Chinese diplomacy has done it again. 

 By hosting a historic signing of a unity agreement between 14 Palestinian political parties in Beijing on July 23, China has, once more, shown its ability to play a global role as a peace broker. 

 For years, China has attempted to play a role in Middle East politics, particularly in the region's most enduring crisis, the Israeli occupation of Palestine. 

 In 2021, China announced its four-point plan, aimed at “comprehensively, fairly and permanently” resolving the Palestinian question.

Tuesday, June 30, Franklin County agreed to a historic  $7 million settlement with the family of Casey Goodson Jr., resolving the civil claims arising from the  tragic events of December 4, 2020. This settlement marks a significant step in the pursuit of justice for  Casey and his loved ones. 

Since that fateful day, Casey's family has endured immense pain and hardship, navigating a long and challenging journey toward justice. Over three years have passed since Casey was senselessly murdered  by former Sheriff's Deputy Michael Jason Meade. Throughout this period, the family has remained  steadfast in their fight for accountability and reform. 

The settlement allows Casey's family to resolve their civil claims against Franklin County, enabling them  to concentrate fully on the upcoming murder retrial of Michael Jason Meade. While no amount of money  can ever compensate for the loss of Casey, this settlement is a crucial acknowledgment of the profound  impact his death has had on his family and the broader community. 

Prices keep increasing. Some states have not only put in place a decent minimum wage but indexed it to automatically keep pace with the cost of living, so that we don't all have to waste time demanding that it be "increased" each year.

Click here to tell OH to create a $15 minimum wage and set it to increase with the cost of living.

In Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Washington, the minimum wage is, or is set to soon be, at least $15 per hour, and it is set to keep pace with the cost of living. Why should such an obvious policy be limited to those states?

When value is restored to the minimum wage, even those making over the minimum wage tend to see pay increases as well.

I am a historian and preservationist in Columbus, and I am generally in support of the proposed legislation and support the clarification that historic districts won’t be disregarded with the new code. I nevertheless deeply urge a delay or even a “no” vote at this time, in order for a solution to be found for an alarming issue. I have raised this issue with the zoning team multiple times and have yet to hear a response. Your vote is the last potential for affecting change.

Columbus has an incredible array of historic, and architecturally significant, houses, churches, fire stations, schoolhouses, and more. The vast majority of these are not on any register, and will immediately be at a much higher risk of demolition if Zone In were to pass as is currently written. We will be at threat of losing much of our remaining historic heritage, and especially the most visible sites on these well-traveled corridors.