, Ohio — Delaware County’s property-tax rollback was renewed once again by the county’s commissioners. 

    The 0.5-mill property-tax rollback was originally enacted three years ago. This is the fourth one-year renewal and is expected to provide nearly $6.9 million in tax relief to property owners within the county during the upcoming tax year. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The 0.5-mill property-tax rollback was originally enacted three years ago

    • In 2022, the original rollback provided $4.8 million in tax relief

    • Commissioners estimate the total value for 2025 to be $6,884,362 in tax relief

    “We are very proud to continue our strong record of reducing property taxes for our Delaware County residents,” said Commissioner Barb Lewis, president of this year’s Board of Commissioners, in a news release. “This will be the fourth year we are able to enact a rollback and, over these four tax years, the total relief provided is nearly $25 million.”

    In 2022, the original rollback provided $4.8 million in tax relief. In the following year, in 2023, $6.5 million was relieved and in 2024, $6.7 million. Commissioners estimate the total value for 2025 to be $6,884,362 in tax relief.

    “In these times of intense focus on property taxes, I am glad to support another significant rollback of the County’s property taxes to benefit property owners here,” Commissioner Jeff Benton said. “Thanks to our excellent stewardship of taxpayer funds, we are able to provide this much needed property tax relief for the fourth year in a row.”

    Commissioner Gary Merrell said the rollback is something the commissioners are proud to provide to taxpayers.

    “This is made possible by living in a growing county where taxpayers and elected officials are working together for mutual benefit of all,” Merrell said in a news release.

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    Madison MacArthur

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  • How to stay safe during extreme heat

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    Now that summer is here, dangerous heat and humidity will be more common over the next couple months.

    If you’re experiencing extreme heat, it’s important to recognize the signs of heat illnesses and know how to stay safe.

    What You Need To Know

    • High humidity makes extreme heat more dangerous for your body

    • You should limit outdoor activity if you’re under a Heat Advisory or Extreme Heat Warning

    • Everyone is susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke during the summer


    There are many symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and it’s important to recognize the signs before going outside. 

    If you or someone you know is ever experiencing any of these symptoms, focus on immediate cooling and hydration.

    There are other factors that can affect your body in the heat, including if the heat is dry or humid. When humidity is high, your sweat can’t evaporate quickly, preventing your body from cooling down.

    Some other factors that can affect you:

    • Age
    • Obesity
    • Dehydration
    • Heart disease
    • Sunburn
    • Medications or illness

    The highest risk groups are the elderly, young children, pets and people with chronic diseases or mental illness.

    Heat safety tips

    Once you know your risks, know what actions to take to stay safe and prevent heat illness.

    • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water and electrolytes
    • Stay cool: Spend time in air-conditioned buildings and limit outdoor activity
    • If you have to spend time outside, try to schedule outdoor events early or later in the day when it’s cooler and seek shade
    • Wear and reapply sunscreen, and wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing
    • Check on others, including friends, family and neighbors, especially the most vulnerable
    • Never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Weather and safety alerts available in the Spectrum News app

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    Severe weather and safety push alerts are available in the Spectrum News app.

    What You Need To Know

    • Alert options include lightning, precipitation alerts, watches, warnings and advisories

    • You can enable your device location, or you can manually enter a location 

    • Choose the category of alerts you want to receive

    • You can change your selections at any time 

    • Download the Spectrum News App

    The alerts allow you to get advanced notice of various weather conditions in and around your location.

    You can opt in to get alerts that tell you when lightning strikes near you, when rain or snow is going to start at your location, as well as an array of advisories, watches and warnings.

    How to choose your alerts

    1. Go to settings and select manage notifications. 

    2. Select the Weather option.

    3. Here, you can indicate if you want to receive alerts for lightning near your location and alerts for when rain or snow starts near you.

    4. When you select the Weather and Safety Alerts, you will see 3 options to choose from.

    The first option, Severe Watches and Warnings Only, includes only critical alerts like tornado, snow, hurricane and flood warnings.

    The second option adds watches and more warnings for conditions like extreme heat and cold, lake-effect snow, air quality, coastal flooding and more.

