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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Columbus. Written by Alissa Widman Neese and Andrew King.

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Instead of curling up with a good book, hit the street and find some new ones.

🚶‍♀️ Our pick: The Columbus Indie Bookstore Crawl.

Zoom in: Saturday is Independent Bookstore Day, but you can hop around all weekend and get your passport stamped.

Visit seven shops for a chance to win a literary gift basket.

Stop by: 7am-9pm Saturday and 11am-6pm Sunday. List of 20 participants.

🗓️ Plus: Mark your calendars, bookish friends. The summer Columbus Book Festival just announced its headliners.

🎲 "Guys and Dolls" is at the Southern Theatre all weekend.

🤠 Luke Combs plays Ohio Stadium Saturday.

🎭 "La Traviata" is at the Ohio Theatre Saturday and Sunday.

🌎 Green Columbus celebrates Earth Day at Scioto Audubon Metro Park Sunday.

🏐 The Fury play their second-to-last home match of the season Sunday.

Weekend picks: Try an Indie Bookstore Crawl

Plus: Luke Combs, "Guys and Dolls" and more.

Illustration of two books forming the Axios logo in between other books.

Instead of curling up with a good book, hit the street and find some new ones.🚶‍♀️ Our pick: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Columbus Indie Bookstore Crawl" data-vars-click-url="https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/indie-bookstore-crawl-columbus/" data-vars-content-id="4c6d0084-9730-41ab-bf5b-d8e193888938" data-vars-headline="Weekend picks: Try an Indie Bookstore Crawl" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/indie-bookstore-crawl-columbus/" target="_blank">The Columbus Indie Bookstore Crawl</a>.

Things to Do

Data: Attendance Works; Chart: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios

A new state dashboard lets the public more closely track school attendance rates, but families in some districts — including Columbus, Bexley, Dublin and Hilliard — will have to wait a little longer to try it out.

Why it matters: Chronic absenteeism skyrocketed during the pandemic. Though the situation has improved slightly, it remains one of the U.S. education system's biggest challenges.

Threat level: Students who routinely miss school struggle more academically, potentially impacting their ability to thrive later in life.

Frequent absences also often signal underlying challenges with kids' overall well-being.

Chronic absence is defined as missing at least 10% of instructional time for any reason, including illness, or about 18 days in a typical school year.

Catch up quick: To increase awareness, the state launched an interactive dashboard this month tracking districts' weekly chronic absence rates during the current school year.

Clicking a district name drills down to building and grade levels.

The tool also details the severity of absences, from "at risk" (missing 5-10% of days) to "severe" (over 20%).

Previously, the state only posted data annually with school report cards.

Data: Ohio Department of Education and Workforce; Note: Chronic absenteeism is missing 10% or more of school days and severe chronic absenteeism is missing 20% or more; Table: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios

Yes, but: The new system is optional, and about a fourth of districts are still working to sync up their data, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce director Stephen Dackin told reporters at the rollout.

That includes half of the large urban districts, which are most likely to struggle with the issue: Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo.

Zoom in: Columbus is on track for a chronic absenteeism rate of 49.6% this school year, according to a presentation at Tuesday's school board meeting.

That's notable progress from a 65% rate in 2021-22.

What they're saying: Local officials tell Axios they plan on participating and it's mostly a technical matter, as districts use a variety of systems to log data.

Columbus' data should be showing by mid-May, spokesperson Mike Brown estimates.

The other side: Data may help raise awareness and track trends, but more funding is also needed to address absenteeism's root causes, Ohio Education Association president Jeff Wensing told WCMH-TV.

What's next: Officials will explain how to use the new tool at a virtual town hall at noon Thursday and "explore ways anyone can support their school community in reducing chronic absence."

How to check your school's attendance data

Ohio's new dashboard offers the public a closer look.

Illustration of a student being held from walking forward by an arrow cursor piercing their pant leg

A new state dashboard lets the public more closely track school attendance rates, but families in some districts — including Columbus, Bexley, Dublin and Hilliard — will have to wait a little longer to try it out.Why it matters: Chronic absenteeism <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="skyrocketed" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2022/09/22/student-absences-columbus-skyrocket" data-vars-content-id="4f2282cd-e935-4a87-80c0-e36ab083e671" data-vars-headline="How to check your school&#x27;s attendance data" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2022/09/22/student-absences-columbus-skyrocket" target="_self">skyrocketed</a> during the pandemic. Though the situation has improved slightly, it <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="remains" data-vars-click-url="https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA956-34.html" data-vars-content-id="4f2282cd-e935-4a87-80c0-e36ab083e671" data-vars-headline="How to check your school&#x27;s attendance data" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA956-34.html" target="_blank">remains</a> one of the U.S. education system&#x27;s biggest challenges.

