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Axios Columbus
Keep an eye out for poison hemlock
The plant that may have killed Socrates could also be growing in your backyard.The big picture: Poison hemlock has spread widely in central Ohio over the past few years. But experts say it remains a largely underappreciated hazard in the area.Why it matters: It's one of the deadliest plants in North America, so you should probably at least know how to recognize it.State of play: Poison hemlock is a highly invasive ornamental that contains a potent poison that, yes, was said to have been used by the Athenians to execute Socrates.And Michael Hogan, an agriculture extension agent at OSU, tells...
Columbus eaters say let's do lunch — on the weekend
Data: Square; Chart: Jacque Schrag/AxiosRestaurant spending in Columbus is shifting slightly from weekday lunch hours to the weekends, per new Square data.Why it matters: It's a reflection of pandemic behavior changes — and an important insight for restaurants as they adapt to survive and thrive.By the numbers: Weekday lunch's share of overall restaurant transactions fell locally from 23% in 2019 to 17% last year, based on data from establishments using Square.By contrast, the weekend's share grew from 31% to 37% in that time frame.The same trend is playing out nationwide, but the shift in Columbus is a bit more pronounced.🍻...
New Metro Parks canopy walk opens today
Metro Parks' newest and tallest trail opens Friday morning with a 10am ribbon cutting at Blacklick Woods.The intrigue: The new canopy walk stretches 530 feet and features a 55-foot-tall observation tower, a cargo net hammock and a kids play area.An elevator makes it accessible for visitors with disabilities.If you go: The attraction will be open daily from 9am-7pm (through August) and 9am-5pm (September-March) at 6975 E. Livingston Ave., Reynoldsburg.
Columbus weekend events: Sonic Temple, Taco Fest and a "Major League" star
🎵 Catch Pantera, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot and dozens of others during the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival at Historic Crew Stadium today through Sunday.Gates open 11am daily, 1 Black and Gold Blvd. $130+ for single day passes.✒️ Learn about the art of tattooing and other forms of body modification at the Hell City Tattoo Festival.Noon-11pm today and Saturday, noon-8pm Sunday. 350 N. High St. $25-30 day pass, $75 weekend pass.🛍️ Shop at over a dozen vendors at Plus Fest: Evolution, an outdoor market for plus-sized fashion.11am-4pm Saturday, 924 W. Broad St. Free!🏴☠️ Walk the plank at the inaugural Buckeye...
Scioto Mile Fountain to reopen with public festival
The Scioto Mile Fountain in Bicentennial Park will reopen next Friday after a costly reconstruction project.Driving the news: A ribbon cutting is planned at noon on May 24, followed by a two-day Fountain Fest that will host food trucks, live music and free ice cream.State of play: The $15 million renovation project, funded equally by the city and the private Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, is turning the fountain into a year-round attraction.It will feature new lighting and water features, plus additional seating and shady areas.If you go: Fountain Fest runs noon-7pm Friday, May 24, and 11am-7pm Saturday, May 25.The splash pad will be open 11am-7pm daily from May 24-Sept. 2.During colder months, there will be non-interactive water and light shows.
Historical Columbus sites face demolition
A downtown block of High Street and a unique bakery building in Driving Park made this year's Preservation Ohio list of the most endangered historic sites in the state.Why it matters: The list seeks to draw attention to important sites facing neglect and demolition.State of play: Preservation Ohio has published the annual list since 1993 and claims the attention has helped save several buildings, including the Athenaeum on North Fourth Street.Driving the news: This year's list includes 14 properties, ranging from a one-room schoolhouse in Akron to a rural museum honoring A.B. Graham, an Ohioan who founded the 4-H program.Threat...
Legacy of Brown v. Board in Columbus schools
Friday marks the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which outlawed racial segregation in public schools.Why it matters: This was a major milestone in the Civil Rights Movement and paved the way for integration in Columbus schools, though systemic inequities in American education still persist, seven decades later.Flashback: Columbus City Schools and other districts remained segregated for years after the ruling as integration efforts faced significant resistance.The turning point came in 1977 when trailblazing federal judge Robert Duncan ruled the local school board was illegally maintaining segregated schools.Columbus challenged the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld Duncan's ruling.A new school busing program launched in 1979 with mostly peaceful results.Yes, but: Integration drove many white families to the suburbs over the following decades, furthering a racial and economic divide.Columbus ended the busing program in 1996 in favor of a neighborhood school model.The big picture: Local officials are still reckoning with past discriminatory policies like redlining and community destruction to build highways.Go deeper
Ohio experiences rise in road rage shootings
Data: The Trace via Gun Violence Archive; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosThe number of road rage shootings in Ohio each year has more than tripled over the past decade.Threat level: The numbers mirror a nationwide surge in gun violence stemming from traffic disputes, per an analysis of Gun Violence Archive (GVA) data by gun violence newsroom The Trace.By the numbers: Ohio experienced five road rage shooting incidents in 2014, according to the data.In 2023, the number had risen to 17.Zoom in: A shooting last year on I-270 in Columbus injured a 25-year-old man and 1-year-old child.A shooting on I-670 in November killed...