    The third option allows you to select all advisories, watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service. Here is a list of alerts with definitions.

    Keep in mind that some alerts could come overnight, so consider that when you make your selection. You can change your selections at any time.  

     

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Weather and safety alerts available in the Spectrum News app

    [ad_1]

    Severe weather and safety push alerts are available in the Spectrum News app.

    What You Need To Know

    • Alert options include lightning, precipitation alerts, watches, warnings and advisories

    • You can enable your device location, or you can manually enter a location 

    • Choose the category of alerts you want to receive

    • You can change your selections at any time 

    • Download the Spectrum News App

    The alerts allow you to get advanced notice of various weather conditions in and around your location.

    You can opt in to get alerts that tell you when lightning strikes near you, when rain or snow is going to start at your location, as well as an array of advisories, watches and warnings.

    How to choose your alerts

    1. Go to settings and select manage notifications. 

    2. Select the Weather option.

    3. Here, you can indicate if you want to receive alerts for lightning near your location and alerts for when rain or snow starts near you.

    4. When you select the Weather and Safety Alerts, you will see 3 options to choose from.

    The first option, Severe Watches and Warnings Only, includes only critical alerts like tornado, snow, hurricane and flood warnings.

    The second option adds watches and more warnings for conditions like extreme heat and cold, lake-effect snow, air quality, coastal flooding and more.

    The third option allows you to select all advisories, watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service. Here is a list of alerts with definitions.

    Keep in mind that some alerts could come overnight, so consider that when you make your selection. You can change your selections at any time.  

     

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Weather and safety alerts available in the Spectrum News app

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    Severe weather and safety push alerts are available in the Spectrum News app.

    What You Need To Know

    • Alert options include lightning, precipitation alerts, watches, warnings and advisories

    • You can enable your device location, or you can manually enter a location 

    • Choose the category of alerts you want to receive

    • You can change your selections at any time 

    • Download the Spectrum News App

    The alerts allow you to get advanced notice of various weather conditions in and around your location.

    You can opt in to get alerts that tell you when lightning strikes near you, when rain or snow is going to start at your location, as well as an array of advisories, watches and warnings.

    How to choose your alerts

    1. Go to settings and select manage notifications. 

    2. Select the Weather option.

    3. Here, you can indicate if you want to receive alerts for lightning near your location and alerts for when rain or snow starts near you.

    4. When you select the Weather and Safety Alerts, you will see 3 options to choose from.

    The first option, Severe Watches and Warnings Only, includes only critical alerts like tornado, snow, hurricane and flood warnings.

    The second option adds watches and more warnings for conditions like extreme heat and cold, lake-effect snow, air quality, coastal flooding and more.

    The third option allows you to select all advisories, watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service. Here is a list of alerts with definitions.

    Keep in mind that some alerts could come overnight, so consider that when you make your selection. You can change your selections at any time.  

     

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • CFP shifts to straight seeding model, no automatic byes for top league champs

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    The College Football Playoff will go to a more straightforward way of filling the bracket next season, placing teams strictly on where they are ranked instead of moving pieces around to reward conference champions.

    What You Need To Know

    • Filling the College Football Playoff brack next season will be much more straightforward

    • Teams will be placed where they are ranked rather than rewarding conference champions

    • This was widely expected after last season

    Ten conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director came to the unanimous agreement they needed Thursday to shift the model that drew complaints last season.

    The new format was widely expected after last season’s jumbled bracket gave byes to Big 12 champion Arizona State and Mountain West champion Boise State, even though those teams were ranked ninth and 12th by the playoff selection committee.

    That system made the rankings and the seedings in the tournament two different things and resulted in some matchups — for instance, the quarterfinal between top-ranked Oregon and eventual national champion Ohio State — that came earlier than they otherwise might have.

    “After evaluating the first year of the 12-team Playoff, the CFP Management Committee felt it was in the best interest of the game to make this adjustment,” said Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP.

    The five highest-ranked champions will still be guaranteed spots in the playoff, meaning it’s possible there could be a repeat of last season, when CFP No. 16 Clemson was seeded 12th in the bracket after winning the Atlantic Coast Conference.

    Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey was among those who pushed for the change in the second year of the agreement, though he remained cautious about it being approved because of the unanimous vote needed.

    Smaller conferences had a chance to use the seeding issue as leverage for the next set of negotiations, which will come after this season and could include an expansion to 14 teams and more guaranteed bids for certain leagues. The SEC and Big Ten will have the biggest say in those decisions.

    As it stands, this will be the third different playoff system for college football in the span of three years. For the 10 years leading into last season’s inaugural 12-team playoff, the CFP was a four-team affair.

    The news was first reported by ESPN, which last year signed a six-year, $7.8 billion deal to televise the expanded playoff.

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • OSU Wexner announces accepted payment method changes

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center announced changes to their accepted payment methods starting May 15 this year, primarily restricting the use of cash and checks.

    What You Need To Know

    • OSU Wexner Medical Center is changing their payment methods starting May 15

    • Use of cash and checks will be much more reastricted

    • You can also still pay online, by phone or via mail

    They will be accepting payments through credit and debit cards as well as Apple Pay or Google Pay.

    They will only be accepting cash and checks at their Central Cashiering Office at 107 Doan Hall, located at 410 W. 10th Ave. It is open from 8 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.

    They also have Reverse ATMs at various locations, allowing users to deposit cash and receive a prepaid card with that amount in return.

    You can also pay your bill online here, via phone at 614-293-2100 or by mail. You can send a check to the following address: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, P.O. Box 933020, Cleveland, OH 44193-0031.

    As to why they are limiting cash and checks, a post on the website reads: “Reducing usage of cash and checks is safer, cleaner (cash being touched by many people harbors germs and viruses) and more efficient for our patients, visitors, and staff.”

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    Cody Thompson

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  • Lawmakers hoping new buyer will avert planned closure of Chillicothe paper mill

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    WASHINGTON, D.C. — After successfully negotiating to pause the planned shutdown of the Pixelle Chillicothe paper mill, Ohio lawmakers are looking for a solution to keep the mill open.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pixelle agreed to pause the announced closure of its Chillicothe paper mill after pushback from Ohio lawmakers

    • Sen. Bernie Moreno wrote a letter criticizing the business practices of the paper mill’s owner, H.I.G. Capital

    • The paper mill in Chillicothe, known as “Paper City,” has been in operation since 1812

    The paper mill in Chillicothe, known as “Paper City,” has been printing book pages and other specialty papers since 1812.

    Last week, the mill’s owner, H.I.G. Capital, announced it would shutter the mill and phase out about 800 layoffs over several weeks.

    H.I.G. Capital is a private equity firm that manages businesses worth $69 billion.

    Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, sent a scathing letter on April 17 to Pixelle and H.I.G., writing that “somehow your collective greed and/or inept business choices managed to close the doors to a paper mill that survived the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the transition to the digital age, and a global pandemic.”

    “And it has to be able to survive a private equity company,” Moreno added at a press conference opposing the closure on April 18.

    Several Ohio lawmakers attended the press conference, including Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine and Attorney General Dave Yost.

    Several accused H.I.G. of using predatory practices.

    “There are so many private equity firms that have bought up companies in this state and in this country, and chopped them up and made profits off of the pieces, and left the communities and the workers and the people who relied on those jobs, they’ve left them with nothing,” Husted said.

    Following Moreno’s letter, Pixelle announced it would postpone the closure of the mill until the end of the year, writing in a statement,

    “This is a moment of optimism. Our commitment now is to our employees, our customers, and to doing the hard work that comes with turning this opportunity into a positive outcome.”

    Moreno added he wanted to enact more guardrails to prevent private equity firms from buying companies only to strip their assets for a profit at the cost of workers.

    Rep. Dave Taylor, whose district includes Chillicothe, said he and other lawmakers were hoping to facilitate a new buyer of the mill that would keep it in operation.

    “You lose 800 jobs in a town like Chillicothe. That’s just a decimating thing,” Taylor said. “There are a number of ways forward now. I think the most likely, the most appealing path forward would be to find another interested party and run it like it’s been run for two centuries, successfully and profitably. Because it doesn’t seem like Pixelle and H.I.G. are really in this as a long-term business concern.”

