Columbus
Axios Columbus
Columbus Commons season kicks off Friday
Outdoor concerts and plentiful food trucks will highlight this year's Columbus Commons season at the public park off of South High Street.Driving the news: The season opens today with carousel rides, tacos and ice cream from 11am-8pm.Tortilla Street Food and Jeni's are permanent fixtures at the park, with other activities like fitness classes and kickball held on special days through the fall.Start planning your visit:π€ΈββοΈ For families: Inflatables, face painting and crafts are offered Fridays from 10am-1pm between June 7 to Aug. 9.Free kids movie nights are planned for May 25, June 21, July 12 and Sept. 7.πΈ For classic rock fans: Tribute bands playing Led Zeppelin and Grateful Dead hits will perform Aug. 30.πββοΈ For runners: The Capital City Half & Quarter Marathon will host a post-race celebration April 27 on the Commons.The Girls on the Run 5K will begin there May 19.π΅ For classic music stans: The Picnic with the Pops series will feature eight concerts between June 15 to July 27, including a Nas performance with the Columbus Symphony on July 13.The full Columbus Commons season schedule
Columbus homicides down so far in 2024
Homicides in Columbus are down 58% so far in 2024 compared to the same period last year, one of the largest drops of any major U.S. city with publicly available data. Why it matters: This is a major reversal from the past few years, when Columbus suffered from record rates of violent crime.
Ohio families are navigating a FAFSA fiasco
The number of high school seniors in Ohio filing for federal student aid this year is plummeting following the rollout of a glitchy new application process.Why it matters: Because the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process is working so poorly, some students are now facing the possibility of enrolling at a college without knowing if they'll ultimately be able to afford it.Driving the news: National College Decision Day β the traditional May 1 deadline for accepted students to commit to a school β is approaching fast.Zoom in: To account for delays, Ohio State University pushed back its...
Ways to celebrate Earth Day in Columbus
Earth Day is coming up on Monday, and there are plenty of local opportunities to help care for the planet.The following events are free, unless otherwise noted:π¦ Linden Park cleanup: Join the Columbus Chamber of Commerce for a morning of park cleaning and pollinator garden prep, with an ice cream social afterward.8:30am-12:30pm Friday, 1350 Briarwood Ave. Register.π― Environmental protection: The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium will "party for the planet" all weekend and teach the importance of conservation.9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday. $20-34, kids under 3 free!ποΈ Campground cleanup: Help ODNR tidy up Alum Creek State Park and enjoy complimentary lunch afterward.9:30am-12:30pm...
The most popular radio stations in Columbus
Data: Radio Online; Chart: Axios VisualsThe most popular radio station in Columbus must have lots of friends in low places.State of play: WCOL-FM, or 92.3 on your radio dial, had the highest local ratings in February, according to the latest ratings data from Nielsen.It was followed by WBNS-FM (97.1 The Fan) and WSNY-FM (94.7 Sunny 95).The intrigue: Country music has long been a popular radio genre, but WCOL might have benefitted from BeyoncΓ©'s new country songs released in February.Her full album "Cowboy Carter" came out in March and remains atop the Billboard 200 list.
DeWine wants stronger seat belt laws in Ohio
Gov. Mike DeWine wants to make it easier for police to enforce mandatory seat belt laws for drivers and passengers.Why it matters: Most of those killed in Ohio car crashes were not wearing seat belts, state data shows, making enforcement a matter of life and death.There have been over 270,000 crashes involving an unbelted occupant since the beginning of 2019.These resulted in 2,667 unbelted fatalities, making up 61% of all crash deaths.State of play: Under current law, all drivers and front seat passengers are required to wear a seat belt.In the back seat, seat belts are required for passengers between...
Best Day Ever: Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte
How does Columbus Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte like to spend his off-field time?For the latest installment of our Best Day Ever series, we checked in with the 23-year-old, who's fresh off his Champions Cup heroics and is training with the USA men's under 23 team, preparing for the 2024 Summer Olympics.πͺ Music to start your day: Depends on my mood, but I would probably start my day off with a little bit of country. Then maybe some rap from Lil Baby after that.π₯ Breakfast: Creekside Cafe with teammates Philip Quinton, Sean Zawadzki and Will Sands for a tall stack of...
Ohio's prison population slowly rising again
Ohio's prison population has begun creeping back up to pre-pandemic levels. The big picture: Incarceration rates across the country plummeted during the early pandemic era as courts slowed down and prisons paused transfers. The latest data from the Department of Justice suggests the dip may be short lived. Why it...
Private island on Buckeye Lake up for sale
If you've got millions of dollars and always wanted your own private island, here's your chance. Driving the news: Journal Island on Buckeye Lake is listed for $5.75 million, the first time it has ever been on the market. State of play: One of 21 islands on the lake, it...
Proper pizza at Paulie Gee's
What does Columbus have in common with Chicago and Brooklyn?. The big picture: Paulie Gee's, a small chain that started in Brooklyn, also has wood-fired pizza shops in Chicago, Baltimore and Columbus, plus "slice shops" in Chicago and Philadelphia. What to try: Any of the Detroit-style options, but arrive early....
