Columbus
Axios Columbus
Brace for a Memorial Day weekend travel boom
If you're planning to leave Central Ohio this Memorial Day weekend, add some wiggle room for traffic and delays into your travel plan.Why it matters: AAA estimates this will be one of Ohio's busiest Memorial Day weekends ever, with more than 1.6 million Ohioans traveling over 50 miles โ a 6% increase over last year.The big picture: That's in line with a national increase of 7%, with some 2.3 million more people traveling compared with 2022, writes Axios' Sareen Habeshian.By the numbers: 11% more Ohioans are expected to fly to a destination this year and 5% more are expected to...
Memorial Day events in Central Ohio
Some free activities honoring U.S. military members this weekend:๐บ๐ธ Walk among 3,000 flags memorializing veterans at Westerville's Field of Heroes, a 24-hour display illuminated at night.Friday-Monday, 325 N. Cleveland Ave. Events schedule.๐๏ธ Visit the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, offering free admission on Monday.10am-5pm, with a rooftop Remembrance Ceremony at 10am.๐ชฆ Tour the historic Green Lawn Cemetery during an open house, including a cookout and picnic lunch.10am-4pm Monday, 1000 Greenlawn Ave.๐ฅ Watch a community parade, stepping off Monday unless otherwise noted.Dublin (11am), Grandview (10am Saturday), Groveport (1:30pm), Grove City (11am), Powell (10am) Worthington (10am).
2023 Memorial Tournament brings top pros back to Dublin
The world's best golfers return to Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin next week for the annual Memorial Tournament.State of play: The event, founded by local golf legend Jack Nicklaus, dates back to 1976 and benefits a number of local children's charities.Practice rounds are scheduled for Monday-Wednesday, with the four-day tournament beginning Thursday.The intrigue: The PGA Tour increased the prize pool to a whopping $20 million, by far the most in its history โ a major jump from last year's $12 million purse.Driving the news: The top five players on the Official World Golf Rankings are all headed back to Muirfield: Scottie Scheffler, John Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, along with Masters Tournament winners Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama.Cantlay (2019 and 2021), Rahm (2020) and Matsuyama (2014) are all past Memorial winners.If you go: Practice round tickets (sold in a set of three) are still available for $50 and a weeklong course entry badge is $240.Children 18 and under admitted free with a ticketed adult (registration required).Of note: You can also catch each round live on the Golf Channel and CBS Sports.
OSU backs Republican plan to create new student civics center
Ohio State University trustees support creating a new civics education center on campus, a plan pitched by Republican lawmakers as a counterweight to what they say is a left-leaning academic setting.Why it matters: The recent endorsement could be an olive branch to the GOP-controlled Statehouse, which is also pushing for a broader higher education overhaul that OSU and other universities oppose.State of play: Sens. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) and Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) want the proposed center to teach students the "ideas, traditions, and texts" that have shaped American history.It would be named for Salmon P. Chase, a famed 19th century lawyer,...
Columbus restaurants add "inflation fees" to bills
Take a close look at the receipt the next time you dine out.What's happening: Some local restaurants have started adding "inflation fees" to bills to mitigate rising food and labor costs, rather than increasing menu prices directly.Zoom in: Pizza Cottage, with several local locations, is charging 3% to all bills, while Forno in the Short North is charging 3% for all credit card transactions, WBNS-TV reports.What they're saying: "Put quite simply, it is helping many restaurants survive," Ohio Restaurant Association president and CEO John Barker tells Axios in a statement.The other side: Columbus Redditors criticized the move in some lengthy threads, alleging a lack of transparency regarding the charges.The big picture: Though unpopular, the trend has been happening for a while nationwide, Axios' Kelly Tyko reported last year.The number of restaurants adding service fees increased by 36% from April 2021 to April 2022, Lightspeed, a global developer of point-of-sale software, told The Wall Street Journal.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.
Columbus restaurants add "inflation fees" to bills
Take a close look at the receipt the next time you dine out.What's happening: Some local restaurants have started adding "inflation fees" to bills to mitigate rising food and labor costs, rather than increasing menu prices directly.Zoom in: Pizza Cottage, with several local locations, is charging 3% to all bills, while Forno in the Short North is charging 3% for all credit card transactions, WBNS-TV reports.What they're saying: "Put quite simply, it is helping many restaurants survive," Ohio Restaurant Association president and CEO John Barker tells Axios in a statement.The other side: Columbus Redditors criticized the move in some lengthy threads, alleging a lack of transparency regarding the charges.The big picture: Though unpopular, the trend has been happening for a while nationwide, Axios' Kelly Tyko reported last year.The number of restaurants adding service fees increased by 36% from April 2021 to April 2022, Lightspeed, a global developer of point-of-sale software, told The Wall Street Journal.