News

Education

Data: Big Darby Accord Watershed Master Plan Amendment; Map: Axios Visuals

Facing pressure from environmental activists and local government partners, the City of Columbus will delay voting to overhaul the Big Darby Accord until later this year.

Why it matters: As Central Ohio growth pushes west, the accord shapes development around Big Darby Creek — one of the Midwest's most biologically diverse aquatic ecosystems.

Catch up quick: Columbus and several other local governments created the agreement in 2006, but they have never updated it.

An amendment process started in early 2025 with help from local firm MKSK, resulting in a new draft released in March.

Each government partner must separately ratify it, and Columbus City Council was expected to be the first to move forward this month.

Yes, but: The process has been tense. Groups like the Darby Creek Association say the proposal's environmental protections don't go far enough.

The City of Hilliard, its school district and two townships also expressed concerns about allowing denser development where they provide services.

It's possible a data center could be coming to the area, also fueling controversy.

Also a factor: An Ohio Department of Natural Resources watershed study is pending, with results expected this fall.

The bottom line: "Columbus is prepared to move forward with the draft amendment and continues to believe this is the right path. This pause simply creates space to review that additional information," the city said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the city will seek "an independent, experienced science advisor" and will create a "stakeholder advisory committee" to gather feedback.

Big Darby Accord Watershed Master Plan Amendmen

What's next for the Big Darby Accord

Columbus has paused a vote as partners and advocates push for changes.

A map of the Big Darby Accord boundary in western Franklin County.

Facing pressure from environmental activists and local government partners, the City of Columbus will delay voting to overhaul the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Big Darby Accord" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2025/04/14/big-darby-accord-update-development-limits" data-vars-content-id="8192ae72-6250-40ed-a6e3-8e56b986190c" data-vars-headline="What&#x27;s next for the Big Darby Accord" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2025/04/14/big-darby-accord-update-development-limits" target="_self">Big Darby Accord</a> until later this year.Why it matters: As Central Ohio growth pushes west, the accord shapes development around Big Darby Creek — one of the Midwest&#x27;s most biologically diverse aquatic ecosystems.

Environment

Spring planting season is nearly here — for those wanting to make their yard more pollinator-friendly, there's no better time to start.

Why it matters: April is Native Plant Month, drawing attention to Ohio's native trees, shrubs and flowers as an important food and habitat source for local wildlife.

Pro tip: It's OK to start small, Ohio State University Extension experts tell Axios.

State of play: Awareness of native plants is growing locally, with places like the Columbus Zoo taking on large projects and Franklin Park Conservatory hosting educational events.

But how homeowners handle their turf has become a contentious issue in some communities.

Campaigns like "No Mow May" have gained traction in recent years, and some folks are replacing their lawns altogether.

Many cities, like Columbus, have adopted more pollinator-friendly rules.

Aerial view of a grassy field with wildflowers, bordered by a curved multi-lane road on the right and the Columbus Zoo's parking lot on the left; a zoo sign sits near the foreground.

The zoo's 10-acre pollinator prairie project, near its entrance, started in 2021. Photo: Grahm S. Jones, courtesy of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Yes, but: Traditionalists and homeowner associations usually stand by maintaining a lush, manicured lawn for curb appeal.

What they're saying: "You don't have to tear up your lawn to create a habitat," educator Pam Bennett says.

Instead of thinking "all or nothing," just do what's feasible for you.

Zoom in: A mix of plants that bloom at different times of year supports pollinators like hummingbirds, bees and butterflies all year long.

Bennett's rule of thumb is nine — three each for spring, summer and fall — but any is better than none.

City-dwellers with limited yard space can add a few potted plants or a hanging basket to their balcony or patio.

There's no need for a separate garden, either, educator Mike Hogan says — just incorporate a few into your existing landscaping.

Summer: Coneflower, bergamot, milkweed (a Monarch habitat).

Fall: Aster, black-eyed Susan, little bluestem.

Where to find them: Several local growers specialize in natives, and Ohio State's "Plant by Numbers" guides can help you pick and arrange ones that work for you.

🧑‍🌾 Want some help? A June 6 workshop includes a collection of perennials to take home. Register by May 1 for $75.

White flowers with yellow centers bloom among dense green leaves, with hints of pink petals, creating a colorful garden bed.

A patch of snow trillium, Ohio's state wildflower. Photo: DeAgostini/Getty Images

Make your yard pollinator-friendly this spring

Native plants help birds, bees and butterflies — and you can start small.

Dense field of bright yellow Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) with dark centers; a monarch butterfly with orange and black wings rests on a bloom toward the bottom center-right.