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    Harri Leigh

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  • New Eco-Discovery Center opens in Salt Fork State Park

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    LORE CITY, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is opening a new resource for outdoor lovers at Salt Fork State Park. 

    On Tuesday, which is also Earth Day, ODNR celebrated the opening of a new Eco-Discovery Center which brings interactive exhibits and immersive environmental education.

    What You Need To Know

    • A new Eco-Discovery Center opened in Salt Fork State Park on Tuesday

    • The center is one-story and measures 3,332 square feet

    • The project cost $4.9 million and was supported through a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant of $2,250,500

    • Visitors can meet one of the park’s elusive resident, Bigfoot, as he explains how to lessen environmental footprints

    “The Eco-Discovery Center provides an engaging space for visitors to explore the connections between people and nature,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “With hands-on exhibits, live animal displays, and sustainable design features, this facility serves as a model for how we can all do our part to protect Ohio’s natural resources.”

    The center is one-story and measures 3,332 square feet. Throughout the center, visitors can see interactive exhibits, terrariums, aquariums and an introduction from Salt Fork’s legendary resident, Bigfoot. Visitors will also have access to indoor and outdoor restrooms. 

    Bigfoot will teach visitors how, despite the large footprint, he works toward leaving a small environmental footprint. Displays will guide visitors through the ecosystem of Salt Fork’s forest, and share tips on practicing sustainability.

    The building itself follows a sustainable model, using high-efficiency HVAC equipment and filtration, LED lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures and a water bottle refilling station. On the outside, visitors can see a green roof and wall which are partially covered with vegetation to help absorb rainwater and improve air quality.

    Other efforts include solar panels, permeable pathways and a rainwater harvesting system. Within the surrounding area, visitors can find a patio, with seating, a rain garden, meadow, native trees and a trail leading to habitats.

    The project cost $4.9 million and was supported through a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant of $2,250,500. KeyBank also provided financial support. 

    For more information on the center, or on Salt Fork State Park, visit the ODNR website.

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    Madison MacArthur

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  • Road closures for Cap City Half Marathon in Columbus

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — More than 14,000 walkers and runners are expected to participate in this year’s OhioHealth Cap City Half Marathon, according to organizers, and with that comes many road closures. 

    This year’s event takes place Saturday, April 26, and includes three difference races: OhioHealth Capital City Half Marathon (13.1 miles), OhioHealth Quarter Marathon (6.55 miles) and Columbus Promise 5K (3.1 miles).

    But some roads will be closed starting Friday to allow organizers to set up for the race. 

    Here are the road closures for Friday, April 25 at 5 p.m. and will remain closed until Saturday, April 26 at 2 p.m.:

    1. High Street from Broad Street to Main Street
    2. W. Town Street from W. Front Street to S. High Street
    3. E. Town Street from S. Third St. to Damian Street
    4. E. Rich Street from Wall Street to S. Third Street

    Here are the full road closures for Saturday:

    (OhioHealth Cap City Half Marathon & Quarter Marathon)

    A full schedule of events can be found on the event’s website.

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    Lydia Taylor

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  • Kroger locations across Ohio to take part in Drug Take Back Day

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    OHIO — Kroger, in partnership with the Cardinal Health Foundation, will be taking part in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday. 

    “As many people use this time of year to participate in spring cleaning, this is the perfect opportunity to check their medicine cabinets for expired medications or medications they are no longer using,” said Mark Bruce, corporate affairs manager at Kroger’s Columbus Division. “Each year, Drug Take Back Day provides us with an opportunity to show our commitment to creating healthier communities by providing a space for anyone to safely dispose of these unused and or expired prescription or nonprescription drugs.”

    The participating locations will take unwanted prescriptions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be law enforcement officers at each location to help accept the prescriptions. 

    “At Cardinal Health, we are committed to creating a healthier future for all communities,” said Jessie Cannon, president of the Cardinal Health Foundation. “Supporting Kroger Health on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day allows us to provide a safe and accessible way for people to dispose of unwanted medications, while also educating the public about medication safety and reducing the risk of accidental misuse.”

