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Columbus Alerts

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

Axios Columbus

Axios Columbus Thought Bubble

A proposed change to city law would require Columbus police officers to publicly display their name tags and badge numbers while on duty.

Why it matters: The ordinance is part of a broader effort to improve police transparency after a rash of alleged police misconduct during the 2020 protests. 

If approved, the ordinance would be in effect starting next year — also when police expect to be fully equipped with new body-worn cameras.

State of play: Police faced criticism for their response to the protests that followed George Floyd's murder, which included the pepper spraying of Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Columbus), City Council President Shannon Hardin, Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce and student journalists. 

Three officers were criminally charged following investigations into police activity during that summer's unrest. 

Yes, but: Investigations were hindered because some officers did not wear name tags on their riot gear.

Details: Under this ordinance, set to be introduced at tonight's City Council meeting, officers would need to wear ID on all standard and "alternate" uniforms.

Exceptions would be given for those working undercover or facing "imminent or probable threats."

Columbus police may be forced to wear name IDs

The ordinance is part of a broader effort to improve police transparency.

Police in riot gear patrol a Columbus protest in 2020.

Protesters confront police officers standing in the middle of the street in 2020 during the protest against the murder of George Floyd. Photo: Megan Jelinger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Police

A proposed change to city law would require Columbus police officers to publicly display their name tags and badge numbers while on duty.

News

Politics

These four baseball cards share something in common. Can you guess it? 

I found them among thousands of other baseball, football, basketball and Pokemon trading cards unearthed during a recent attempt at spring cleaning.

The intrigue: At first, I thought I'd stumbled upon cardboard gold.

The trading card industry exploded during the pandemic, Axios' Jeff Tracy wrote last year, as sports fans stuck at home lived vicariously through their cards. 

Yes, but: It turns out most of my collection is worthless. 

Card makers oversaturated the market with junk in the late 1980s and 1990s, which is around when the four cards above featuring MLB players from the Central Ohio area were produced — sorry fellas.

Included are Pat Borders and Paul Householder of Columbus, Allan Anderson of Lancaster and Kent Mercker of Dublin.

The intrigue: Mercker, a Dublin Coffman graduate, followed up an 18-season pitching career by becoming a pickleball sensation. 

📬 Hey, collectors: My loving, well-organized wife would love it if any Axios Columbus readers want to make an offer on thousands of sports cards. 

If you're interested, email columbus@axios.com.

Meanwhile, I'll be taking my Pokemon cards to a local card shop, as it turns out there's a greater market for Pikachus than Paul Householders (sorry again, Paul). 

Where to go: Should you discover a card collection of your own, or want a fill of nostalgia, here are three card shops to check out:

Hartman's Sports Card Shop on Morse Road. 

Unearthing cardboard gold and junk

What to do with your collection of sports and Pokemon cards.

Four former MLB stars with a shared connection. Photo: Tyler Buchanan/Axios 

Sports

These four baseball cards share something in common. Can you guess it? <ul><li>I found them among thousands of other baseball, football, basketball and Pokemon trading cards unearthed during a recent attempt at spring cleaning.</li></ul>

👋 Tyler here. Our Axios company retreat doesn't start until tomorrow, but I got to Washington, D.C., a few days early strictly for professional reasons. 

By that I mean to watch baseball, eat a dozen panini and generally solve the nation's problems. 

🚄 It only took a few hours to prove my axiom about being an Ohio traveler:

A tweet reading, "Being an Ohioan is just traveling to other states and getting jealous at their passenger trains."

Between the rail lines: For several years, I've written about Ohio's lack of passenger rail connecting our biggest cities. 

Numerous Columbus residents and activists have told me variations of: I would love to take the train to a Cleveland Browns/Cincinnati Reds game, have a few drinks, then head back home that night. 

Driving the news: My trips to and from Nationals Park this past weekend convinced me those people would follow through if given the option.

The ride into town: Our train gradually filled with fans sporting the Nationals' red, white and navy blue.

