Business
Columbus awaits its Carvana car vending machine
A Carvana car vending machine that opened last month in Denver. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Carvana's expensive car vending machine project near Polaris appears to be stuck on the ground floor.
Details: The online used car dealership's plan calls for building a new sales facility with a 75-foot car vending machine on-site.
Columbus weighs proposal to ban employers asking about pay history
Columbus employers may soon be prohibited from asking job applicants about their pay history.
Why it matters: Advocates for the change say outlawing this question is one remedy for suppressed wages and pay discrimination, issues disproportionately affecting women and people of color.
First month of Ohio sports betting tops $1B in wagers
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
A few weeks after FanDuel hyped a statewide "free bet" promotion, the sportsbook sent a clarifying message to Ohio bettors.
- "'Free Bets' are now called 'Bonus Bets' … the only change is to the name."
OhioHealth announces $400M expansion to Grant Medical Center
The planned two-story ambulatory building at Grant Avenue and State Street. Image: Courtesy of Cannon Design
Grant Medical Center is getting a major upgrade, including a new seven-story trauma center, emergency department and critical care pavilion, OhioHealth announced yesterday.
Why it matters: Grant is already the state's busiest Level I trauma center. The $400 million expansion will grow its capacity and modernize its services as more people live downtown.
Ask Axios: What's with EV registration fees?
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Maddie M. writes: I'd be curious to hear more on how electric vehicle drivers in Ohio have to pay a $200 tax every time you renew your car registration … The fee seems so backwards if they are pushing environmentally friendly cars!
👋 Tyler here. Ohioans have long paid state and federal taxes to use our cars.
Ohio projected to wager $83 million on the Super Bowl
For the first time ever, the Super Bowl is being held in a state (Arizona) with legalized sports betting — an industry that is booming here and across the country.
Why it matters: Ohio's sports betting program continues to grow since going live on Jan. 1.
The rise of the side hustle
Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
Whether it's the growing price of gasoline, your electric bill or a dozen eggs, inflation has people thinking of ways to make more money, our colleagues at Axios Cleveland report.
What's happening: According to a recent LendingTree survey, 44% of Americans say they have a side hustle in addition to full-time jobs — up 13% from 2020 — with inflation as the biggest motivating factor.
Ohio's rise in union membership
Statewide union membership grew last year compared to 2021, per new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Why it matters: The increase is further evidence of a growing labor movement involving local workers at Ohio institutions and global companies alike.
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