Columbus potholes: How many there are and how to report them
It was a banner year for potholes in Columbus.The big picture: City crews reported patching 18% more potholes this winter compared to last year.π€¬ Why it matters: Thud, grimace, sigh. Need we say more?Even if your tire remains intact and you didn't spend hundreds of dollars on car repairs, the emotional toll of a direct hit is real.By the numbers: The city reported filling 31,180 potholes from November 2022 through March 2023, which is generally regarded as peak pothole season.The same time period a year later, that number rose to 36,750 β an increase of more than 5,500 holes patched,...
Ohio cities file lawsuit challenging ban on tobacco regulations
Fourteen Ohio cities, including Columbus, have banded together to challenge a state law that preempts municipalities' ability to regulate tobacco sales. State of play: Columbus city attorney Zach Klein filed the lawsuit in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Tuesday. It seeks to block the state law, which is...
What to do this weekend: Nicki Minaj, cherry blossoms and spring football
π Meet dozens of horse breeds and watch a full schedule of training clinics at the Equine Affaire. 9am-7pm today and Saturday and 9am-5pm Sunday, 717 E. 17th Ave. $10+, children under 7 free!. πΈ Celebrate spring with the Greater Columbus Cherry Blossom Festival at Franklin Park. 11am-6pm...
Charted: Columbus Fury volleyball match attendance
Attendance for Columbus Fury volleyball has slipped since its high-profile home debut in February, but thousands are still cheering on the team each match at Nationwide Arena. Why it matters: The data shared with Axios shows there's room to grow in future seasons as Columbus works toward being a hub for women's sports.
Vetoes show DeWine and the legislature have not always been cooperative
Gov. Mike DeWine has not always had an easy time working with the state legislature, despite his political party holding supermajorities throughout his tenure as governor.By the numbers: DeWine has vetoed eight bills since taking office in 2019, an Axios analysis of legislative data finds.Additionally, he's issued dozens of line-item vetoes nixing provisions within spending bills such as the state budget.State of play: The pandemic, which began during the second year of his first term, underscored this division.He vetoed several bills seeking to curb his administration's authority to enact public health restrictions, along with an effort to refund fines to...
New library archive lets you go back in time
Newspapers are said to be the first draft of history, and it's now easier than ever to look back at those drafts.What's happening: The Dispatch and Columbus Metropolitan Library are working to digitize more of the newspaper's historical archives for public viewing.State of play: Library cardholders have already been able to keyword-search articles dating all the way back to 1871.The latest archives feature old photos, maps and even Dispatch cookbooks.You can search that growing collection here.Zoom in: It's fun to skip around to random pages and learn new things about our city's past:πΏ The Borden Company, which manufactured Cracker Jack boxes, was once headquartered here.π₯ The movie "Captain Eddie" featured the story of Eddie Rickenbacker, a local fighter pilot known for his exploits in World War I.β€οΈ Bob Anderson received the region's first heart transplant in 1986 at University Hospitals.
DeWine highlights Ohio kids in 2024 State of the State address
It's not a state budget year, but Gov. Mike DeWine came equipped to his annual State of the State address Wednesday with plenty of requests for lawmakers and leaders across Ohio.Why it matters: His policy ideas involve issues such as education, social media and access to health care that would have implications for all Ohioans.Watch the speech β¦ read the text.The big picture: As in previous years, DeWine's speech focused primarily on families."All of our dreams and all of our goals β really, our vision for the future β ultimately depends on them," he said of Ohio's children.Zoom in: Here...
Ohioans losing millions of dollars to fraud scams
Data: Federal Trade Commission; Chart: Axios VisualsOhioans lost over $150 million to fraud in 2023, according to a new Federal Trade Commission report.Why it matters: More Americans are falling victim to scams than ever before.The FTC says nationwide losses hit a record $10 billion last year.Threat level: No group β young, old or even the computer-savvy β shows immunity to increasingly sophisticated scams, the FTC and other consumer protection groups say.By the numbers: Business imposter scams, in which attackers impersonate legitimate organizations like a major retailer or tech support, jumped 18% nationwide in 2023 to 474,000 from less than 400,000...
Spring allergies stink for Ohio pets too
More pets in Ohio, particularly dogs, are being treated for itchy skin and allergies.Why it matters: Seasonal allergies can be terribly uncomfortable for furry friends, and they can snowball into secondary issues, including skin infections.By the numbers: Pet insurance company Trupanion reports a 23% increase in allergy claims for insured pets in Ohio in 2023 compared to 2019, with the data growth adjusted and measured on a per 1,000 pet basis.Dog allergy drugs Apoquel and Cytopoint have treated more than 20 million dogs in total since being released over the past decade, according to parent company Zoetis.What they're saying: It's...
Report: Most Ohio bridges are in "good" shape
Data: Federal Highway Administration; Map: Will Chase and Kavya Beheraj/AxiosAlthough the bridge collapse in Baltimore last month was due to a series of unlikely accidents rather than crumbling infrastructure, the incident has renewed focus on the vulnerability of bridges across the U.S.The big picture: The U.S. Department of Transportation considers 6.8% of the over 600,000 bridges it tracks and rates to be in "poor" condition.That doesn't sound too bad on a percentage basis, but it's over 40,000 bridges in total.The trend nationwide is nonetheless headed in a positive direction, with the percentage of bridges in poor condition cut in half...
Axios Columbus
2K+
Posts
5M+
Views
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.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. Itβs essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.