COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVG) – The three highest-ranking state Senate Republicans for the 136th General Assembly all call northwest Ohio home.

The Ohio Senate Majority Caucus selected Sen. Rob McColley, of Napoleon, to serve as the next Ohio’s Senate President on Wednesday. McColley, who has served in the state senate since 2017, said it was an honor to be chosen.

“I would like to thank my colleagues for the incredible confidence and trust they have placed in me,” McColley said in a statement. “I would also like to thank my loving wife and family for supporting me in my journey to get to this point.”

Sen. Bill Reineke, of Tiffin, will serve as Senate President Pro Tempore. He’s entering his second term in the state Senate, having worked on the Senate’s Finance Committee and Workforce and Higher Education Committee.

Sen. Theresa Gavarone, of Bowling Green, will serve as Senate Majority Floor Leader. She has served as Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and GOP leadership said she played a crucial role in creating the current operating budget.

Another leadership position, Majority Whip, will be held by Sen. George Lang (R-West Chester).

House Republicans are expected to appoint its leadership team Wednesday night.

Latest Local News | First Alert Weather | Crime | National | 13abc Originals

Copyright 2024 WTVG. All rights reserved.

COLUMBUS — ESPN is sending College GameDay to Columbus for Saturday’s battle between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Indiana.

Making the trip to a matchup between two of the best teams in the college football was likely an easy decision for College GameDay.

Now, a tougher choice awaits. Who will be the celebrity guest picker?

ESPN has a variety of routes it can take.

It could pursue a former Ohio State player now in the NFL.

Justin Fields, a backup quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers whose team plays on Thursday in Cleveland, is an option. Wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, who are both on a bye, could also be available.

ESPN could pursue a non-athlete with connections to OSU.

That brings Columbus natives such as Olympic gymnast Simone Biles or restaurateur Guy Fieri into the conversation.

We asked Subtext subscribers on the cleveland.com Ohio State channel who they’d like to see as the guest picker. Here are some options they presented.

Former Ohio State football players

Justin Fields

Fields spent two seasons (2019-2020) as Ohio State’s starting quarterback. He went 20-2 with 5,373 passing yards.

Jim Tressel

Tressel spent 10 seasons as Ohio State’s coach, highlighted by the 2002 campaign in which he led the Buckeyes to a national championship.

A.J. Hawk

Hawk is a former Ohio State linebacker (2002-2005). He has a connection to ESPN as a co-host on the Pat McAfee Show. McAfee is among the panelists on College GameDay.

Garrett Wilson and/or Chris Olave

Wilson played for the Buckeyes (2019-2021) before he was taken by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Jets are off this week.

The Saints, Olave’s team, are also off — giving ESPN and option to bring both on the show. In a 2020 win against Indiana, Olave and Wilson combined for 270 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Archie Griffin

The Buckeyes celebrated the 50th anniversary of Griffin’s first Heisman by unveiling a statue outside of Ohio Stadium in August. He’s the only two-time Heisman winner.

Cris Carter

OSU receiver Jeremiah Smith has spent all season breaking Carter’s freshman receiving records. The former Buckeye also spent time working at ESPN on Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown.

Cam Heyward

Like Fields, Heyward is a former Buckeye now with the Steelers. Pittsburgh plays at Cleveland on Thursday, giving Heyward an uncommon Saturday off in November.

Orlando Pace

Pace was a two-time unanimous All-American during his time at Ohio State (1994-1996). The former offensive tackle was a Heisman finalist in 1996.

Braxton Miller

Miller, a former Ohio State quarterback (2011-2015), was twice named the Big Ten’s most valuable player.

Cardale Jones

Jones was the third-string quarterback for Ohio State entering the 2014 season with Miller as the starter. However, injuries to Miller and J.T. Barrett forced Jones into the starting role. He helped lead the Buckeyes to a national title.

Craig Krenzel

Krenzel was the starting quarterback for Ohio State’s 2002 national championship team.

Maurice Clarett

Clarett was also part of the Ohio State team in 2002, delivering one of the best freshman seasons in program history. The running back has been a fixture around the Buckeyes this season.

Celebrities with connections to Ohio or Ohio State

JD Vance

Vance was elected earlier this month to serve as the next Vice President alongside Donald Trump. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State.

Simone Biles

Biles has collected seven Olympic gold medals in her decorated career. Her football fandom is evident too as she’s married to Bears safety Jonathan Owens.

Guy Fieri

Fieri is a famous restaurateur known for his shows on Food Network. He was born in Columbus in 1968.

Jason Day

Day, a professional golfer, won the PGA Championship in 2015. He was born in Australia but lives in Westerville, Ohio.

Bryce Harper

Harper, a star for the Philadelphia Phillies, is from Nevada and didn’t attend Ohio State. However, his wife played soccer for the Buckeyes.

J.K. Simmons

Simmons spent much of his childhood living in Worthington, Ohio. The actor is known for his role in various films, including, “Whiplash” which earned him an Oscar in 2014.—

R.L. Stine

Stines is the writer of the novel series, “Goosebumps.” He was born in Columbus and attended Ohio State.

Greg Oden

Oden is a native of Indiana who attended Ohio State before becoming the top pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

Buster Douglas

Douglas is a decorated former heavyweight boxer. He was born in Columbus.

Matt Rife

Rife is a comedian and actor who was born in North Lewisburg, Ohio.

Graham Rahal and/or Bobby Rahal

The Rahal name is famous around racing. Graham Rahal was born in Columbus and is an Ohio State fan. His father, Bobby Rahal, is a former Indy 500 champion (1986) who was born in Medina, Ohio.

Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots, which features Columbus natives Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, once stopped a concert in 2021 to watch an Ohio State game.

John Legend

Legend, a singer and songwriter, was born in Springfield, Ohio.

Jack Nicklaus

Former professional golfer Jack Nicklaus attended Ohio State. His 18 major championships are most all-time.

Gene Smith

Smith serves as Ohio State’s athletic director for 19 years before retiring in June.

Patricia Heaton

Heaton attended Ohio State and was born in Bay Village, Ohio. She’s an Emmy-winning actress who appeared in shows such as, “Everybody Loves Raymond” and, “The Middle.”

Jake Paul

Paul, a YouTuber and boxer who recently beat Mike Tyson, is a Cleveland native.

BETHEL, Ohio — Two people were killed and another person was injured in a house explosion Tuesday in southwest Ohio.

The explosion occurred just before 9 a.m. The power of the blast scattered debris throughout the neighborhood, reports say.

Bethel-Tate Fire Chief Christopher Cooper tells WLWT Channel 5 that a man and woman died in the blast. An injured male, whom witnesses say was a heating repair worker, was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with burn injuries, WLWT reports.

The home was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, WCPO Channel 9 reports. The man and woman who lived in the home reportedly had several cats and at least two survived the blast, WCPO reports.

The Ohio State Fire Marshal will lead the investigation into the blast. Bethel is a village in Tate Township in southwestern Ohio.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)