Latest news with #Groveport
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Groveport Madison school board members sued after appearing at committee meeting
GROVEPORT, Ohio (WCMH) — The Groveport Madison School Board filed a lawsuit against two of its own members, alleging their actions risk the board's compliance with Ohio's public meeting laws. The board is suing members John Kershner and Kathleen Walsh, who it claims disrupted a Safety Committee meeting and refused to leave. The board said this put them in violation of public meeting laws. The meeting already had two other board members in attendance. Groveport Madison prohibits cell phone use during school day ahead of statewide ban With five members on the board, any meeting that involves three or more of its members falls under the Ohio Open Meetings Act and is required to have meeting minutes available to the public, and the public must be informed of the meeting at least 24 hours in advance. In the lawsuit, the board said it never assigns more than two of its members to any administrative committee for that reason. The board said this allows for informal discussions on issues 'without those early ideas being immortalized in published meeting minutes' and saves the district money because somebody doesn't have to record minutes. The Safety Committee is comprised of parents, teachers, district and school administrators, and other community members. The goal of the committee is to improve safety within the district. Board President Seth Bower and fellow member Libby Gray volunteered in January 2024 to serve on the committee. Kershner and Walsh said at the time they had conflicts of interest that would prevent them from serving on the committee, according to the lawsuit. Without paper mill, toxic underground plume could rise and spread in Chillicothe At a June 25 meeting, both Bower and Gray were in attendance at the committee meeting, which was their responsibility. As the meeting began, Walsh walked in and sat down, identifying herself as a board member during introductions, the lawsuit alleges. Gray said that Walsh would have to leave the meeting in order to be in compliance with the Open Meetings Act. Walsh claimed she was invited to the meeting and was going to stay, but the board said she was not invited, adding that she and Kershner were only copied on an email sent by the deputy superintendent that contained the meeting agenda. Gray again told Walsh that her remaining presence at the meeting would create a violation of the law. Walsh left the room. Kershner entered the meeting room shortly after and 'interrupted the ongoing discussion' while shouting and pointing at Bower and Gray, the lawsuit alleges. Kershner also claimed all board members had been invited to the meeting. Kershner also refused to leave the meeting. Fearing for the safety of the attendees and to avoid an Open Meetings Act violation, the lawsuit says Bower asked the deputy superintendent to adjourn the meeting. Bower also requested police presence at all future meetings to ensure safety. VIDEO: Teens charged, baby safe after Grove City police pursuit The lawsuit claims Walsh and Kershner knew that Bower and Gray were the two members designated to serve on the committee. The board is asking the court to bar Kershner and Walsh from attending future meetings for committees in which they are not assigned. The board argues that if the two continue to attend, the committee's work will be effectively halted. Last year, Walsh and Kershner sued the other board members and accused them of holding secret committee meetings. Walsh and Kershner's prior complaint pointed to multiple instances dating to July 2023 in which, they claim, the board's actions flout state requirements for meetings of public bodies. Many centered around proper record-keeping of board meetings. Court records show that case was dismissed Tuesday after it was resolved in mediation. The records do not disclose what resolution was agreed to. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Flash flooding strands employees, submerges vehicles at Groveport golf course
Central Ohio Weather and Radar GROVEPORT, Ohio (WCMH) — Multiple people were stranded overnight at the Links at Groveport golf course after flash flooding late Saturday night submerged dozens of cars under water. A large system of thunderstorms that brought heavy rainfall to central Ohio prompted the National Weather Service to issue flash flood warnings. Groveport saw at least three inches of rain in a 24-hour period and the golf course bore the brunt of the storm. Dozens of vehicles were submerged in water at the parking lot as firefighters and medics were called to help employees wade through the water. Multiple employees were stranded overnight and received rides home. No injuries have been reported. Storm Team 4 central Ohio weather Groveport flooding A woman spoke with NBC4 after she came to the golf course to check on her son who was finishing up work. She said while the course is known to flood quickly, she has never seen it this bad before. 'I was shocked. I actually was like supposed to be off and I came down here and it was pouring down rain, so I sat in my car to wait it out a little bit and I wasn't even realizing when I was sitting in my car that it was flooding so bad and I looked out my window and I was like oh my god, I have to get out of my car,' said employee McKenna Lowe. Saturday's rain continues a 2025 filled with heavy rain and flood warnings for Ohio and the U.S. More than 15 inches of rain have fallen on Columbus since May 1 as of July 20, nearly five inches above normal, and double what fell during last year's drought (June-October). Some areas in southern Ohio had upwards of two feet of rain in the past three months, resulting in flooding. Through July 15, a record 3,045 flash flood warnings were issued by the National Weather Service across the U.S., exceeding the 1998 record for an entire year (3,033). Storm Team 4 is forecasting another wet day on Sunday with much of central Ohio under a slight risk for excessive rainfall. Follow the latest Storm team 4 forecast, see live radar, and get weather alerts from Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Groveport Madison prohibits cell phone use during school day ahead of statewide ban