Ohio restaurants battle against $15 minimum wage
Restaurant waitstaff are about to find themselves at the center of a major political fight over Ohio's minimum wage.Why it matters: With a median wage of $13.79 per hour, food prep and serving jobs are the lowest-paid category of employment in the state, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.Driving the news: A ballot initiative aimed at raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour has sparked a surprise counter proposal from the GOP that also calls for a $15 minimum wage.The big difference: The ballot initiative includes tipped workers, like waiters. The GOP bill, backed by the state's restaurant industry,...
Columbus e-bike rebate program returns
Columbus' e-bike subsidy program is returning for a second year.Pedaling the news: Columbus City Council voted Monday to invest $500,000 more toward the program, which offers rebates of at least $500 for low- and middle-income residents to buy e-bikes at local shops.Flashback: Last summer's initial pilot proved popular, per Smart Columbus, a local innovation lab partnering with the city on the program.Columbus received over 1,300 applications within the first 24 hours and wound up issuing nearly 300 vouchers.Around two-thirds of those vouchers have since been redeemed.What they're saying: Hailey Allison, director of operations for Smart Columbus, told Council the vast majority of recipients reported they could not have otherwise afforded e-bikes, which cost much more than regular bicycles.If you're interested: The application portal will reopen in late summer at columbusebikes.com, Allison tells us.Those who applied last time will need to do so again to verify their income and residency.The city expects to give out around 350 more e-bike vouchers.
MLB umpires aren't as bad as you think, data shows
Data: UmpScorecards; Chart: Will Chase/AxiosSurprising news, Reds and Guardians fans: Major League Baseball umpires are doing pretty well this season, at least when it comes to calling balls and strikes.By the numbers: League-wide, umps have a nearly 94% accuracy rating so far in 2024, per unofficial metric-keeper UmpScorecards.That's down from 2023, but up from a relatively miserable 90% in 2015.Must be nice: The Guardians have benefited more from missed ball/strike calls than any other MLB team this season, while Cincinnati is right around the middle.Zoom in: Three umps with Ohio ties have worked in MLB games this season, and all are in the middle of the pack regarding accuracy.Brian O'Nora, from the Youngstown area, is best with a 93.4% accuracy rate.
Augmented reality shows plans for LinkUS rapid bus transit in Columbus
A new "augmented reality tour" offers a unique first glimpse at an $8 billion proposal to rebuild major streets for improved bus and bicycle travel.Why it matters: Some of these busy corridors lack basic infrastructure like sidewalks, bike lanes and safe crossings.The tour visualizes the potential fixes for voters, who will be asked this November to raise the sales tax to help the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) make these improvements.State of play: If the measure is approved, the LinkUS project would turn five areas into "rapid transit corridors" over the coming decade: West Broad Street, East Main Street, a...
Reviewing the big flavor at Little West
I had one of my best meals of 2024 at Little West Tavern, located inside the Junto Hotel on the Scioto Peninsula. This restaurant behind COSI opened last summer in an area that has seen rapid development in recent years. The intrigue: My wife and I were lucky to be...
More pets mean more vets needed in Ohio
Data: Census Bureau; Chart: Axios VisualsNew veterinary clinics are popping up in Ohio amid an ongoing national vet shortage.The big picture: The pandemic pet adoption boom aggravated the shortage, which has contributed to provider burnout.By the numbers: The number of veterinary clinics in the country has risen 8.4% since 2012, according to 2021 Census Bureau data, the most recent available.Ohio added 35 clinics over that time period, per the data.Zoom out: Many more vets are probably still needed to meet demand.As of 2022, there were about 86 million dogs and 66 million cats in the U.S., an annual increase of about 2% every year since 2016, according to Mark Rosati, spokesperson for the American Veterinary Medical Association.In 2023, the AVMA noticed demand for companion animal veterinary services start to return to pre-pandemic levels, a trend expected to continue this year, Rosati told Axios.Now two in three households nationally own a pet, per American Pet Products Association data.What we're watching: Veterinary schools are increasing class capacity and a number of new vet schools are in development, Rosati says.Of note: 64% of vets are women, per AVMA numbers.
