We've compiled a list of places you can celebrate and learn about Black history throughout February.🪘 Make West African music, study genealogy, learn about Columbus' Black firefighters and more at local libraries, with free activities for all ages scheduled throughout the month.Schedule, starting Saturday.🍿 Watch movies depicting Black joy and experiences at the McConnell Arts Center, 777 Evening St., Worthington.2pm Saturday, "The Woman King." Free, but reservations required.More screenings.🎭 Learn about the Lincoln Theatre, school desegregation and the Underground Railroad during free programs at the Ohio Statehouse every Tuesday at noon.Schedule, starting Tuesday.🎶 Enjoy a popup concert by the Columbus Cultural Orchestra, multigenerational musicians whose performances range from classical music to Miles Davis and Kendrick Lamar.Schedule, starting Feb. 10.✍️ See poetry performances focused on Black womanhood at the Ohio History Center.11am-1:30pm Feb. 17. $20-25. Registration required by Feb. 14.🎨 Celebrate Aminah Robinson with art workshops at the King Arts Complex, 835 Mount Vernon Ave.Noon-4pm Feb. 17. Free, but registration required.📖 Learn about Ohio's role in the Underground Railroad during a local author's presentation the Ohio History Center.3-5pm Feb. 22. Included with museum admission ($10-16).Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.

Wednesday is your last chance to listen to local radio station CD92.9 FM, which exits the airwaves at midnight after failing to negotiate a new agreement for its broadcast license.Why it matters: CD92.9 bills itself as "one of Ohio's last independently operated radio stations" and has been part of Central Ohio's entertainment scene for over 30 years with programming it describes as "theater for the mind."The latest: Readers sent us fond memories of winning concert tickets, listening to longtime DJ Andyman and being exposed to new artists, both on air and in person at station events.The station hosted a sold-out...

A murder trial is underway for Jason Meade, a retired Franklin County SWAT deputy charged in the 2020 shooting death of Casey Goodson Jr., a 23-year-old Black man.The latest: Jury selection concluded Tuesday and took longer than expected.Potential jurors were given a 99-question survey — approximately three times what's typical — regarding their opinions on law enforcement and social justice, per WCMH-TV.Catch up quick: Meade, 45, pleaded not guilty in December 2021 to two counts of murder and one count of reckless homicide.His trial was originally set for March 2022 but has been delayed several times.Goodson was shot six times...

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Note: Values are not seasonally adjusted; Chart: Axios VisualsThe ratio of Ohio workers who are members of a union declined in 2023, but still remains above the national rate.Why it matters: Advocates say unions are a needed proponent of worker rights and compensation, while critics say unions throttle progress in the workplace, Axios' Nathan Bomey writes.By the numbers: 12.5% of Ohio workers were in a union last year, down slightly from 12.8% in 2022.The total number of unionized workers remained unchanged (at around 641,000), but the workforce grew by a few hundred thousand Ohioans in...

It's officially pothole season — for proof, look no further than the monster crater that popped at least eight tires and snared traffic last week on U.S. Route 33.Driving the news: A balmy rebound after below-freezing temperatures earlier this month is expanding asphalt and creating prime conditions for potholes, which crews across Central Ohio are working to repair.Be smart: If you spot a problematic pothole — or worse, if your car falls victim to one — here are your options for filing a report or damage claim.✍️ How to reportFor highways, use this Ohio Department of Transportation form.For roadways in Columbus city limits, use the city's 311 system. Check other local municipalities' websites for similar systems.💸 How to request money for damagesFor highways, use the same ODOT form.In Columbus, use the city attorney's website.Reality check: Temper your expectations, as the Dispatch reported in 2019 that just two city complaints out of 6,000 filed since 2014 had received payouts. Complainants must prove negligence, per state law.🏆 We want to know: Where are Central Ohio's worst potholes? Email Columbus@axios.com and send us your nominations, with photos, if possible.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.

Source: Ohio Department of Health; Map: Deena Zaidi/Axios VisualsOhio has a new roadmap for preventing suicide in the years ahead.Why it matters: The state's suicide rate has trended upward since the start of the pandemic, spurring leaders to develop new solutions to reach a variety of ages and cultures.Driving the news: The Suicide Prevention Plan for Ohio 2024-2026 was released last week with actionable steps for stakeholders like health professionals, teachers and business leaders.The nonprofits Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) and Health Policy Institute of Ohio created the plan, with state help and funding.The big picture: A record number of...