GROVEPORT, Ohio (WCMH) — Starting this fall, Groveport Madison students will no longer be allowed to use cell phones in schools. The district announced the change on Thursday, telling parents and students that phones and other internet-connected devices must be turned off and out of sight during the school day. The district said there will be exceptions for emergencies or when use is specifically approved by school staff. The new policy affects all students K-12 and begins this upcoming school year. 'Over the past several years, we've seen a noticeable increase in distractions, conflicts, and disciplinary issues tied to phone use during school hours, particularly those related to social media and texting,' the district said in a statement. 'Research also shows that excessive screen time can negatively impact mental health, attention span and classroom engagement.' Ohio schools face $185 million losses in federal funding freeze Groveport Madison's cell phone ban requires students to be cell phone free for the entire school day, including lunch and other breaks from instruction. The district said they believe it will minimize conflicts and distractions and create a better learning environment. The district said it is making the change to be in line with Senate Bill 158, which is not yet law but would ban cell phone use in schools. The Ohio Senate passed S.B. 158 on May 14, and the bill is awaiting further action in House committee hearings. See previous coverage of Ohio's proposed cell phone bans in the video player above. Groveport Madison's change also preemptively ensures compliance with a new Ohio law that requires all districts to ban cell phones by Jan. 1, 2026. That requirement was included in Ohio's biennial budget bill, which Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law on June 30. DeWine has been pushing for cell phone regulations like this for over a year. In 2024, he signed legislation that required all Ohio public school districts to limit cell phone use in school by the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Now, schools must implement full bans, with exceptions for emergencies and medical concerns. Parents have raised concerns about students not having phones during emergencies or to help with medical issues, but Groveport Madison and the state legislator have adopted exceptions for those situations. Some parents also told NBC4 banning cell phone use infringes on parents' rights in education. Study ranks multiple Ohio cities among most stressed in United States Groveport Madison said it made the decision alongside its Board of Education, district safety committee and a Parent and Student Advisory Committee. Despite feedback, the district said it anticipated the change would be an adjustment, and provided research supporting minimal cell phone use for parents to use in conversations with students. According to the American Psychologists Association, too much screen time can be damaging for kids and teenagers. The APA said social media are built for adults, and they can be harmful for growing brains, especially as minors are still developing impulse control and various mental guardrails. Groveport Madison now joins many other central Ohio districts that have full or partial cell phone bans on the books. Last summer, South Western and Whitehall school districts implemented similar bans to Groveport Madison's, and Dublin City Schools has been DeWine's poster child for cell phone ban effectiveness. 'As we went through this process in Dublin City Schools, we had near unanimous support from parents for banning cellphones from our schools,' Dublin Superintendent John Marschhausen said. 'We are home to more than 90,000 residents and I've received one complaint.' Groveport Madison's ban begins with the first day of school, which will be Aug. 11 for grades 1-6 and freshman in high school, and Aug. 12 for all other students. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Braving the weather, Dublin's St. Patrick's Day Parade draws thousands
DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) — Organizers of Dublin's St. Patrick's Day Parade said the event would go on Saturday morning rain or shine, and they meant it. Thousands of people lined the streets of Historic Dublin for the 'Greenest, Grandest Parade.' 'I think it really speaks to the tradition. It's one of those where people know they're going to be here every year before St. Patrick's Day and they want to celebrate,' Alison LeRoy, director of events for the city of Dublin, said. Leroy spent all morning monitoring the forecast, hoping the severe weather would let up in time for the parade. It was still raining at the start, but more than 100 groups braved the weather and walked the parade route. Leading the parade was this year's Grand Leprechaun, Barb Anderson. Groveport removes former NFL star Le'Veon Bell's name from stadium 'I get to be on the float with my family. So I have eight other people in my family that are on the float,' Anderson said. Anderson was selected by Dublin's mayor and previous Grand Leprechauns. They said they chose her because of her involvement in numerous local organizations, including work with the Dublin Food Pantry and her role as president of the Safe Alliance of Interfaith Leaders. Anderson has lived in Dublin in 35 years and said she knows how much it means to serve as the Grand Leprechaun. 'It is such a great honor and I'm just so humbled by the other people that have been named leprechauns over the years. They are a wonderful group of people and Dublin is just such a great city in which to serve and volunteer, which I just love to do,' she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
