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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Dogs in Ohio are still going postal — at least, according to the United States Postal Service.

Ohio ranked fifth in the country for states with the most mailmen and mailwomen attacked by dogs while they were delivering letters or packages, with more than 300 attacks reported in 2022. The 311 total incidents were lower than in 2021, when postal workers in Ohio reported 359 total dog attacks and the state ranked third in the country.

Metro-by-metro, Cleveland had the highest population of aggressive pups in the Buckeye state last year, ranking fourth of all U.S. cities, according to USPS. With 23 total attacks, Columbus sat at number 13. It beat out Cincinnati, which tied for 14 with Minneapolis and Milwaukee, as well as Toledo and Dayton, which were further down the list.

USPS delivered the rankings as part of its National Dog Bite Awareness Week campaign, which begins Sunday. The agency said more than 5,300 of its letter carriers suffered dog attacks while on duty last year -- a common safety risk its workers face.

Although postal workers are trained by the agency and given tools to properly navigate yards with furry friends and foes, USPS asked that dog owners do their part in protecting the individuals delivering their mail.

“When our mail carriers are bitten, it is usually a ‘good dog’ that had not previously behaved in a menacing way,” said Linda DeCarlo, USPS occupational safety and health senior director.

Mail arrives in a neighborhood at roughly the same time every day. Even if a dog seems docile, USPS recommended that owners secure them before mail time -- either inside the house, away from the front door or in another room; behind a fence; and on a leash. If a postal worker feels unsafe, that can cause a pause in service, the USPS said.

USPS also offers a service called Informed Delivery, which shows customers a preview of mail and packages coming later that day.

The agency also recommended against children running out and grabbing mail from the carrier directly, because a dog could become defensive.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — From Buckeye Country Superfest and the Ohio Black Expo to Memorial Day parades, here are things to see and do this weekend in central Ohio.

Memorial Day Events and Parades

Citywide at various times

Columbus Clippers vs. Indianapolis Indians

Huntington Park at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 1:05 p.m. on Sunday.

Ohio Black Expo and Culture Fest

Greater Columbus Convention Center and Genoa Park at various times from Thursday to Sunday.

Buckeye Country Superfest

Ohio Stadium at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday

Columbus Asian Festival

Franklin Park 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday

Shadowbox Live

Columbus Commons at 6 p.m. on Sunday

‘The Wild Party’

Short North Stage at various times through May 28

Public pools opening

Summer farmers markets

Top summer concerts

For more events, view NBC4’s community calendar.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — At least half a dozen new apartment buildings pitched in place of surface parking lots and aging buildings could be etched into the near-future plans for Downtown Columbus.

Between two meetings, six proposals have appeared on the Columbus Downtown Commission’s agenda for mixed-used and residential buildings ranging from five to 19 stories — some requiring the demolition of existing buildings. Two of those six proposals will be heard at the Tuesday meeting of the commission, which reviews and OKs project applications for any development in city limits.

A proposed 15-story, mixed-use building on South High and South Wall Street — just down the street from the Columbus Commons — would require two existing condemned buildings to be demolished, according to an application by developer Town High Plaza. The historic Ohio National Bank, which sits next door, would be restored to serve a retail use as part of the project.

The project application details 10 floors of 200 total residential units above three floors of parking, and part of the ground floor dedicated to retail use.

Although the proposal by Town High Plaza was originally scheduled to be discussed at the May meeting, it was withdrawn from the agenda on Monday.

Another proposal for consideration on Tuesday is for a seven-story apartment building on the corner of Oak and Ninth streets — part of the Library Park project by developer Pizzuti and blocks away from the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s (CML) main branch. But the current two-story building on that plot of land would need to be razed first.

“The vacant and blighted building at 39-53 S. 9th St. is not a contributing structure to what makes this neighborhood so unique and special,” CML CEO Patrick Losinski wrote in a letter to the commission as part of the application for demolition.

