Local
Monday, February 16, 2026, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM - Late
Natalie’s Grandview, 945 King Ave., Grandview
Come listen to great music and support an excellent cause at Natalie’s Grandview.
On Monday, February 16th, they will be hosting an all-day fundraiser, with 100% of proceeds donated to Corazón Deshilado, CRIS, and Our Helpers — organizations doing vital work to support our immigrant neighbors. We hope you’ll join us for a day rooted in community and a celebration of South American culture. It’s been incredibly inspiring to see so many small businesses stand together, standing up against hate and responding with love. Huge shout-out to all the coffee shops, bars, and musicians pouring their time, tips, and energy into this cause. We’re staying loud out here!
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During the February 8, 2025 Columbus Free Press salon, we declared “We are United with Springfield.” (Link to salon video)
On February 2, 2026, over 1000 people of faith and conscience gathered in solidarity with the Springfield Haitian community. The US government had set February 3, 2026 as the date to end Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for nearly 400,000 Haitians.
The US formalized immigration system since the 1920’s has a primary goal of excluding people, which does not support the current immigratory patterns driven by foreign policy, economic strangulation, and capital transfers. The push and pull character of immigration is profound on families taking this journey. However, Donald J. Trump’s regime seeks to politicize the migrant, and has not worked toward correcting this anachronistic system.
The February Free Press Second Saturday Salon held on February 14 by Zoom was hosted by Free Press Board member Mark Stansbery and featured a talk and Powerpoint by local activist Tom Dillard.
Tom Dillard presented a historical overview of two major civil rights movements in Columbus: the Vanguard League and Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He shared personal stories and experiences from his family's involvement in the Vanguard League, which was founded in 1940 to address discrimination in public accommodations, employment, housing, and education. Dillard highlighted key moments in the organization's history, including protests against segregation in theaters and housing restrictions, and emphasized the ongoing relevance of their work today.
See all today's activist events here
Momentum Builds to Stop Radioactive Brine Spreading on Ohio Roads as Monday (2/17) Hearing Deadline Looms
WHO: Buckeye Environmental Network, the Ohio Farmers Union, state legislators including State Sens. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Kent Smith (D-Euclid)
WHAT: A call for public testimony on SB 329, a bill designed to ban the practice of spreading radioactive oil and gas waste (brine) on local Ohio roads.
WHEN: The hearing will take place Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM
WHERE: Ohio Statehouse- 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, Ohio - Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, North Hearing Room
The Public Testimony Portal is open now, and will close Monday afternoon, February 16th:
Columbus Mayor Andy Ginther and Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, who both lack any kind original policy proposals while only handing out socially and economically counterproductive tax abatements for new housing, have once again co-opted a few more of my proposals.
Much as recently been made of Ginther and Hardin's $500 million Affordable Housing bond package and how they intend on allocating those funds.
On February 11, 2026, The Columbus Dispatch reported that "Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther's plans to spend $500 million in affordable housing bonds voters OK'd in November on unprecedented city land acquisition and the homeless shelter system, along with continuing to invest in affordable apartment construction."
This article first appeard on Substack.
Three years ago, Ohio citizens gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures and placed an initiative (Issue 2) on the ballot to legalize adult-use marijuana.
Saturday, February 14, 7-8pm
Zoom
Speaker:
Tom Dillard, member of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) and the Vanguard League in the 1950s and 60s
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87630301989…
Meeting ID: 876 3030 1989
Passcode: 867737
Thursday, February 12, 7 – 8pm
Zoom
Join us for Powered By Love, Not Cages Community Call, where we'll write letters to our immigrant community in detention.
Together, we'll respond to the escalating ICE presence in our communities by extending care, love, and dignity to our immigrant neighbors in detention. In the face of fear and uncertainty, we’re choosing community, solidarity, and collective power.
On the call we’ll:
My neighbor thinks I hate Columbus City Council; that’s just not true.
Look at the recent ordinance passed December 2025 to regulate submetering companies in Columbus.
Submetering is out of control in Ohio and there are two bills in the state house to provide better regulation, but neither is going anywhere. While our state government does nothing some submetering companies are over-charging renters for electricity.
But Columbus City Council wasn’t going to ignore this challenge. Instead of waiting, they went to work and passed a new ordinance to:
1. Prohibit submetering companies from charging a tenant more than what is charged by a utility provider.
2. Cap administrative fees at $8 per billing cycle.
3. Prohibits late fees that are more than what a utility provider is charging, and
Wednesday, February 11, 6pm
Westerville City Hall, 21 S. State St., Westerville, OH 43081
Please join the Westerville Progressive Alliance in a silent candlelight vigil to honor and remember all victims of ICE.
Meet in front of Westerville City Hall Wednesday, February 11th a little before 6:00 pm. We will have candles or you may bring your own (real or battery-operated).
Although our location might be noisy, we will gather silently. Brief words will be shared and then we will wordlessly shine our light and be in community with one another.
NO signs, noisemakers or musical instruments, please.