Coach Saves Player After Library Shooting

Columbus East High School football coach Mike Bell is being recognized after he helped save the life of a player who was shot outside a library last Thursday.

The shooting followed an altercation outside the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Martin Luther King Branch, across the street from East High School.

Bell ran toward the scene after hearing gunshots and said he recognized voices in the parking lot. He found one of his players with a gunshot wound to the stomach, applied pressure to the wound, and kept talking to the student to keep him alert until emergency personnel arrived.

East High School Principal Kelvin Watson said Bell’s response didn’t surprise him, describing the coach as someone who consistently looks out for students.

Six Killed in Clinton County Blaze

A mother and her five children died on Tuesday in a house fire in Clinton County after flames broke out near the intersection of Spring Hill and West Main streets in Clarksville.

A man found inside the home was hospitalized. Eight firefighters were injured and treated at the scene.

A bystander said two people tried fighting the fire with garden hoses before first responders arrived, but the house was already “engulfed.”

Three of the children killed were students at Clinton-Massie Local Schools, which said it’s working to support students and staff. A GoFundMe fundraiser was started for the fire’s sole survivor.

Kitna Backs Bill Restricting NIL

Former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna, now the football coach at Lakota East High School, submitted written testimony supporting Ohio House Bill 661, which would prohibit middle and high school athletes from profiting from their name, image, or likeness.

Kitna cautioned against rushing into NIL, saying that having gray areas over what’s allowed “opens the door for individuals who want to take advantage of young men and women and their families.”

Earlier this week, the Cleveland City Council passed a resolution opposing HB 661, arguing that Ohio should remain competitive with states that allow NIL for middle and high school athletes.

In November, Ohio High School Athletic Association member schools voted to let student-athletes benefit from NIL after a lawsuit was filed on behalf of an Ohio State wide receiver commit.

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➤ Statewide: Several schools across the state went into lockdown on Wednesday after hoax calls threatened gun violence and explosives. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: Abortions in Ohio increased by more than 3,300 in 2025, a 15% rise from the previous year, with about one in five patients traveling from outside the state, according to Ohio’s annual report. (More)

➤ Columbus: An Independence High School teacher was placed on administrative leave after officials alleged she led an unauthorized student walkout protesting ICE. (More)

➤ Cincinnati: U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Cincinnati, introduced a narrower war powers resolution after saying he opposed a broader Democrat-led measure meant to restrict the Trump administration’s military strikes against Iran. (More)

➤ Butler County: Officials urged drivers to watch for high water on roads as rainfall swelled the Great Miami River, which is expected to rise above 4 feet in the next few days. (More)

➤ Dayton: The FBI joined New Mexico authorities searching for Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, former commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, who has been missing since Feb. 27. (More)

➤ Cincinnati men’s basketball routed BYU 90-68 on Tuesday behind 18 points apiece from Jalen Celestine and Jizzle James. The Bearcats have won six of their last seven games. (More)

➤ The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the East-leading Detroit Pistons 113-109 on Tuesday despite being without injured star Donovan Mitchell. (More)

➤ The Columbus Clippers, a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, unveiled baby blue alternate uniforms with red trim as a nod to the city of Columbus. (See Photo)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer

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➤ Average gas prices in Ohio climbed 32 cents over two days to $3.10 a gallon—still below the national average of $3.19—as gasoline demand increased and the military conflict with Iran got underway. (More)

➤ LexisNexis named Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble among its Top 100 Global Innovators after reviewing two-year improvements in companies’ patent portfolios. (See List)

➤ Panchos Tacos in Mount Vernon reopened on Tuesday, nearly five months after federal agents raided the restaurant, forcing a temporary closure while authorities continued an ongoing criminal investigation. (More)

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➤ Ohio state parks will host maple syrup festivals throughout March, beginning this weekend, where visitors can learn about syrup making, sample local varieties, and join other activities. (Details)

➤ Wawa, a Pennsylvania-based convenience store and gas station chain, will open new stores in Liberty Township on March 12 and Lebanon on March 26, expanding deeper into Greater Cincinnati as the chain marks its 10th Ohio location. (Details)

➤ The Ohio State Fair announced additional concerts for the 2026 fair, adding performances by S.O.S. Band, Dazz Band, Sammy Kershaw, and Journey from The Heart. (Details)

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Are you paying more for gas this week?

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2. No
   
3. Haven’t bought gas
   

Yesterday’s Results:

Should Miami University make the NCAA men’s basketball tournament even if the team doesn’t go undefeated?

1. Yes, of course: 36%
2. Yes, if only one loss: 22%
3. No: 21%
4. Other: 21%

Which Ohio county’s maple festival did then-U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy visit in 1959?

Show me the answer