President Biden theoretically could be left off the Ohio ballot
A procedural issue could keep President Biden off the Ohio ballot in November, but Democrats are confident a solution can be found.Why it matters: It would be unprecedented for a major party candidate to be left off the ballot, and it would have disastrous consequences for other Democrats up for election.Catch up quick: Ohio election law requires political parties to certify the presidential ticket by Aug. 7.But the Democratic National Convention in Chicago — where Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will be officially renominated — is scheduled for Aug. 19-22.State of play: Democrats aren't changing the convention dates, meaning...
How to get free tickets to COSI, the Zoo and other Columbus museums
You don't have to break the bank to enjoy our region's many great museums.Why it matters: Cheap, family fun is easy with a bit of planning, and you'll be glad to have these indoor, air-conditioned options during the upcoming heart of summer.State of play: These popular museums offer specials on specific days or for certain guests:🌷 Franklin Park Conservatory: The first Sunday of each month is Community Day, with free entry for Franklin County and Columbus residents.10am-5pm Sundays, 1777 E. Broad St.🎨 Columbus Museum of Art: Free admission on Sundays.10-5pm Sundays, 480 E. Broad St.🔭 COSI: Teachers get in free...
Hell is Real returns to Lower.com Field
It's rivalry weekend in Columbus and we're feeling a little hellish.What's happening: The Hell Is Real match between the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati is Saturday night at Lower.com Field.State of play: This is the teams' first meet-up since the Crew earned a 3-2 comeback overtime victory in last year's Eastern Conference final.Columbus went on to win an MLS title, while Cincinnati went home to eat bad chili.Now, the Crew is looking to keep its momentum going amid a deep run in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.The big picture: The two Ohio teams have played each other 13 times. Columbus has won seven, Cincinnati two and there have been four draws.How to watch: Apple TV, FS1 and Fox Deportes will broadcast the 7:45pm game.Tickets start at $75.The intrigue: The two teams' reserve squads play at 3pm Sunday in a lesser rivalry affectionately known as "Heck is Plausible."
Ohio's C-section birth rate is rising
Data: CDC; Chart: Axios VisualsThe rate of cesarean births in Ohio is rising, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control.Why it matters: While generally safe — and sometimes necessary for the health of the baby or the mom — a C-section is a major abdominal surgery that tends to require a longer recovery for the mother.By the numbers: Nearly 40,000 Ohio babies were born via C-section in 2023, a rate of 31.5%.That's well above the 10-15% rate that the WHO considers "ideal."Zoom out: The national C-section delivery rate increased in 2023 to 32.4%, up from 32.1% in 2022, according to provisional CDC numbers.That's the highest rate since 2013, and the fourth annual increase after the rate generally declined from 2009 to 2019, says the CDC.Go deeper
Columbus weekend events: Fury match, "Hair" musical and Hilltop Spring Jamboree
🌏 Celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander heritage with a festival at the Bexley Public Library.6-8pm Friday, 2411 E. Main St. Free!🎭 Let the sunshine in with a performance of "Hair" on the Short North Stage.7pm Friday, 2pm and 7pm Saturday, 2pm Sunday, 1187 N. High St. $38+.🎪 Catch the greatest show on Earth, the "reimagined" Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus.7pm Friday, 11am, 3pm and 7pm Saturday, 1pm and 5pm Sunday, Schottenstein Center. $20+.🎉 Enjoy local music, food trucks and art activities at the family friendly Hilltop Spring Jamboree.1-7pm Saturday, 880 S. Wayne Ave. Free!🏐 Cheer on the Columbus Fury during its final match of the inaugural 2024 season.7pm Saturday, Nationwide Arena. $25+.📣 Hear original poems from high school "slam champs" at the Schooled on Poetry reading.7pm Saturday, Lincoln Theatre. $5-10.💐 Don't forget: Sunday is Mother's Day!
Throwback Thursday: New book features Ohio presidents
Data: Axios Research; Map: Rahul Mukherjee/AxiosHistorian Heather S. Cole hopes her new book out this week about Ohio's presidential history will reassure those fatigued by the messiness of modern politics.Why it matters: America has survived many presidential controversies of years past, Cole tells Axios — a worthy lesson in the midst of an election year.One example: Rutherford B. Hayes, born right here in Delaware, won the highly disputed election of 1876 that involved conflicting state electors, months of arguing and an eventual Electoral College margin of just one vote."What's old is new," Cole says.Flashback: Ohio is the birthplace of seven presidents...
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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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