Year in review: The biggest Columbus stories of 2024
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
It was a big year, Columbus. From a once-in-a-generation celestial event to the rollout of recreational marijuana sales, we witnessed history unfold in ways that intrigued, inspired and challenged us.
🗓️ Before we turn to 2025: Look back at this year's biggest stories and our favorite coverage.
💻 The massive Intel semiconductor plant coming to Licking County is always a hot topic.
- We teamed up with Axios Phoenix to examine how the $20 billion Ohio One project might impact Central Ohio, through the lens of a similar investment Intel made in Arizona more than 40 years ago.
🌑 We too were captivated by the eclipse and helped readers know where to watch, what the weather would be like and where to find glasses.
🏅 We cheered for medalists in the Summer Olympics and Paralympics who made Ohio proud and also welcomed a pro volleyball team to town.
🌿 Recreational marijuana's legalization was high in news value, but not popular with everyone.
- We visited a dispensary, explained where to find them, and mapped out the municipalities banning them.
🐘 The Columbus Zoo's saga came to a close, with three former officials sentenced to prison.
🚔 Police shootings in Franklin County are increasing, and we analyzed the cost of settlements in cases of alleged police misconduct.
🗳️ Election season was as busy as ever, with Americans ultimately electing a vice president from our backyard for the first time.
- We offered Ohio perspectives on the presidential race's biggest moments and delved into key local issues like the LinkUs transit plan.
- Also, we're really glad all those political ads are finally over.
Yes, but: It wasn't all hard news this year.
🍌 Our newsletter highlighted the world's most entertaining baseball team.
🌯 We marveled at the lengths some people will go to for free burritos.
🚽 There were strangely fancy toilets — and serious bathroom stuff, too.
🍽️ We helped you steal local recipes for your next dinner party.
💪Not to toot our own horn … but we were named the state's best newsletter by the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists.
👋 Plus: We welcomed a new author, Andrew, who's proven to be a perfect fit for our team.
The bottom line: Thank you for making Axios Columbus a part of your daily routine.
- We appreciate your support and can't wait to do this again in 2025!
What you clicked on
Here were your favorite stories on our website this year, based on page views:
- Saying no to #NoMowMay — May 3
- Where to watch the total solar eclipse — Feb. 16
- Private island on Buckeye Lake up for sale — April 15
- Netflix's dating show "Love Is Blind" now casting in Columbus — July 29
- How Intel's Ohio One project is reshaping the region — Jan. 22
- We tried Where Ya Bin, an Amazon resale store — Nov. 26
- A solar eclipse cheat sheet for Central Ohio — April 8
- Where you can buy recreational marijuana in Columbus — Aug. 6
- Keep an eye out for poison hemlock — May 17
- Ohio marijuana sales expected by end of summer — April 4