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Axios Columbus
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.
How transportation impacts Central Ohioans' health
Data: National Equity Atlas analysis of IPUMS USA data; Chart: Simran Parwani/AxiosMore than one in five U.S. adults without access to a vehicle or public transportation missed or skipped a medical appointment last year, according to a report by the Urban Institute.Why it matters: Transportation is a key social driver of health equity.While telehealth has reduced some transportation barriers, it's not accessible to all and can't replace in-person care for all medical needs, Axios' Adriel Bettelheim reports.What they found: Nationwide, 21% of adults without access to a vehicle or public transit said they went without needed medical care in 2022.Though...
Central Ohio spots to visit on International Museum Day
Thursday is International Museum Day, an unofficial holiday celebrating the institutions that preserve our culture and history.State of play: COSI, the Columbus Museum of Art and the Ohio History Center are among beloved local heavyweights, but Central Ohio is also home to several other museums with lesser-known collections worth exploring. Some suggestions:๐ Wagner-Hagans Auto MuseumThis private collection of old cars and Americana is hidden inside a nondescript German Village garage.Those who've been there really love it โ visitors rate the museum on TripAdvisor as Columbus' No. 1 thing to do.Details: 476 E. Kossuth St. Call 614-271-0888 to schedule a private...
Vote for the best brewery in Columbus
Bracket: Axios VisualsOur local beer bracket is down to just four breweries, though getting this far was no easy feat.Catch up quick: Canine-themed competitors Wolf's Ridge and BrewDog were neck-and-neck most of yesterday, with BrewDog winning by a nose.Meanwhile, North High bested Hoof Hearted โ but if it's any consolation, we're confident they would've won a brewery naming contest. Very clever.What we're watching: Front-runner Seventh Son is crushing its competition.Yes, but: Don't sleep on Land-Grant, which took down CBC, our city's oldest brewery.๐ณ๏ธ What's next: Vote here in the Final Pour! (Closes 4pm Thursday.)
Ohio sports betting so far smashing projections
Data: Legal Sports Report; Table: Axios Visuals. Note: Ohio total does not include nearly $350,000 in sports betting revenue from lottery-regulated kiosks.Ohio bettors were expected to wager $8 billion during the first year of legalized sports betting, and with only three months of spending data, it looks like that eye-popping projection was a lowball.Driving the news: Ohioans bet nearly $2.5 billion through the end of March, per state data โ around $212 for every resident.And that's with the Buckeyes football season still months away.Why it matters: Our sports-obsessed state is already a betting powerhouse, with the resulting millions in tax...
Silly song collection dedicated to Ohio cities
Matt Farley is the most prolific songwriter you've never heard of โ and odds are he's devoted a song to your hometown.Driving the news: The Massachusetts native counts over 24,000 songwriting credits, including an exhaustive list of ditties about practically every U.S. city.Most feature him talk-singing non-sequiturs to a basic drum and bass riff, though he occasionally throws in some local flair.Zoom in: He's written about Columbus and 10 area suburbs with tracks like "Respect Reynoldsburg" and "Marysville Is a Fine Ohio Place to Be!""They got the Brewery District, they got downtown, they got German Village and other nice sections," he sings in "Columbus, Ohio."
Vote for the best brewery in Columbus, Ohio
The first-round results of our brewery bracket are in โ and you have our permission to crack open a cold one in celebration if your favorite made it to Round 2.State of play: Ale-ite Eight match-ups include...Wolf's Ridge vs. BrewDogColumbus Brewing vs. Land-GrantHoof Hearted vs. North HighSeventh Son vs. Gemรผt BiergartenBetween the lines: Several victories were blowouts in Round 1, which means tough competition for the next round of voting.๐ Thanks to the 253 of you who voted!What's next: Vote here in the Ale-ite Eight. (Closes 4pm Wednesday.)Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Columbus.
Vote for the best brewery in Columbus, Ohio
The first-round results of our brewery bracket are in โ and you have our permission to crack open a cold one in celebration if your favorite made it to Round 2.State of play: Ale-ite Eight match-ups include...Wolf's Ridge vs. BrewDogColumbus Brewing vs. Land-GrantHoof Hearted vs. North HighSeventh Son vs. Gemรผt BiergartenBetween the lines: Several victories were blowouts in Round 1, which means tough competition for the next round of voting.๐ Thanks to the 253 of you who voted!What's next: Vote here in the Ale-ite Eight. (Closes 4pm Wednesday.)
Columbus' allergy season is getting longer and worse
Data: Climate Central; Chart: Axios VisualsIf you're feeling drowsy and sneezing more often lately, you're not alone.Driving the news: On average, Columbus' allergy season is 30 days longer now than it was in 1970, per an analysis from Climate Central, a nonprofit climate news organization.That's double the average increase of 15 days across about 200 U.S. cities.Why it matters: Nearly one-quarter of Americans suffer from seasonal allergies. Now they're relying on antihistamines for longer periods of time to relieve their watery eyes and scratchy throats, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Alice Feng write.How it works: Climate Central measured allergy season as...
3 unique Airbnbs for Ohio summer getaways
Airbnb rolled out several new features this month meant to boost price transparency and guest experiences.Driving the news: The company is trying to better compete with hotels ahead of what's expected to be a record-setting summer travel season, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick reports.The changes include more privacy features, clearer guest checkout instructions and, if enabled by the user, upfront listing prices that include fees.๐ญ Alissa's thought bubble: I used to be an Airbnb-exclusive traveler, but I mostly use hotels now due to surging costs amid the pandemic.These changes are making me consider giving Airbnb one last chance, though.Zoom in: We scanned...
Vote for the best brewery in Central Ohio
In honor of American Craft Beer Week, we've created a bracket to decide the best brewery in Central Ohio.State of play: We narrowed the competition to a Wheat 16 to launch our tournament.Vote here for Round 1 (before 4pm Tuesday).Disclaimer: Like March's burger bracket, this is just for fun. Use whatever criteria is important to you when voting โ a great taproom, taste or variety of beers, branding, events or something else.Email columbus@axios.com to advocate for your favorite.๐ป The bottom line: Cheers!Bracket: Axios Visuals
School superintendent turnover surges
A nationwide churn of K-12 superintendents is being felt in Ohio, with three of the state's five largest school districts cementing changes this month due to retirements.Why it matters: Following years of pandemic disruptions, stable leadership is essential to helping students recover and stay on track.Zoom in: By next school year, 13 of 19 Columbus-area districts, or 68%, will have changed superintendents since 2020, per our analysis.The big picture: Nationwide, half of the nation's 500 largest school districts had a disruption or change in leadership between March 1, 2020, and September 1, 2022, per a study by Rhode Island consulting...
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