Get hyped, coaster fans.Launching the news: Kings Island is open for its 52nd season in Mason, while Cedar Point's 155th season in Sandusky opens May 4.Zoom up (and down): The marquee debut at Cedar Point this year is Top Thrill 2, the 420-foot, triple-launch roller coaster modified from the original Top Thrill Dragster.Flashback: Cedar Point closed the Dragster in 2021 after a metal object flew off the ride and struck a 44-year-old Michigan woman in the head while she waited in line.The park permanently retired the Dragster in 2022 and settled a lawsuit with the woman's family in recent weeks.How...

📽 Hit the red carpet for the Cinema Columbus Film Festival, with screenings at seven theaters across town.1-11pm today, noon-11pm Saturday, 1-7pm Sunday, various locations. $10 for individual screenings, or $200 weekend pass.🎭 See Columbus Children's Theatre perform "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" at Lincoln Theatre.7pm tonight, 2pm and 7pm Saturday, 2pm Sunday, 769 E. Long St. $19-$50.🌎 Celebrate the planet with family friendly activities at Genoa Park during Earth Day Columbus 2024.11am-8pm Saturday, 303 W. Broad St. Free!🎵 Hear the 12 gorgeous voices of Chanticleer, dubbed "the world's reigning male chorus," singing at the Southern Theatre.7pm Saturday, 21 E. Main St. $22-$41.🚶‍♀️ Get walking at the Moving Day fundraiser at Wolfe Park in support of the Parkinson's Foundation.11am-1pm Sunday, 105 Park Drive. Register and donate.🌳 Commemorate local leaders with a tree dedication at Washington Gladden Social Justice Park.2pm Sunday, 404 E. Broad St. Free!

Data: Brandeis University; Map: Jared Whalen and Alice Feng/AxiosColumbus touts itself as "America's Opportunity City," but is home to one of the nation's widest gulfs of haves and have-nots between neighborhoods, per a new analysis of childhood opportunity.Why it matters: Childhood opportunity has significant influence throughout a person's life, factoring into educational and career progress, life expectancy and more.How it works: The Child Opportunity Index, from the DiversityDataKids.org project at Brandeis University, seeks to quantify the opportunity afforded to each child based on several factors tied to where they live, including education, health, environment and socioeconomics.Based on those factors, the...

On this date in 1876, the first professional baseball game was played in Columbus on the "Base Ball Grounds" between the old Union Depot train station and High Street.Flashback: The Columbus Buckeyes defeated the Milfords 11-0, per a historical marker that now sits outside of Huntington Park.The intrigue: The Buckeyes were founded by Jimmy Williams, a local attorney who was also involved in organizing the minor league International Association.A successor to that league remains active nearly 150 years later, with the Columbus Clippers one of 20 teams still competing.Go deeper: You can find more local baseball history inside Huntington Park's Hall of Fame Bar, located on the second floor of the Left Field building.

Data: National Coffee Association; Note: Polling was conducted in January; Chart: Axios VisualsMidwesterners really, really love their coffee.State of play: Coffee consumption in the U.S. is at a high of more than 20 years, per a recent survey by the National Coffee Association.67% of American adults said they had drunk coffee in the past day.Zoom in: That's around the same mark (65%) for residents of Midwestern states, the survey finds.💭 Tyler's thought bubble: Guilty. I have between 1-3 cups every day, though I've gotten better at cutting down on creamer and sugar per cup.📬 Do you have a favorite coffee mug with an interesting backstory?Email columbus@axios.com and send us a picture for our "Mug Shots" series.

Columbus has opened a public exhibit for residents to learn more about the city's zoning code overhaul.Why it matters: Columbus has grown five times in size and more than doubled in population since the zoning code was last substantively updated in the 1950s.The big picture: The Zone In project seeks to help fix our housing shortage and affordability problems by adjusting the rules of what can be built and where.This space, along with an ongoing public comment period, gives residents a say on the city's formal proposal released earlier in April.Driving the news: Axios recently toured the Zone In Gallery...

