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Joe Motil, former Columbus City Council candidate and longtime community advocate who is strongly considering running for mayor in 2023, states that, “Mayor Ginther’s state of the city address painted a rosy picture of Columbus but rather than 'opportunity rising' for Columbus residents, too many continue to see their opportunities for success declining.”  

Columbus has an overall poverty rate of 19.54 percent, with black residents at 29.69 percent, our Hispanic neighbors at 28.67 percent, while white residents are at 12.67 percent. “Good paying jobs continue to be unreachable for too many individuals and families who cannot afford the never-ending escalating housing costs, food on the table and other rising cost of living expenses.”            

Local powerbrokers have heralded New Albany’s planned Intel computer chip plant for the jobs it will bring to the region, but Intel’s plans for Central Ohio are also part of a wider campaign to maintain dominance over China.

On Christmas Day 2021, government officials in Ohio learned that Intel had selected New Albany for the location of its newest manufacturing mega-site. The Ohio legislature quickly mobilized at dizzying speeds to secure $1 billion in tax-payer money for infrastructure improvements including the expansion of State Route 161, expediting permit processes, and altering the tax law to extend tax abatements to 30 years for projects over $1 billion.

As Adrienne Hood told the Free Press, “People really haven’t been paying much attention” to what is arguably one of Columbus’s most important leadership decisions in decades. The choice of Jacqueline Hendricks-Moore for first-ever Inspector General of the Civilian Police Review Board, which Columbus voters overwhelmingly approved for in November of 2020.

“I will say that I hope she has the boldness to stand up when necessary because that will make or break this whole review board and further damage the relationship with the community,” said Ms. Hood to the Free Press.

The Civilian Police Review Board or CPRB essentially has this main responsibility: To serve as a standing administrative jury hearing cases investigated by the Inspector General, which will be independent of the Department of Public Safety.

As for when the Inspector General will begin conducting investigations, those close to the situation predict this spring or early summer.

There’s a lot of money to be made in cannabis these days. The global legal marijuana market – said to be growing exponentially – is forecast to exceed $50 billion by 2025, with projected sales U.S. rising to $43 billion. Almost $650 million in marijuana products have been sold in Ohio alone since the inception of its medical marijuana program in in 2016.

Joe Motil, former Columbus City Council candidate and longtime voice of everyday people states, “Our affordable housing crisis is worsening by the day. So why is the city and county still sitting on millions of taxpayer dollars of our American Recue Plan (ARP) money when it should be being utilized to  address this crisis?

A public hearing was held by the Franklin County Commissioners to hear comments on how the ARP funds should be spent clear back in July of 2021. Motil testified that the county and city of Columbus should allocate $60 million each of their ARP funds and that the Columbus Partnership should match it. He said "...and it was clear from the majority of those who testified at the county public hearing that ARP dollars should be allocated towards affordable housing.”

Motil points out that, “last month elected officials of St. Paul Minnesota and Ramsey county pooled together $74 million of their ARP funding for “deeply affordable housing” needs for those with incomes of 30 percent Average Median Income (AMI). What are our city and county elected officials waiting for?”      

Joe Motil, former Columbus City Council candidate and longtime voice of everyday people states, “Our affordable housing crisis is worsening by the day. So why is the city and county still sitting on millions of taxpayer dollars of our American Recue Plan (ARP) money when it should be being utilized to  address this crisis?

A public hearing was held by the Franklin County Commissioners to hear comments on how the ARP funds should be spent clear back in July of 2021. I testified that the county and city of Columbus should allocate $60 million each of their ARP funds and that the Columbus Partnership should match it. And it was clear from the majority of those who testified at the county public hearing that ARP dollars should be allocated towards affordable housing.”

Motil points out that, “last month elected officials of St. Paul Minnesota and Ramsey county pooled together $74 million of their ARP funding for “deeply affordable housing” needs for those with incomes of 30 percent Average Median Income (AMI). What are our city and county elected officials waiting for?” 

Human Trafficking is the worst kind of atrocity existing in Columbus, our nation, and world. It is a three-linked chain involving coercion, force, and fraud, and the victims can be of any age, social status, race, gender, or nationality.

It’s a multibillion-dollar industry and more than $30 billion is generated in the United States. Eighty percent of the victims are women and girls. Every 30 seconds someone is being trafficked. The world’s population is 8 billion. Experts report globally there are 30 to 50 million human trafficking victims.

How can this be?  

There has to be more than 50 million human beings trapped in the dark web of human trafficking. The facts are evident: human trafficking statistics are chronically under reported. 

Columbus is not immune – the numbers that are reported do not match. We have women from all over the nation who were brought here.

I would like to make this fact clear: NOT ONE of the human trafficking victims we work with wanted to be a prostitute!

This is “Fatimah,” not her real name (pictured above, her face not shown). She’s a young single mother with toddler children. She is quick-witted, charismatic, gracious and sober. But Fatimah and her kids reside just off Sullivant Avenue in a massive westside apartment community, which is a long-time hive for gang activity, addiction and violence.

Bags of “fenty” go for $10 here, but several addicts have told the Free Press they need four bags to get through the day to stave off becoming “dope sick.” Panhandling is their best means, they say.

Courage – Year in review – Statute to SoS – MMCP expansion – Give!

Selected bites of fresh cannabis news sliced from the headlines, with a legislative flavor and sweet Ohio twist. Sources are linked.

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It is arguably the most significant image from Columbus in the year 2020, and that’s saying a lot. It’s not an actual photo, but a screen shot of a video, one which went viral.

The man throwing up his arms (“Don’t shoot!”) is 31-year-old Randy Kaigler, a State Tested Nurse Aide, a father who loves to play with his kids, do family activities. He actually shouted, “I can’t breathe!”

It was Saturday, May 30, 2020, the same day when City Council President Shannon Hardin and US Rep. Joyce Beatty were sprayed.

“He (the officer) literally looked me in my face, laughed, and sprayed me in my face,” said Kaigler, who says it was his dad who called him that night asking if this was him in the disturbing photo.

Kaigler claims he was not a bad actor that day or other days he was downtown. “I saw a lot of people during the protests do a lot of dumb shit.” Instead, he had pleaded with others to not damage property.

“It’s just the little things for me,” said Kaigler. “I’m a happy person. I try to remain positive and use that not only to help myself but others as well.