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SB 172 would require all public officials (state and local) to allow all immigration-related arrests with or without a warrant, even if the person is only “suspected” of being undocumented. It has passed the Senate and is moving in the House Public Safety Committee. 

Wednesday, October 29, 12pm
Columbus City Hall, 90 W. Broad St.

Columbus neighborhoods are currently part of a thoughtful case-by-case review process for building Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) – sometimes called in-law suites or granny flats. The system is slow and unclear, so it makes sense to streamline the process; but the solution shouldn’t be to silence residents.

A proposal from Councilmember Otto Beatty III would allow ADUs (essentially a second house) on all residential lots without any neighborhood review or input. Residents would lose the opportunity to weigh-in on whether an ADU is appropriate for their community.

Ohio lawmakers will vote this Wednesday October 29 on
Ohio House Bill 188 which calls for investing $10 million of
our tax money into Israeli bond. That means if the bill
passes, Ohio taxpayers would have effectively loaned
Israel $10 to use how it sees fit.

Therefore, I want my Ohio State Rep. to vote against Ohio
House bill 188 that could be used to fund the current
Israeli genocide with my tax money.

I should note here that on November 21, 2024, the
International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants
for two senior Israeli officials, Benjamin Netanyahu, the
Crime Minister of Israel, and Yoav Gallant, the former War
Minister of Israel, for the war crime of starvation as a
method of warfare and the crimes against humanity of
murder.

The Republicans who control state government in Ohio
have a deep political and ideological affinity for Israel.
Ohio politicians regularly get free propaganda trips to

Israel paid by the Israeli lobby to meet with Israeli officials
and offer statements of support for Israel.

Every Tuesday

BOO! $2 Tuesday is back! Community care doesn't have to be spooky, it can just be fun!

Cashapp: @theheertoserve

Venmo: $heer2serve

Renewable Energy thumps fossil fuels over past 12 months

Despite significant policy headwinds imposed by the Trump administration, new electrical generating capacity from renewable energy continues to significantly outpace that produced from fossil fuel sources.

In the past 12 months, power generation from wind, solar and batteries increased by over 55,000 MW. Generation from fossil fuels actually declined by 1,400 MW during the same time period. Solar and batteries accounted for 82 percent of all new power added to the grid. Generation from natural gas actually grew by a modest 3,300 MW since last October, but this growth was offset by a decline in generation from coal and petroleum-based fuels.

Electricity from nuclear power essentially held constant during the past year, and no new nuclear power plants are currently under construction.

Data centers likely to cause electricity blackouts and disruptions

Energy regulators and executives are warning that the build-out of artificial intelligence data centers has significantly increased the risk of electricity disruptions and blackouts.

Versión en español a continuación

Celebrating our 55th year, the Columbus Free Press will honor five outstanding community activists and a community organization at our November 2025 Salon and Awards event on Saturday, November 8 from 1:30-4:30pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Road. One of our "Libby" Award honorees is Palestinian activist Jawhara Qutiefan.

Jawhara Qutiefan (Jay) is a writer, activist, and community organizer whose work bridges advocacy, journalism, and grassroots mobilization. Raised in Ohio, she is guided by a deep belief that writing and sharing information are acts of resistance

Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 12:00 – 5:00 PM
Oval on Ohio State University campus
All funds raised will go to supporting the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) in their efforts to provide necessary resources to those in need.
Sponsored by Students for Justice in Palestine.

One of the symptoms of late state capitalism is CORPORATOCRACY; the merging of government with the greed of the business world. Now you know what to call it!

Ohio experienced this when Republicans sold their souls to AEP and coordinated the largest corruption scandal in state history. Not to be outdone, Columbus City government has adopted the same strategy embracing Zone-In as a disguise for the corporate take-over of the city. Phase one was a MASTERPIECE of political theater coordinated by a professional marketing company (that worked behind the scenes with developers and real estate investors). Still no master plan, less than 4 percent of the city involved in the decisions, and MILLIONS of TAX-PAYER DOLLARS spent on hiring outside consultants to help make the decisions. Need another example?

I recently won an election for a seat on the Clintonville Area Commission on a simple but urgent platform: put community needs before campaign donors, developers, and political insiders at City Hall.

I didn’t run because I was looking for a title. I ran because something is fundamentally broken in how Columbus is governed. In this city, competitive elections barely exist. The scales are tipped, the rules are rigged, and outcomes are too often decided by appointments and money , not voters.

Area commission elections—small as they may seem—are one of the last remaining places where democracy, even a symbolic version of it, still survives in Columbus. And that is exactly why they matter.

Development Isn’t the Problem—Who Controls It Is

You may have heard about the federal SAVE Act, which would prevent millions of eligible American citizens from voting.

But there’s also an Ohio version of the SAVE Act moving through the Statehouse. It’s even more dangerous, and more likely to pass.