Source: Ohio Department of Health; Map: Deena Zaidi/Axios VisualsOhio has a new roadmap for preventing suicide in the years ahead.Why it matters: The state's suicide rate has trended upward since the start of the pandemic, spurring leaders to develop new solutions to reach a variety of ages and cultures.Driving the news: The Suicide Prevention Plan for Ohio 2024-2026 was released last week with actionable steps for stakeholders like health professionals, teachers and business leaders.The nonprofits Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) and Health Policy Institute of Ohio created the plan, with state help and funding.The big picture: A record number of...

You can only drink so many "no-tequila sunrise" mocktails during pregnancy before you start to crave more depth from your non-alcoholic beverages.Yes, but: Thankfully, readers came through by suggesting a great bar that not only offers tasty mocktails, but even better food.Dining the news: Cobra opened last fall near German Village, serving up Asian American-inspired dishes and late-night drinks in a former Panera Bread.The menu features three mocktails, each $7: Fangless, with sweet-and-sour passion fruit flavor; Pool Float, reminiscent of a savory lime margarita; and Yard Dog, featuring tart grapefruit.All are as delicious as they are picturesque, though the portions...

Dry January may be ending soon, but there are plenty of places in Columbus to keep your healthy habit going all year long.What you're saying:Tim A.: We went to Forno in Short North recently and they had two cocktails that could be turned [into] mocktails. My wife had the Kiwi Mule and it was excellent.Stephanie S.: Pins has the best NA drinks! My absolute favorite is the NA Stoney Fizz, complete with the big piece of rosemary that they garnish it with!Rick S.: I am a big fan of the NA beers from both Athletic Brewing and Brewdog.Lauren S.: Rooh has some awesome mocktails and their bartenders Marianne and Kaitlyn are awesome too!Plus: Read Alissa's review of Cobra in German Village, which readers Auggie H. and Matthew H. recommend.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.

Dry January may be ending soon, but there are plenty of places in Columbus to keep your healthy habit going all year long.What you're saying:Tim A.: We went to Forno in Short North recently and they had two cocktails that could be turned [into] mocktails. My wife had the Kiwi Mule and it was excellent.Stephanie S.: Pins has the best NA drinks! My absolute favorite is the NA Stoney Fizz, complete with the big piece of rosemary that they garnish it with!Rick S.: I am a big fan of the NA beers from both Athletic Brewing and Brewdog.Lauren S.: Rooh has some awesome mocktails and their bartenders Marianne and Kaitlyn are awesome too!Plus: Read Alissa's review of Cobra in German Village, which readers Auggie H. and Matthew H. recommend.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.

It's the only generation born fully in the 21st century: the oldest are about 13, and the youngest will arrive in the coming year.Why it matters: Generation Alpha is the country's first entirely online cohort, and is expected to become the largest in history at more than 2 billion people, Axios' April Rubin reports.By the numbers: Gen Alpha — born between 2010 and today — made up over 16% of Columbus metro area residents as of 2022, or nearly 336,000 people, per an Axios analysis of the latest American Community Survey data.Nationwide, 15% of people belong to Gen Alpha.The big...

It's the only generation born fully in the 21st century: the oldest are about 13, and the youngest will arrive in the coming year.Why it matters: Generation Alpha is the country's first entirely online cohort, and is expected to become the largest in history at more than 2 billion people, Axios' April Rubin reports.By the numbers: Gen Alpha — born between 2010 and today — made up over 16% of Columbus metro area residents as of 2022, or nearly 336,000 people, per an Axios analysis of the latest American Community Survey data.Nationwide, 15% of people belong to Gen Alpha.The big...

I recently saw the "Elvis" movie and once visited his hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi, so it made sense to try Tupelo Honey for a 614 Restaurant Week feast.The growing "southern kitchen" chain opened its first Ohio location in Upper Arlington two years ago.The bad news: A severely backed-up kitchen was no longer taking three-course Restaurant Week orders when I visited Wednesday evening.Instead, I ordered a delicious peach sangria and a cast-iron pimento cheese dip, which was fantastic but came with criminally few tortilla chips.After waiting over an hour, finally the main event: a gorgeous plate of fried chicken sprinkled with...

Ohio lawmakers regularly debate matters of great importance — or, at least, they're supposed to.The intrigue: Each two-year term also features a host of obscure and silly proposals.These legislative pet projects usually go overlooked, but sometimes can beat the odds to become law.Some unusual items the 135th General Assembly has cooked up:🇺🇸 No foreign-made flags: HB 87 would prohibit government entities from purchasing any U.S. or Ohio flag made outside of America.❌ Watch that drone: HB 77 would prohibit you from photographing a prison, military base or other "critical facility" via drone in furtherance of a separate crime.Accidental or non-criminal...