    Stores where prescriptions can be dropped off include:

    Central Ohio

    • 3975 West Powell Rd. in Powell
    • 1045 Hill Road North in Pickerington
    • 1621 N. Memorial Dr. in Lancaster
    • 6095 Gender Rd. in Canal Winchester
    • 300 South Hamilton Rd. in Gahanna
    • 5965 Hoover Rd. in Grove City
    • 55 West Schrock Rd. in Westerville
    • 4656 Cemetery Rd. in Hilliard
    • 1375 Chambers Rd. in Columbus
    • 910 Hebron Rd. in Heath
    • 1155 North 21st St. in Newark
    • 350 East Broad St. in Pataskala
    • 3387 Maple Ave. in Zanesville

    Northwest Ohio

    • 7059 Orchard Center in Holland
    • 7545 Sylvania Ave. in Sylvania
    • 4633 Suder Ave. in Toledo
    • 2257 North Holland-Sylvania in Toledo
    • 2555 Glendale Ave. in Toledo
    • 226 E Perkins in Sandusky

    Southern Ohio

    • 31550 Chieftain Dr. in Logan
    • 548 Clinton Ave. in Washington Court House
    • 811 Gay St. in Portsmouth
    • 264 South Hollywood Blvd. in Steubenville

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    Lydia Taylor

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  • Eggs, shadows and daylight: Equinox fact and fiction

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    Everybody knows you can balance an egg on the equinox, the day with 12 hours of light across the planet… right?

    What You Need To Know

    • You can balance eggs and brooms any day

    • Daylight is close to 12 hours, but not exactly

    • As fall begins in one hemisphere, spring begins in the other


    There are various theories surrounding the equinox, which happen every year in March and September. Let’s separate fact from fiction. 

    Balancing eggs and brooms: Fiction

    Have heard that you can balance an egg only on the equinox? 

    Try it on a day other than the equinox. You’ll find that you can do it then, too! It just takes the right egg and a bit of patience.

    The egg-balancing myth swept over to brooms, which spread wildly thanks to social media. Like eggs, you can balance a broom with stiff, straight bristles any day of the year. There’s no exceptional, mysterious gravitational pull during the equinox that will balance your egg and/or broom.

    A moment, not a day: Fact

    The equinox happens when the sun passes the “celestial equator,” the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator. It’s just a moment in time. For example, the spring equinox for 2025 is at 5:01 a.m. While we observe the equinox as the first day of spring or fall, it’s just an instant.

    12 hours of daylight worldwide: Fiction

    No, there’s not exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night around the globe on the equinox. We have more than 12 hours of daylight on the equinox. The date when daylight and nighttime are both closest to exactly 12 hours falls a few days before the spring equinox and a few days after the fall equinox.

    So, why isn’t it exactly 12 hours? There are a handful of reasons, but two stand out. First, sunrise and sunset are when the very top-most tip of the sun–not the middle–crosses the horizon. Second, our atmosphere bends sunlight, so we see the sun a little longer than we “should,” so to speak.

    “Equal night”: Fact

    It’s understandable why some think the equinox means 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. The word “equinox” translates to “equal night”. It comes from the Latin word aequinoctium–“aequi” meaning equal, and “nox” meaning night–according to Mirriam-Webster.

    If you want to impress your friends (or maybe just make them roll their eyes), you can mention the equilux (“lux” coming from Latin for “light”). That’s the date when day and night are equal lengths, although a true equilux is pretty rare.

    No shadow at noon: Fiction

    For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, our shadow will be shortest on the summer solstice when direct sunlight reaches the northernmost point of its annual journey. A person’s shadow disappears only where the sun is directly overhead, which isn’t anywhere close to home on the equinox.

    Opposite seasons: Fact

    What we call the fall equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is the spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. It might be hard to imagine, but our friends on the other side of the planet enjoy spring from late September through late December as the Earth’s tilt gives them increasingly direct sunlight.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton, Meteorologist Justin Gehrts

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