The third proposal is for a five-story low-income residential building featuring 68 units dubbed Elevate 340 on Fulton Street near Nationwide Children’s Hospital, according to the application by developer Shremshock Architects. It also requires demolition.

At its most recent meeting in April, commissioners heard concept proposals for a 19-story mixed-use building on East Rich Street, a seven-story mixed-use building on East Spring Street, and a seven-story residential building on East Main Street.

Plans proposed by developer Bluestone Brothers Capital for the tallest of the three pitched developments — at East Rich Street, catty-corner to the Greyhound station, and named the Estrella — would include a ground-floor market, a four-floor garage, 188 housing units, and a restaurant on the roof. Four building demolitions would be necessary to make way for the Estrella, according to the application.

In total, the six proposals would bring at least 630 housing units to downtown. The proposal from Pizzuti for the project at Oak and Ninth streets does not detail the number of units it would create.

It comes as city leaders push for policies that favor a higher-density Columbus, including through a zoning code overhaul. Both the central Ohio region and the city itself are on track for substantial population growth by a million or more residents in less than three decades.

That growth has, thus far, moved quicker than the housing needed to sustain it: a housing needs assessment survey by the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio, released in late 2022, concluded the city would need to nearly double its average number of housing permits to meet projected needs.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Thursday marks the beginning of a nearly 30% markup on bills for a major portion of American Electric Power’s customers in Ohio.

The electric utility company warned previously that customers would be seeing a 28% rate increase after the latest competitive auction for electricity generation on March 7. As a dollar amount, that comes out to a $198 monthly bill compared to $155 for a customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, according to AEP Ohio’s estimates.

“Unfortunately, this change is out of our control and was determined by recent auctions to secure the energy supply needed to serve our customers,” AEP Ohio President Mark Reitter wrote in March.

Because the state’s energy market is unregulated, utility providers like AEP take bids from companies that generate power fed on the grid to a customer’s home. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio oversees this auction process and creates a Standard Service Offer (SSO), which sets the per-kilowatt-hour price of generating electricity before it is supplied to AEP Ohio and then to users. PUCO spokesman Matt Schilling said multiple external factors came into play when setting that new rate.

“The inflationary pressure that the entire economy is facing, and upward pressure on the price of natural gas due to the war in Ukraine, meant that the auction prices that cleared to provide energy came in at a significantly higher price,” Schilling said.

The price increase will affect any AEP Ohio customer who is using the SSO. Some company emails seen Wednesday also alerted customers to whether or not they would be affected. For people who are affected, a company spokesperson explained when they would see the effects of the rate increase.

“It is simply a matter of when customers will have their meter readings in June and will be billed based on the rates effective that day,” the spokesperson wrote. “If the meter reading is done on May 31, 2023, the customer will not see an impact to the supply portion of their bill. If the meter reading is on June 1, 2023, the customer will see the updated supply rate if they are on the SSO.”

Customers won’t be retroactively charged the heightened rate for electricity usage in May. Rather, the new rate will be applied for any day of usage after June 1 within a customer’s cycle.

The 28% increase now in effect may not be the last of AEP Ohio’s rate hikes, either. The utility provider filed paperwork with PUCO for Electric Security Plan V in January, with hopes of spending $2 billion on upgrades and improvements to the company’s equipment and services.

An AEP Ohio case manager estimated a 1,000-kWh customer would see an initial 5.2%, or $8.16 increase in their bill, as a result of the company’s spending in ESP V. However, that estimate — included in AEP’s January application for the plan — did not factor in the separate 28% rate increase that just went into effect.

Reitter did hint at the additional rate increase from ESP V in Wednesday’s emails to customers but clarified that it wouldn’t stack on top of the 28% hike anytime soon.

“Our proposal is currently under review with the PUCO and will go through a very thorough and transparent process,” Reitter wrote. “If approved, any impact to customers’ bills wouldn’t take effect until the summer of 2024.”

