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This article first appeared on Substack.
Will Governor DeWine do the right thing? Or will he cower and cave to his party’s extremists?
He only has a few days left to decide.
Ohio Statehouse Republicans have sent the governor four bills that would cause immense harm to our state. He can choose to sign the bills into law or veto (reject) them.
Three of the bills (HB 129, HB 186, and HB 335) are fake property tax “relief” plans that will devastate Ohio communities while protecting politicians’ wealthy donors.
Tuesday, December 16th at 7:30 PM
COED Columbus - 1890 E Main St -
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You’re one of the thousands of homeless in Columbus. You own a tent and found the perfect isolated location, but it’s getting cold. Very cold.
Neither City Council nor the Mayor invest much time thinking about how to solve this problem. They talk about how much they care and post videos online, but have no long-term strategy. Or, maybe it’s that I started to think about it and noticed how little they (and Franklin County) actually do to help the homeless; especially compared to a Woman’s Volleyball Team.
I assumed that there were dozens of shelters and “warming centers” around Columbus to allow people to survive this level of cold. I was wrong.
During the day the homeless are encouraged to visit a public library to get warm (a completely different problem), but at night?
There’s only one “warming center” that operates 24 hours a day.
Read the previous sentence again.
If you feel as if you have no power to make a positive impact you might be right. The people that we’re electing to government don’t appear motivated to help people; other than themselves and the wealthy.
Honestly, most people in Columbus have silently given up on the future of the city. Only 11 percent voted in the previous November election. You should feel overwhelmed by the lack of power you have to make Columbus a better place to live. It’s frustrating and no one can blame you for wanting to “give up.”
Or… you could be like Peaches.
That’s her name. Peaches Anderson.
She’s a volunteer City Commissioner with the Greater Southeast Commission and mother of four who loves Columbus.
In 2024 one of her kids came home from school and asked why a classmate didn’t have a Christmas tree. Her child wanted to know what could be done to solve that problem.
That bothered Peaches – that some families couldn’t afford a Christmas tree. It had an affect on her and instead of doing nothing, she chose the exact opposite.
Pundits frequently remark on the warm and friendly relationship between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. In explanation, some suggest that Putin possesses compromising material on Trump. Others point to their autocratic style and their rightwing agendas.
But another factor plays a role in the Putin-Trump bromance: their embrace of great power imperialism.
For example, their aggressive policies toward Ukraine and Venezuela are remarkably similar. Putin began his takeover of Ukraine by charging that its government was controlled by “fascists” and, moreover, that its closer relations with Western Europe would irreparably damage Russian national security. Similarly, Trump has sought to overturn the Venezuelan government, arguing that it is controlled by drug traffickers and represents a significant menace to U.S. national security.
2025 is a year in music where everything was special if you’re from Columbus, Ohio.
J-Rawls, Turnstile’s Franz Lyons, Blueprint, Solar Funeral’s Dennis Berendts, Matt Miner, Rope and Rashaan Roland Kirk all represented Columbus, plush. For various reasons Columbus isn’t in a Yankees vs. Clippers pyramid scheme anymore. With that said, New York and Columbus were still the focal points with splash of LA and Virginia in my list.
The funny thing about sailin' the bus. I rock my headphones. I’m in a Ohio State of Mind. To be honest, I don’t know wtf is playing from commercial radio. Online, I found out Hip Hop hasn’t created a lot of Top 40 hits in 2025. People were wondering if Hip Hop was obsolete. I find that funny because Hip Hop is thriving in culture. I play a large number of rappers who rock arenas, stadiums and music centers live and direct from BSA Hip Hop 7 PM wcrsfm.org Thusdays, my laptop, my phone, and record player.
Starbucks baristas are holding the line in the longest Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike in company history, and the momentum is undeniable. 3,000 union baristas from over 145 stores are on strike right now, with new stores joining every week.
Allies are already showing what’s possible. Since Red Cup Day, supporters like you have organized nearly 400 Stop Buying Starbucks leafleting actions across the country.
Now, baristas are calling a nationwide Stop Buying Starbucks Day of Action on December 15th.
Today, the Columbus Liberation Center, staffed by organizers from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, opens their doors to the public. The Grand Opening celebration is set for 6PM, December 13th at 1004 Parsons Ave. The Columbus Liberation Center is a space for community organizing, political education, and culture. Included in the space is a bookstore, library, working spaces, kids play corner, and a main hall for meetings.
To explain more about the 4,000 sq/ft space, organizer shenby G says:
“We’re here on the South Side because we know it’s an area treated with disdain by the city and actively over-policed. Black Americans face the constant threat of violence by Columbus Police, and then you have rising rents and a lack of affordability, with apartments increasing their prices by $100, $150 while there’s fears about grocery stores and convenience stores closing left and right. All the while unaffordable and bougie businesses encroach deeper and deeper down the avenue.
Saturday, December 13, 11:30am-1:30pm
Old First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Bryden Rd., go to back door or side door for ramp
Join us to celebrate the holiday season with our first Holiday Brunch.
Speakers on Human Rights Day and Columbus warming centers.
Breakfast foods, drinks and more available. Potluck dishes welcome!
Free and open to the public!
Google is spending $70 billion this year on artificial intelligence (AI) data centers although experts are terrified the AI bubble will burst. What also can't be ignored is Google's sci-fi-looking data center in the fields off South High Street, not far past 270 and next to the casino – a data center that just recently came online.
The AI gamble could tank the economy and marginalize an entire generation, as all of these types of bubbles have done before. A lot of money is going in and no one has much of a clue what could come out.
Ironic is how Google's 500-acre Far South Side data center was built on a former "snake-oil farm" owned by Dr. Samuel B. Hartman, who grew grapes for a "medicine" known as Peruna during the early 1900s. He claimed it was a miracle cure for congestion, but the only miracle was the "buzz" it offered. Nearly a third of each bottle was ethanol.
At one time it was also the largest cattle farm in Ohio, but Columbus is long past being a "cowtown." It's now a massive "data center farm." The region ranks second in the nation for hyperscale facilities (data centers) run by Google, Amazon, and Meta.