Sonic Temple returns to Columbus this weekend
Columbus will host some of the biggest names in rock music over the next four days.Why it matters: After a three-year hiatus, the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival is back.What's happening: The show starts tomorrow at Historic Crew Stadium. Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, KISS and Foo Fighters will each headline a day alongside dozens of other solid acts.Four-day passes are still available: Field admission ($474, fees included) grants main stage pit access, while stadium admission ($296) offers first-come, first-served seating in the stands.Pro tip: Cheaper single-day tickets are also an option, but field admission for Thursday (Tool) and Sunday (Foo Fighters) is already sold out.The festival offers a secure waitlist and exchange system, though, and we saw a few secondhand tickets on StubHub selling close to face value yesterday.๐ The intrigue: The weather forecast looks downright pleasant, which almost never happens.Go deeper: Tickets, schedules and our Spotify playlist.
Luxury apartments planned for downtown Chase Tower
With JP Morgan Chase now gone from its namesake tower near Capitol Square, developers have plans to replace the former offices with luxury apartments.Why it matters: The proposed Chase Tower project at 100 E. Broad St. involves the convergence of several local trends: a rise in luxury housing and the transformation of underused office buildings as many workers still clock in from home.Plus, the redevelopment helps the city with its goal of quadrupling the downtown residential population by 2040.State of play: JP Morgan Chase moved its local office workers to a separate campus in Polaris in 2021.Building owner Lingerfelt CommonWealth...
Ohio's favorite baby names in 2022
Data: U.S. Social Security Administration; Charts: Erin Davis/Axios VisualsOhio's Class of 2040 will be dominated by Olivers and Charlottes.Driving the news: These were the most popular baby names in Ohio last year, per the Social Security Administration.Liam, which has been No. 1 or 2 for boys every year since 2012, remained in the two slot.Olivia, the top girl name from 2019-2021, became runner-up.Rounding out the top five: Noah, Henry and Theodore, and Amelia, Sophia and Ava.The intrigue: As seen in the chart above, a boy is twice as likely to be named Crew in Ohio than the rest of the...
Another boozy bike tour is coming to Columbus
Columbus will soon have competition in the pedal-powered party bike industry with the arrival of Trolley Pub next month.State of play: Founder Joe Kapferer, a Buckeye State native and OSU grad, promises an "enriching and enlightening experience" atop his trolley bikes.He previously worked for the similar company Pedal Wagon Columbus.How it works: Up to 15 revelers can fit on a Trolley Pub rental for two-hour tours of the Short North, Italian Village, Arena District and downtown.The group cost runs $349-469, with stops at riders' bars of choice.Or you can purchase individual tickets ($25-33) for a "mixer tour."The intrigue: Drivers will offer historical tidbits on various landmarks along the route.๐ค That gives us a great idea: start charging for a snack-based tour of Franklin County's historical markers.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.
Another boozy bike tour is coming to Columbus
Columbus will soon have competition in the pedal-powered party bike industry with the arrival of Trolley Pub next month.State of play: Founder Joe Kapferer, a Buckeye State native and OSU grad, promises an "enriching and enlightening experience" atop his trolley bikes.He previously worked for the similar company Pedal Wagon Columbus.How it works: Up to 15 revelers can fit on a Trolley Pub rental for two-hour tours of the Short North, Italian Village, Arena District and downtown.The group cost runs $349-469, with stops at riders' bars of choice.Or you can purchase individual tickets ($25-33) for a "mixer tour."The intrigue: Drivers will offer historical tidbits on various landmarks along the route.๐ค That gives us a great idea: start charging for a snack-based tour of Franklin County's historical markers.
City beefs up police presence in the Short North
The Short North avoided a third straight weekend of violence amid heavy police surveillance over the last few days.Why it matters: The Short North is Columbus' busiest nightlife district, and Mayor Andrew Ginther called the recent criminal behavior there an "alarming wake up call" while announcing stricter safety measures last week.State of play: Ginther is asking the district's hundreds of businesses to voluntarily close at midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to prevent further late-night bloodshed for "as long as it takes."Meanwhile, he's ordered mobile food vendors to close at that time, to prevent after-hours loitering.City Council had already rolled...
City beefs up police presence in the Short North
The Short North avoided a third straight weekend of violence amid heavy police surveillance over the last few days.Why it matters: The Short North is Columbus' busiest nightlife district, and Mayor Andrew Ginther called the recent criminal behavior there an "alarming wake up call" while announcing stricter safety measures last week.State of play: Ginther is asking the district's hundreds of businesses to voluntarily close at midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to prevent further late-night bloodshed for "as long as it takes."Meanwhile, he's ordered mobile food vendors to close at that time, to prevent after-hours loitering.City Council had already rolled...
Land-Grant is voted Columbus' best brewery
The official beer of the Crew is also officially the favorite beer of Axios Columbus readers.Brewing the news: Land-Grant bested Seventh Son in the final round of our local brewery bracket, earning 61% of over 200 votes over the weekend.Crack open a Lemon Glow or Greenskeeper tonight to celebrate!The bottom line: That spacious beer garden can't be beat.If you haven't visited already, it's the perfect time of the year to enjoy the food trucks, lawn games, live music, trivia and other fun events.๐ Plus: Mark your calendar for this weekend's Strawberry Jam!Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.