An AEP spokesperson declined to give an updated estimate on a potential rate increase accompanying ESP V. They did mention that another round of auctions for PUCO to set the SSO rate will happen in November 2023 and March 2024, and could alter customer charges again.

AEP customers now dealing with higher bills still have options, however, as they can choose who generates their electricity rather than accept the SSO price. PUCO has created a website, Energy Choice Ohio, to review offers from electric generation suppliers. AEP Ohio also offers assistance like payment extensions and different monthly payment plans for customers struggling with higher bills.

The benefits of living in the home of The Ohio State University are plentiful, and not just for college sports fans. It’s a hotspot for young professionals, with a median resident age of just 32.4 years old, according to the World Population Review, and a thriving technology industry. And downtown, the Arena District offers ample entertainment options, including the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. The state capital is also a very affordable place for residential real estate, which makes it an attractive destination for homebuyers. Whether you already live in this popular college town or are contemplating a move, here’s what you need to know about the housing market in Columbus.

Columbus housing market overview

Home prices here are on the rise, showing year-over-year growth of about 2.5 percent according to both Redfin and the Columbus Realtors. In fact, the city recently ranked third on Realtor.com’s Hottest Housing Market List.

“Columbus is a steadily growing real estate market,” says Ron Manton, an Ohio-licensed mortgage loan originator at Churchill Mortgage. The increasing demand means housing inventory is low, he says, which makes Columbus a seller’s market.

Low is a bit of an understatement for the housing shortage in this market, actually: Columbus Realtors data shows just under a one month supply in March of 2023. It would take a five to six month supply for a balanced market.

Columbus housing trends and stats

Should you buy or sell in the Columbus housing market?

Whether you’re thinking of buying or selling in Columbus, it’s essential to take current market conditions into account.

The good news for Columbus sellers is that home prices are on the upswing, and buyer demand is strong. “We are still seeing multiple offers and very low days on market,” says Jamie Curtis, an agent with Street Sotheby’s International Realty in Columbus.

But remember that mortgage interest rates play a big role in home sales, and the higher rates are, the fewer buyers there will be who can afford them. In today’s rate environment, it’s smart to collaborate with a real estate agent to get a precise estimation of how much your property might sell for, and how long it might take. Be ready to engage in negotiations with buyers to finalize a sale.

The Columbus market is refreshingly affordable for home shoppers, especially compared to other markets across the country. Even with prices on the rise, the median sale price here is nearly $100,000 less than the national median.

“Now is a great time to purchase a home in Columbus,” says Manton. “The home you see today will sell for more next fall, next spring and next summer due to low supply and high demand.”

Before you start house-hunting, use Bankrate’s affordability calculator to crunch the numbers for your homebuying budget. It’s also important to get preapproved for a mortgage — this will give you a clear understanding of how much a lender will be willing to loan you, as well as show sellers that you’re a serious and qualified buyer.

Columbus housing market predictions

It’s not easy to predict where the market is headed. But Columbus’s high ranking on Realtor.com’s Hottest Housing Market List is certainly encouraging.

“Any agent in this city will tell you that Columbus is one of the strongest real estate markets in the U.S.,” says Curtis. “We are seeing relocations from markets all over the country, including Phoenix, San Francisco and New York. Buyers who migrate from larger markets are getting much more for their money. Our cost of living is lower compared to many major cities in the country, and we have a vibrant, young workforce.”

One thing you won’t have to worry about: Columbus doesn’t look like it’s headed for a housing crash anytime soon. Unlike many markets across the country, prices are actually rising here, not declining.

Find a Columbus real estate agent

The housing market in Columbus — and the rest of the country — is changing constantly, making the guidance of an experienced real estate agent indispensable. Seek out an agent who is very familiar with the Columbus area and has a comprehensive understanding of the local market dynamics. To get started, ask for recommendations from friends and family, and look at the names on “sold” or “for sale” signs in the neighborhoods you’re interested in. Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, having an experienced agent by your side can significantly enhance your real estate journey.

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