Goal horns and cannon blasts are gone from Nationwide Arena this week, replaced by the understated applause of spectators watching the nation's top figure skaters.Why it matters: The U.S. Figure Skating Championships are in town, boosting business in the Arena District with out-of-state visitors and giving audiences a chance to see potential Olympians.This is the first time Columbus has hosted the competition, which features nearly 200 skaters.How it works: Individually ticketed events ($25-77.50) are scheduled through Sunday and a few weekend finals packages ($163-284) are still available.A Skating Spectacular show caps the festivities at 7:30pm Sunday ($30-56.50).During Winter Olympics years,...

On this date 70 years ago, Ohio lifted its ban on an Italian horror film deemed "immoral" and "filled with brutal crime."Why it matters: This effectively ended Ohio's unconstitutional censorship of films and newsreels that existed throughout the early-20th century.Flashback: The "Division of Film Censorship" dated back to the 1910s and operated under the state's education department.Two officials reviewed all films before they could be shown to the public and approved only those of "a moral, educational or amusing and harmless character."A cartoon parodying New Deal politics was censored in 1936 for disrespecting the president, as was a 1949 film...

💜 See the musical behind the latest film adaptation — "The Color Purple" debuts this weekend at the Short North Stage.7pm Friday, 2pm and 7pm Saturday and 2pm Sunday. $33-66. Through Feb. 18.⚡ Revisit Hogwarts on the Ohio Theatre big screen while the Columbus Symphony plays the soundtrack to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1."8pm Friday and 2pm and 8pm Saturday. $50.50-125.50.Bonus idea: Keep the Potter party going with 6:30pm trivia Saturday at the Draft Room, 570 W. Schrock Road, Westerville.🦉 Explore Ohio's wild side at an Ohio History Center event focused on native species.11am-4pm Saturday. $10-16. Kids under 4 free!🎵 Sing along during Winter Jam 2024, Christian music's biggest tour, at the Schottenstein Center.6pm Saturday. $15 cash donation at the door.🖼️ Celebrate Columbus' creative spirit at Wonderball, a fashion-infused fundraiser gala benefiting the Columbus Museum of Art.8pm Saturday. $150, includes a drink ticket and food samples.☃️ Reminder: Buckeye Lake Winterfest and the Sweet Treats Dessert Festival are on this weekend's winter festival lineup!Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.

The Main Library is letting amateur skaters show off their spins and jumps, no blades required.How it works: A synthetic rink dubbed the "Sockefeller Center" is the atrium's centerpiece this month, to celebrate the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.Slip off your shoes and give it a try. All ages welcome!👏 Quick take: We can't decide what's more clever — the idea or the pun.If you go: 9am-9pm Monday-Thursday, 9am-6pm Friday-Saturday, 1-5pm Sunday. 96 S. Grant Ave. Free!Meanwhile, the library will host two Olympic medalist authors at free events over the weekend.Gracie Gold will discuss her new memoir 1pm Friday. Register here.An ice skating-themed family storytime is 11am Saturday, followed by a children's book reading with Nancy Kerrigan at 11:30am. Register here.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.

Republicans in the Ohio Senate voted Wednesday to override the governor's veto of a bill restricting transgender rights, two weeks after the Ohio House of Representatives did the same.Why it matters: That means House Bill 68 will go into effect in 90 days, over the objections of Gov. Mike DeWine, LGBTQ+ rights groups, medical associations and children's hospitals.Catch up quick: The law will prohibit Ohio minors from receiving gender-affirming health care and prevent transgender athletes from playing on girls' and women's K-12 and college sports teams.Experts defend gender-affirming care as medically necessary and potentially lifesaving, while Republicans argue the state...

It's been over three years since Kevin Williams received pandemic relief that kept him stable after his Columbus ride-hailing job came to a sudden standstill.So he was shocked when Ohio labeled him a fraud last week and asked for all that money to be returned, plus interest.Why it matters: This marks the latest frustration for claimants of unemployment programs that were slow to deliver help, suffered from technical glitches and were chronically understaffed.Williams describes feeling overwhelmed and confused by the sudden fraud notice — and it appears he's not alone.Flashback: Congress created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program in early 2020...