Land-Grant is voted Columbus' best brewery
The official beer of the Crew is also officially the favorite beer of Axios Columbus readers.Brewing the news: Land-Grant bested Seventh Son in the final round of our local brewery bracket, earning 61% of over 200 votes over the weekend.Crack open a Lemon Glow or Greenskeeper tonight to celebrate!The bottom line: That spacious beer garden can't be beat.If you haven't visited already, it's the perfect time of the year to enjoy the food trucks, lawn games, live music, trivia and other fun events.๐ Plus: Mark your calendar for this weekend's Strawberry Jam!
Starling Yard to offer affordable housing in former school building
Future tenants of a new local development will walk down former school hallways to reach their apartments, which may even have original chalkboards on the walls.What's happening: Developer Woda Cooper Companies is transforming a shuttered school building in Franklinton into an affordable housing complex called Starling Yard.Historic preservation tax credits and support from Columbus' Affordable Housing Bond Fund are helping pay for the $31 million project.City leaders helped celebrate a groundbreaking last week.Details: Woda plans to create 45 units in the vacant school, plus another 52 inside two new buildings on site.Original tin ceilings, flooring and doors will be saved with the redesign.The mixture of one-, two- and three-bedroom units will be offered for residents earning 30-80% of area median income, with monthly rent of around $400-1,295.Flashback: The building opened as West High School in 1908 and later became Starling Middle School, which closed in 2013.Columbus City Schools sold the building to Woda in 2020 for $1.23 million.It appeared on Columbus Landmarks' 2021 endangered buildings list and last year was added to the National Register of Historic Places.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.
Starling Yard to offer affordable housing in former school building
Future tenants of a new local development will walk down former school hallways to reach their apartments, which may even have original chalkboards on the walls.What's happening: Developer Woda Cooper Companies is transforming a shuttered school building in Franklinton into an affordable housing complex called Starling Yard.Historic preservation tax credits and support from Columbus' Affordable Housing Bond Fund are helping pay for the $31 million project.City leaders helped celebrate a groundbreaking last week.Details: Woda plans to create 45 units in the vacant school, plus another 52 inside two new buildings on site.Original tin ceilings, flooring and doors will be saved with the redesign.The mixture of one-, two- and three-bedroom units will be offered for residents earning 30-80% of area median income, with monthly rent of around $400-1,295.Flashback: The building opened as West High School in 1908 and later became Starling Middle School, which closed in 2013.Columbus City Schools sold the building to Woda in 2020 for $1.23 million.It appeared on Columbus Landmarks' 2021 endangered buildings list and last year was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Columbus' bike death rate has dropped in past decade
Data: The League of American Bicyclists via NHTSA; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosColumbus is getting safer for bicyclists, but riders and local leaders see more work to be done to make it a truly bike-friendly city.Why it matters: May is National Bike Safety Month and area communities are improving their bicycle infrastructure to encourage cycling as a healthier, cheaper and greener alternative to vehicle travel.State of play: Bike fatalities in Columbus have dropped considerably over the past decade as the city works toward a Vision Zero goal of ending crash-related deaths.We recorded 1.3 fatalities per million residents between 2017-2021, down 57% from...
What to do this weekend in Columbus
โพ Meet Meredith from "The Office" or laugh at the zany ZOOperstars during a Clippers game, with promotions all weekend at Huntington Park.7:05pm Friday and Saturday and 1:05pm Sunday. $8-21.๐ฒ Watch dragon boats race on the Scioto River as the Asian Festival celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.8:30am-5pm Sunday near Bicentennial Park, 233 S. Civic Center Drive. Free!๐ง Celebrate Ohio Cheese Day at Weiland's Market with vendors, a raffle and free samples.11am-3pm Saturday, 3600 Indianola Ave. Free!Bonus idea: Plan an Ohio Cheese Trail road trip.๐ฎ Savor the flavors of the Columbus Taco Fest โย and don't miss Sunday afternoon's...
Vote for the best brewery in Columbus
Bracket: Axios VisualsThe final showdown for our local beer bracket features two of Columbus' most beloved brewers.What's happening: We're not surprised it's come down to Land-Grant vs. Seventh Son, with both boasting spacious patios, diverse pours and undeniable community pride.Land-Grant, in Franklinton since 2014, is the official beer of the Crew. Fun events like winter beer keg curling and a "beer science" tour have caught our attention โ and we're eagerly awaiting this strawberry rhubarb ale collaboration with Jeni's.Italian Village's Seventh Son greatly expanded its local footprint since opening in 2013 by launching Kitty Paw hard seltzers and sister breweries Antiques on High and Getaway. Also, its assistant manager is a cat, which has to count for something.๐ณ๏ธ What's next: Vote here in the Champion-sips!Closes 4pm Sunday, which gives you a little extra time to recruit votes for your favorite.
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Axios Columbus, anchored by Tyler Buchanan and Alissa Widman Neese, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
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