A new civic center at OSU dedicated to "intellectual diversity" is searching for its first executive director.Why it matters: The Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society was created by GOP lawmakers as part of a broader effort to curb what they perceive to be campus liberalism.State of play: The center was approved and funded through the state budget last summer.Sen. Jerry C. Cirino, R-Kirtland, has alleged that university faculty are "predominantly liberal" and the center is meant to "move the dial just a little bit in favor of true intellectual diversity."Cirino has proposed other reforms to higher...

Data: Chain Store Guide; Note: Stores under the same brand name have been combined, e.g. Walmart and Walmart Supercenter; Chart: Axios VisualsKroger is once again the dominant grocery store chain in the Columbus area, per 2023 data from the sales-tracking firm Chain Store Guide.State of play: The Cincinnati-based chain has held the top spot for several years now.Kroger had a 40.6% market share in 2021, which slipped to 38.9% in 2022.Its market share rose to 42.9% last year, more than double the second-place competitor, Walmart.👀 Eye-popping stats: That amounts to nearly $3.5 billion in sales at 58 area Kroger stores.Dollar General (96 area stores) and Whole Foods Market (just three) have roughly the same market share, around 2%.Go deeper: Kroger and Albertsons, a western U.S. grocery chain, are selling hundreds of stores to encourage federal approval of a massive merger, Richard Collings writes for Axios Pro. (🔒)

Ohio wants its rest areas to be more than bathroom and vending machine stops. The state is turning dozens of them into full-on tourism centers, each highlighting nearby attractions and historical sites across the state. Driving the news: Gov. Mike DeWine cut the ribbon last Thursday on a re-designed rest...

Data: CoreLogic analysis; Map: Axios VisualsMedian property taxes in Ohio rose 23.1% from 2019 to 2023, above the national average of 21.6%.Why it matters: The increased tax rates come as buying a home in Columbus grows costlier.The annual income required to afford a median-priced home is up 23.8% year over year in 2023, according to Redfin.By the numbers: The median property tax bill in Ohio in 2023 was $2,530, up from $2,054 in 2019, according to the latest data that CoreLogic shared with Axios.The big picture: Median property taxes on U.S. single-family homes rose from $2,367 in 2019 to $2,877...

There's maybe no brighter or inviting restaurant in the Short North than Piazza Pelino, an Italian sandwich shop that opened late last year. There are colorful umbrellas all over the ceiling, tons of natural sunlight and friendly staff to help you through the authentic lunch and gelato menu. Vibe check:...

Data: Climate Central; Note: Includes both utility-scale and small-scale solar generation; Chart: Axios VisualsIt was a great year for solar and a bad year for wind in the Buckeye State.By the numbers: Ohio generated 1,735 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity from solar power in 2023, the ninth-straight year of an increase.Electricity from wind energy has generally increased over the past decade but declined slightly last year from 3,154 GWh in 2022 to 2,828 in 2023.Why it matters: Solar and wind power are producing a comparatively small but growing share of America's overall energy supply — yet they make up a bigger...

Weed may be legal, but Columbus is still a long way from taking off as a 420-vacation hot spot, per a study by Upgraded Points.The big picture: The metro area ranks 49th out of 50 for the number of marijuana-friendly short-term rentals on Airbnb and Bud and Breakfast, a similar site that caters to vacationing cannabis users.Zoom out: Unsurprisingly, three Colorado cities — Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs — are among those with the highest concentration of pot-friendly rentals, per the study.Burlington, Vermont; Las Vegas; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Portland, Maine, also top the ranking.The intrigue: There is a glimmer of good news for any cannabis-toting travelers heading our way.The smoke-friendly units that are available are the cheapest in the country, averaging $127 per night.

