Ohio
Ohio pizzeria named 25th-best in the world at international competition
Is it a pizza? Or is it a cookie?
This April Fool’s Day collab between Lion Cub’s Cookies and Mikey’s Late Night Slice is a sweet and savory bit of the flavors of both.
Tucked away about an hour south of Columbus, one small pizzeria is making big headlines.
Lievita, an Italian-American restaurant in Chillicothe, competed in the 2026 International Pizza Expo Pizza Challenge last week, where it says it beat out hundreds of competitors from across the globe. Its cheese pizza, entered in the Best Cheese Pizza Division, won 25th-best in the world and third-best in the Midwest, according to a Facebook post from the restaurant.
The International Pizza Challenge, which debuted in 2007, is described as the largest and one of the most esteemed pizza-making competitions in North America “and possibly the world,” according to the expo’s website.
The bake-off features 680 of the world’s top pizza-makers baking their signature pizza live at the expo, with pies judged by a panel of renowned and accredited chefs. The competition took place over three days from March 24-26.
This year’s results have not yet been released on the International Pizza Expo’s official website.
A couple days after announcing its victory, Lievita shared that it gained around 700 new followers on Facebook, pushing its audience to over 5,000.
The restaurant, located at 85 N. Paint St., also changed its hours to adjust for the “surge in demand” for its pizza, according to an April 1 post. Lievita will close one hour earlier every day except Sunday to optimize labor hours and better manage inventory and prep to avoid running out of items.
The restaurant’s new hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
This isn’t the first time central Ohio’s pizza has recently picked up national attention. Just a few days ago, the New York Post praised Columbus-style pie in an article about the city’s unique pizza, characterized by a thin crust, toppings to the edge and a square cut.
Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter.
WARREN TWP., Ohio (WKBN) — Nearly 1,400 people in Warren were without power Sunday evening after a vehicle crashed into a utility pole.
People in the affected area were without power for about three hours until it was restored around 11:30 p.m.
Police told our crew on scene that a Toyota had driven into a utility pole on Mahoning Avenue around 8:30 p.m. Officers said two people left the vehicle and left the scene on foot.
Impact from the crash caused power lines to spark about 100 yards away, just within the City of Warren. The sparking powerlines lit surrounding bushes on fire, and crews worked to quickly put out the flames.
Part of Mahoning Avenue is closed off at this time.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Dominic O’Brien contributed to this report.
NEW RICHMOND, Ohio (WXIX) – Rescue crews have located a body in their search of the Ohio River for a kayaker who vanished in the water Thursday afternoon, according to the New Richmond Fire and EMS.
Around 12 p.m. Sunday, New Richmond Fire and EMS says they located a body during the search.
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The discovery comes after a 28-year-old man went missing in the Ohio River when a boat flipped around 4 p.m., just off U.S. Route 52 in New Richmond, according to the fire department.
The body was found near Mile Marker 449.1 in the area of the 800 block of Washington Street.
Officials say the scene was immediately turned over to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
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No suspects were in custody hours afterward, Toledo Deputy Police Chief Joe Heffernan said.
Gunfire erupted Saturday near a busy street festival in Ohio, wounding at least 12 people and sending some eventgoers scrambling for cover while others rushed to help the victims.
No suspects were in custody hours afterward, Toledo Deputy Police Chief Joe Heffernan said, and officials urged people who were at the festival to come forward with any photos or videos on their phones for possible leads.
The shooting happened near the Old West End Festival, an annual gathering of live music and home tours.
Heffernan said it appeared that at least two people fired weapons and they were “probably shooting at each other.”
Two of the victims were in critical condition, Heffernan added. The ages of the victims ranged from 14 to 61, with most of them in their early 20s.
“I am deeply concerned about the situation in Toledo tonight,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence.”
Multiple videos posted to social media showed people running amid the sound of gunshots and emergency officials tending to others who appeared wounded.
Fire Chief Allison Armstrong said it was difficult to get to the hospital due to closed roads and traffic from people leaving the festival, but emergency responders were able to transport all patients from the scene within an hour.
Kevin Berry was sitting in the neighborhood arboretum listening to live music with friends when he heard a handful of gunshots ring out.
“Everybody hit the deck,” he said.
When Berry looked back up, he saw a gun being tossed to the ground less than 50 feet (15 meters) away from him. Officers who were already on site for the festival responded immediately.
Berry, who has medical training and served in the Navy, walked around looking for anyone who might need help and saw at least five people with gunshot wounds.
“The folks who were hit were spread out around the arboretum area,” he said.
The Old West End Festival is a two-day celebration in Toledo’s historic district that includes live music, food vendors, home tours and shopping. Berry described it as the “kick-off to Toledo’s summer festival season.”
George Kral, safety director for the city, said officials were discussing with organizers whether it would continue through the weekend.
“This is one of the most iconic festivals in Toledo,” he said, “and it’s a shame that something like this had to ruin it.”
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