Power struggles and spats within local Area Commissions are nothing new, but the events unfolding within the Clintonville Area Commission appear to be reaching a disturbing level of absurdity and alarm.

In August, Clintonville resident Will Klatt, well-known for his progressive community activism, overwhelmingly won his vote to be seated on the Clintonville Area Commission (CAC) and representing the commission’s District 3. He ran against three other candidates for an open seat and received 65 votes. The second place candidate, with the second highest number of votes, received 26 votes.

No doubt it was a victory for the many Clintonville residents worried about how out-of-control development could impact their community. To be clear, Klatt is not anti-development. But he believes development must have regulatory input from impacted neighbors.

When the escalator at the United Nations came to a wrenching and sudden stop this past Tuesday as soon as Trump stepped on it, I would like to believe that future historians will record that as the pivotal, split-second moment which marked the beginning of the end of the Trump Reign of Terror.

A Terror that began — and ended — on an escalator.

June 16, 2015, at Trump Tower — to September 23, 2025, at the United Nations.

When the escalator at the UN came to that sudden and unexpected halt, was that the sign we had been waiting for? The escalator! Is it possible that the escalator’s complete loss of power, its instant paralyzation, its seemingly abrupt and total collapse meant that this too was the end of the Reign of Donald J. Trump?

Go with me on this. I want us to imagine what life might look like in a Post-Escalator, Post-Trump World.

But you’re asking, how can I say we are in “Post-Trump” when right now you can turn on any TV and see him pouring the final load of concrete over the Rose Garden?

The Ohio Immigrant Alliance is an organization of immigrants and allies working together to build a stronger state, because Ohio is home. We need leaders who understand that debate is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy, and real solutions come from the people, not politicians. The truth is, we know what we need to create healthy communities and a rational immigration policy. Politicians need to listen to us, not the other way around.  

Now in its twelfth year, the Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) 5K & Advocacy Fair is our largest annual event, bringing together hundreds of Central Ohioans in support of refugees and immigrants in our community.

Whether you’re a runner, walker, or a friend of CRIS, we would love for you to join us in downtown Columbus at Genoa Park on Saturday, October 4th, 2025, for a morning of fitness, food, and fun.

The CRIS mission is to help refugees and immigrants reach safety and stability, sustain self-sufficiency, and achieve successful integration into the Central Ohio community.   

CRIS is an independent non-profit organization that serves the growing refugee and immigrant populations in Central Ohio. Our various programs have dedicated staff members from around the world who speak many different languages. Among other things, we are a refugee resettlement agency, meaning we have a contract with the Department of State to directly receive and place refugees in our community. In partnership with Church World Service, we resettle individuals and families from all over the world.