Then came the mass exodus at the Navy Yard-Ballpark station, a mere quarter-mile walk from the stadium. 

Afterward, my train car back to the hotel included a few passengers who … enjoyed the park's refreshments as much as the Nationals' 13-6 win over Houston, let's just say.

They were boisterous, but I didn't mind. It sure beat any of them driving home drunk. 

Catch up quick: The national bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law last year includes billions of dollars toward passenger rail expansion.

Amtrak has proposed a "3C+D" line connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati, along with a new link between Toledo and Detroit.

A proposed spot for the local station is the Greater Columbus Convention Center. 

What's next: This project is in the early planning stages and Gov. Mike DeWine has asked the state rail development commission to analyze its cost and feasibility, we reported last month.

A ride on D.C.'s Metro shows what Ohio could have

Amtrak has proposed a "3C+D" line connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati.

An Amtrak train departing a station. An Amtrak train departing a station. 

Photo: Luke Sharrett/AFP via Getty Images

Transportation

👋 Tyler here. Our Axios company retreat doesn&#x27;t start until tomorrow, but I got to Washington, D.C., a few days early strictly for professional reasons. <ul><li>By that I mean to watch baseball, eat a dozen panini and generally solve the nation&#x27;s problems. </li></ul>

Ohio Democrats are seeking a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights should Roe v. Wade be overturned. 

Why it matters: The constitutional amendment would override Republican efforts to restrict abortion access and put the question before voters. 

Details: The process requires three-fifths approval in both the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate before it gets to voters.

Between the lines: Democratic lawmakers concede this is a longshot effort, given the Republican supermajorities in both Statehouse chambers. 

The hope is to rally support from activist organizations and gear up for the backup plan, a citizen-initiated amendment that bypasses the legislature. 

Yes, but: That is a much more arduous route to the ballot box.

It would require organizers to gather more than 400,000 signed petitions from half of Ohio's 88 counties.  

Catch up quick: Ohio does not have a trigger law in place to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is struck down, though there are active proposals to enact one. 

A 2019 "Heartbeat Bill" prohibiting abortions after fetal cardiac activity can be detected was blocked from taking effect because of Roe. 

Ohio Dems pitch constitutional amendment on abortion rights

The amendment, if successful, would be placed on an upcoming ballot.

Protesters in front of the Ohio Statehouse. 

Protesters at a "Ban Off Our Bodies" rally at the Ohio Statehouse. Photo: Courtney Hergesheimer/Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Network

Abortion-rights movement

Ohio Democrats are seeking a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights should Roe v. Wade be overturned. Why it matters: The constitutional amendment would override Republican efforts to restrict abortion access and put the question before voters.

Kids in Whitehall will soon have the chance to lace up and play free hockey.

What's happening: The city is building a street hockey rink in John Bishop Park thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation. 

As with an earlier project in Westerville, the Jackets plan to offer hockey clinics, equipment and youth and adult leagues.

Whitehall is chipping in $60,000 toward the new rink. 

Details: Once completed this fall, the rink will round out a city park already featuring baseball and softball fields, a splash park and an inclusive, ADA-compliant playground. 

What they're saying: The new rink is meant to introduce children to a sport that can have an expensive barrier to entry compared to other sports with casual play opportunities like basketball and soccer, Whitehall city administrator Zach Woodruff tells Axios. 

"With street hockey, you just need shoes and a stick."

Street hockey rink coming to Whitehall

The rink is supported by a grant from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

A street hockey rink in a municipal park. 

A rendering of the new street hockey rink being built in Whitehall. Courtesy of the City of Whitehall 

Hockey

Kids in Whitehall will soon have the chance to lace up and play free hockey.<ul><li>Street hockey, that is.</li></ul>

Tyler Buchanan

Featured stories

Columbus police may be forced to wear name IDs

Unearthing cardboard gold and junk

Street hockey rink coming to Whitehall

Ohio Dems pitch constitutional amendment on abortion rights

A ride on D.C.'s Metro shows what Ohio could have