Bethany Bruner's Avatar

Bethany Bruner

@bethanybruner.dispatch.com

Reporter at Columbus Dispatch (formerly Newark Advocate). Proud Miami University grad and aunt. Nose usually found in a book. Public records are magic. My opinions are mine etc. etc.

386
Followers
79
Following
51
Posts
05.09.2023
Joined
Posts Following

Latest posts by Bethany Bruner @bethanybruner.dispatch.com

Preview
How the Tepe family's American dream turned into national tragedy Monique and Spencer Tepe appeared to have the American dream: two kids, a house and a dog. Their deaths made them the center of national attention.

Monique and Spencer Tepe appeared to have the American dream: two kids, a house and a dog. Their deaths made them the center of national attention.

13.02.2026 14:00 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Every time I watch Hamilton, I want to shake Lin Manuel Miranda’s hand and say thank you.
Thanks for your creativity and drive, seeing the potential in this piece of history and this amazing, necessary and more timely than we may want to admit work or art.
P.S. seeing it on a big screen is amazing

05.09.2025 23:59 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Dear Taylor Swift:

How am I supposed to sleep when you’re announcing something in less than 3 hours???

I know I’m a grown woman, but there’s so much not positive in the world right now that good news is nice to get excited about!!!

12.08.2025 01:30 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Obsessed with that last photo!!! Can’t wait to see them all! @ericseeds.bsky.social @mariadevito13.dispatch.com

(And the ones with Riley of course!)

01.07.2025 00:51 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Also of note, it was a 9-0 decision.

15.05.2025 15:56 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Had the court ruled in favor of the moment of threat doctrine/theory, it would have implications in police prosecutions.
This decision largely keeps the case law - that moments leading up to a shooting matter - the way it’s been.

15.05.2025 15:53 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Kirkersville one year later: Deputy focusing on future while remembering past Deputy Nick Shuster arrived in Kirkersville moments after Chief Steven Eric DiSario was mortally wounded.

My mom asked me recently, rhetorically, if Kirkersville will always be with me.

Eight years later, the answer is yes.

Thinking of the DiSario, Krantz and Medrano families today.

www.newarkadvocate.com/story/news/l...

12.05.2025 17:13 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Sometimes when you’ve had a long couple of weeks with a lot of heavy stories, you need to have a conversation with a dog.

Penny was happy to oblige me.

10.05.2025 17:41 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Columbus mother, boyfriend charged in suspected beating death of 6-year-old daughter Franklin County court records say Ashley Fagan's 6-year-old daughter died in April. The girl had significant injuries, including a severed liver.

Some stories are just devastating.

Just think how much force it takes to SEVER a liver. In a 6-year-old girl.

The allegations against this mother and her boyfriend are something.

www.dispatch.com/story/news/c...

06.05.2025 16:22 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
a cartoon of a duck behind a desk that says breaking news on it ALT: a cartoon of a duck behind a desk that says breaking news on it

I’m betting on Journalism in the Derby today. (Figuratively speaking…) How can I not? I bet on it to make it my career and it’s done good by me so far!

03.05.2025 22:18 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

My dad tonight: So I saw this thing on TV called Banana Ball.

Me: Oh don’t worry dad, I know all about the Bananas. I see their videos and wanted to go last summer when they were in Columbus and couldn’t get tickets….

45 minutes later…

My dad: Ok… that’s more than I needed to know.

28.04.2025 23:45 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

I am so proud to be a fan of this Blue Jackets team.

If they had phoned it in this year, nobody could have blamed them.

Instead, they pushed through everything and made an impact.

Thank you is all I can say.

17.04.2025 02:56 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/courts/2025/04/15/five-years-after-stolen-car-numbers-rose-data-trend-decline-columbus-ohio-kia-boys-franklin-county/83014474007/?taid=67fe5859e641e3000131f46b&utm_...

Five years ago, Columbus police arrested 4 teens for a string of car thefts.
Now, all four have either been charged or convicted in connection with a shooting -- three of them for unrelated homicides.
I took a look at what's changed in the juvenile system in that time.
t.co/gv5yqmSSWI

15.04.2025 13:39 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
a woman is sitting at a table with her hands folded in front of her . ALT: a woman is sitting at a table with her hands folded in front of her .

Also, the irony that would exist if CBJ manages to pull this off β€” and Montreal blow it β€” after Laine made those comments about wanting out of Columbus so he could play meaningful hockey or whatever it was….
Hockey gods, keep doing what you’re doing and listening to Johnny up there.