A monarch butterfly, one of the most popular pollinators, flies near a patch of black-eyed Susans, a native Ohio plant. Photo: Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images

Spring planting season is nearly here — for those wanting to make their <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="yard" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2025/03/26/natural-organic-lawn-care-tips-ohio" data-vars-content-id="9c69f0f5-5188-4364-8068-d5c5d27ae19f" data-vars-headline="Make your yard pollinator-friendly this spring" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2025/03/26/natural-organic-lawn-care-tips-ohio" target="_self">yard</a> more pollinator-friendly, there&#x27;s no better time to start.Why it matters: April is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Native Plant Month" data-vars-click-url="https://nationalnativeplantmonth.org/" data-vars-content-id="9c69f0f5-5188-4364-8068-d5c5d27ae19f" data-vars-headline="Make your yard pollinator-friendly this spring" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://nationalnativeplantmonth.org/" target="_blank">Native Plant Month</a>, drawing attention to Ohio&#x27;s native trees, shrubs and flowers as an important food and habitat source for local wildlife.

Inspired by Vegan Dining Week, I recently grabbed lunch at fast-casual Can't Believe It's Vegan in Westerville.

Formerly a delivery service, the 100% vegan brick-and-mortar restaurant opened in 2022 to fill a gap on Central Ohio's northeast side. It's been a hit.

The name speaks for itself, and owner Clayton Freeman's goal is to make customers "one bite believers."

What I ate: The weekly special, a pair of cheeseburger sliders topped with spicy mayo and onion, plus fries on the side ($21).

😮 My thought bubble: I had one taste ... now I'm a believer.

This was one of the best burgers I've had in a long time. It was juicy and tender — and if they hadn't told me it was plant-based, I likely wouldn't have suspected a thing.

The restaurant is known for its seasoning and the crispy fries delivered.

My only complaint: This meal should be on the menu all the time, not just during Vegan Dining Week!

Stop by: 584 W. Schrock Road, Westerville. Hours. Menu.

Plate with two burgers on pretzel buns, melted cheese and onions visible, beside a pile of seasoned crinkle-cut fries and a small cup of ketchup on a wooden table.

These veggie burgers stole the show, but don't sleep on the seasoned fries.

Vegan skeptic? This restaurant will make you a believer

Can't Believe It's Vegan's burgers taste better than the real thing.

Cafe interior with avocado graphics and the hashtag #onebitebeliever. Black metal bar stools line a long counter; a potted plant sits on a wooden table; plate with sandwich and fries in foreground.

The Vegan Dining Week special at Can't Believe It's Vegan, 584 W. Schrock Road, Westerville. Photos: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios

A close-up of two veggie burger sliders on pretzel buns next to a pile of seasoned fries and a ketchup cup on a white plate.

Inspired by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Vegan Dining Week" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2026/04/21/columbus-vegan-dining-week-deals-2026" data-vars-content-id="c1ffc584-73c3-48bb-85a7-0c7e220d074b" data-vars-headline="Vegan skeptic? This restaurant will make you a believer" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2026/04/21/columbus-vegan-dining-week-deals-2026" target="_self">Vegan Dining Week</a>, I recently grabbed lunch at fast-casual <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Can&#x27;t Believe It&#x27;s Vegan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/cbivegan/" data-vars-content-id="c1ffc584-73c3-48bb-85a7-0c7e220d074b" data-vars-headline="Vegan skeptic? This restaurant will make you a believer" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/cbivegan/" target="_blank">Can&#x27;t Believe It&#x27;s Vegan</a> in Westerville.Formerly a delivery service, the 100% vegan brick-and-mortar restaurant opened <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="in 2022" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/local-vegan-delivery-opens-brick-and-mortar-location-in-westerville/" data-vars-content-id="c1ffc584-73c3-48bb-85a7-0c7e220d074b" data-vars-headline="Vegan skeptic? This restaurant will make you a believer" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/local-vegan-delivery-opens-brick-and-mortar-location-in-westerville/" target="_blank">in 2022</a> to fill a gap on Central Ohio&#x27;s northeast side. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="It&#x27;s been a hit" data-vars-click-url="https://www.yelp.com/article/top-100-vegan-restaurants-2024" data-vars-content-id="c1ffc584-73c3-48bb-85a7-0c7e220d074b" data-vars-headline="Vegan skeptic? This restaurant will make you a believer" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.yelp.com/article/top-100-vegan-restaurants-2024" target="_blank">It&#x27;s been a hit</a>.

Food and Drink

A locator map showing the Big Darby Accord boundary, which is west of Columbus. 

Big Darby Accord boundary

A line chart that shows Ohioâs chronic absenteeism rate by school year from 2017-18 to 2024-25. The rate was 16% in 2017-18, fell to a low of 11.2% in 2019-20, then rose to a peak of 30.2% in 2021-22. It eased to 25.1% in 2024-25.

Alissa Widman Neese

Featured stories

What's next for the Big Darby Accord

How to check your school's attendance data

Vegan skeptic? This restaurant will make you a believer

Make your yard pollinator-friendly this spring

Weekend picks: Try an Indie Bookstore Crawl