🎉 Live music, pop-up shops and kids activities await at the Clintonville Jamboree.5-8pm tonight, North High Street. Free!🏐 Columbus Fury celebrates Fan Appreciation Night with a match against Atlanta Vibe.7pm tonight, Nationwide Arena. $25+.📽 Vote for Pedro and join the stars of "Napoleon Dynamite" for a special movie screening at KEMBA Live!7pm tonight, 405 Neil Ave. $30+.🚶‍♂️ Join AIDS Walk Ohio to benefit AIDS service organizations like Equitas Health.9am check-in Saturday, 10:30am race start, 303 W. Broad St. Register and donate.📕 Visit with dozens of Ohio-based authors and illustrators at the Ohioana Book Festival, held at the Main Library.10:30am-5pm Saturday, 96 S. Grant Ave. Free!🎵 Bless the rains down in Africa with a performance by legendary pop rock band Toto at Mershon Auditorium.7:30pm Sunday, 1871 N. High St., $45+.

Outdoor concerts and plentiful food trucks will highlight this year's Columbus Commons season at the public park off of South High Street.Driving the news: The season opens today with carousel rides, tacos and ice cream from 11am-8pm.Tortilla Street Food and Jeni's are permanent fixtures at the park, with other activities like fitness classes and kickball held on special days through the fall.Start planning your visit:🤸‍♀️ For families: Inflatables, face painting and crafts are offered Fridays from 10am-1pm between June 7 to Aug. 9.Free kids movie nights are planned for May 25, June 21, July 12 and Sept. 7.🎸 For classic rock fans: Tribute bands playing Led Zeppelin and Grateful Dead hits will perform Aug. 30.🏃‍♀️ For runners: The Capital City Half & Quarter Marathon will host a post-race celebration April 27 on the Commons.The Girls on the Run 5K will begin there May 19.🎵 For classic music stans: The Picnic with the Pops series will feature eight concerts between June 15 to July 27, including a Nas performance with the Columbus Symphony on July 13.The full Columbus Commons season schedule

Homicides in Columbus are down 58% so far in 2024 compared to the same period last year, one of the largest drops of any major U.S. city with publicly available data. Why it matters: This is a major reversal from the past few years, when Columbus suffered from record rates of violent crime.

The number of high school seniors in Ohio filing for federal student aid this year is plummeting following the rollout of a glitchy new application process.Why it matters: Because the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process is working so poorly, some students are now facing the possibility of enrolling at a college without knowing if they'll ultimately be able to afford it.Driving the news: National College Decision Day — the traditional May 1 deadline for accepted students to commit to a school — is approaching fast.Zoom in: To account for delays, Ohio State University pushed back its...

Earth Day is coming up on Monday, and there are plenty of local opportunities to help care for the planet.The following events are free, unless otherwise noted:🍦 Linden Park cleanup: Join the Columbus Chamber of Commerce for a morning of park cleaning and pollinator garden prep, with an ice cream social afterward.8:30am-12:30pm Friday, 1350 Briarwood Ave. Register.🐯 Environmental protection: The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium will "party for the planet" all weekend and teach the importance of conservation.9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday. $20-34, kids under 3 free!🏕️ Campground cleanup: Help ODNR tidy up Alum Creek State Park and enjoy complimentary lunch afterward.9:30am-12:30pm...

Data: Radio Online; Chart: Axios VisualsThe most popular radio station in Columbus must have lots of friends in low places.State of play: WCOL-FM, or 92.3 on your radio dial, had the highest local ratings in February, according to the latest ratings data from Nielsen.It was followed by WBNS-FM (97.1 The Fan) and WSNY-FM (94.7 Sunny 95).The intrigue: Country music has long been a popular radio genre, but WCOL might have benefitted from Beyoncé's new country songs released in February.Her full album "Cowboy Carter" came out in March and remains atop the Billboard 200 list.

Gov. Mike DeWine wants to make it easier for police to enforce mandatory seat belt laws for drivers and passengers.Why it matters: Most of those killed in Ohio car crashes were not wearing seat belts, state data shows, making enforcement a matter of life and death.There have been over 270,000 crashes involving an unbelted occupant since the beginning of 2019.These resulted in 2,667 unbelted fatalities, making up 61% of all crash deaths.State of play: Under current law, all drivers and front seat passengers are required to wear a seat belt.In the back seat, seat belts are required for passengers between...