15.04.2025 01:54 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
elmo is on fire with the words i am aliveee ALT: elmo is on fire with the words i am aliveee

Let’s go Jackets!!!! (And thank you Chicago!!)

15.04.2025 01:49 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Easy way to ID if someone is above 25?

Do they know all the words to the Fresh Prince theme and are unafraid to sing them in a crowded hockey arena?

They are solidly an adult.

08.04.2025 23:54 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2025/04/07/johnny-gaudreau-widow-meredith-announces-birth-of-baby-boy-carter-michael-gaudreau/82976267007/

Meredith and Madeline Gaudreau are two of the strongest women in the world.

Congratulations to Meredith and Johnny and welcome to the world Carter Michael! (Having the exact birth stats as your daddy is a reminder he's your guardian angel.) <3

t.co/mcdjnOjBhb

07.04.2025 17:23 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
a hockey player with the number 44 on the back of his jersey ALT: a hockey player with the number 44 on the back of his jersey

Elvis is the king. Tonight.

29.03.2025 02:07 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

As a consumer of a lot of basketball this time of year, is it β€œgood defense” if an offensive player misses a shot that wasn’t clearly altered by the defender and just missed? Or is it regular defense and the offensive player wasn’t lucky enough to get a roll/bounce?

29.03.2025 01:03 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Juju Watkins getting carried off the floor in obvious pain… that changes everything for USC in this tournament… and that regional.

25.03.2025 02:27 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

We're a bit late to the party, but many of our journalists have been in the Bluesky trenches for a while. Follow them via our starter pack: go.bsky.app/8BkrDTC

24.03.2025 15:37 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.

I don't know what I would do if this happened to me, but it would probably be something like send a message without thinking and be like "hey, do you really want me to be in this" and get booted out...

www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

24.03.2025 18:43 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Really curious to find out what went down in that handshake line at OSU/Tennesser tonight.
Cotie McMahon was not happy (to put it mildly) was more smacking hands vs high fiving and was hustled away by an assistant coach before making it to the end of the line….

24.03.2025 02:19 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Columbus is on track to spend more than $6M on ShotSpotter. But is it worth the cost? The Columbus Department of Public Safety is on track to spend more than $6 million on ShotSpotter since signing on in 2018. But is it worth the cost?

Great work from Shahid Meighan on this story. With the amount of money (more than $6M) being spent on ShotSpotter, is it worth it?

www.dispatch.com/story/news/l...

23.03.2025 12:36 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Did I wear a UConn sweatshirt to a pair of games featuring OSU and Tennessee?

Yes, yes I did.

21.03.2025 21:25 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Charles Barkley Chuck GIF ALT: Charles Barkley Chuck GIF

I would like the record to reflect that I picked both McNeese and Drake to pull the upsets today.

21.03.2025 02:24 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Columbus lawyer admits he told girlfriend about representing informant, lying to FBI Dennis McNamara, 74, admitted to lying to FBI agents who asked if McNamara had told his girlfriend about representing a cooperating witness.

A former lawyer admitted in federal court today to telling his girlfriend about his representation of a cooperating witness in a drug/sex trafficking case, putting the witness- his client -at risk. The charges are because he lied to the FBI when they asked about it: www.dispatch.com/story/news/c...

20.03.2025 20:06 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
a man speaking into a microphone in front of a uconn logo ALT: a man speaking into a microphone in front of a uconn logo

Me as a womens basketball fan immediately going:
Possible OSU/Tennessee matchup in Columbus on Sunday? Can I wear my UConn gear?

17.03.2025 01:38 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Ex-NFL star, Ohio native Le'Veon Bell ordered to pay $25 million in sexual abuse case Le'Veon Bell, 33, and his brother, La'Vonte Bell, 30, did not respond to the lawsuit in any way or hire an attorney to represent them in the case.

I worked on this story for several days. It includes a thorough look at the case and answers many of the questions you may have about this case.

www.dispatch.com/story/news/c...

12.03.2025 16:49 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
a woman wearing glasses and a pink shirt says " what like it 's hard " ALT: a woman wearing glasses and a pink shirt says " what like it 's hard "

I learned today that legally obligated equal pay for women became a thing in the United Kingdom in 1970.

55 years ago.

And in 2010β€”15 years agoβ€”the law specified even self-employed workers and extended to overtime and benefits.

So…. The US is waiting for??

30.01.2025 02:21 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0