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

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What the Ohio State Fairgrounds may look like

Ohio plans to reimagine the entire 360-acre fairgrounds in Columbus.

News

Columbus homicides are trending up in 2023

Guns, more domestic violence are big factors, police say.

Local doll museum celebrates Barbie's legacy

Amid the movie hype, explore 64 years of Barbie history.

Columbus' biggest ice cream chains, ranked

Jeni's is beloved, but it can't dethrone Dairy Queen.

Food and Drink

Columbites: Bojangles finally makes local debut

Axios Columbus reviews the new chicken restaurant on Hilliard-Rome Road.

Business

The delay for Bojangles chicken and biscuits has been a cause célèbre on Columbus&#x27; West Side — but at long last it&#x27;s finally open.The intrigue: The North Carolina-based chain is streamlining its menu at new markets, spokesperson Stacey McCray tells Axios.

Columbus competing with Dayton for trendy businesses

Buc-ee's, Wawa and Bojangles are all set to open new Ohio locations.

A suburban mayor near Dayton <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="nearly broke the internet" data-vars-click-url="https://www.facebook.com/HuberHeightsMayor/posts/pfbid02Mt8uMEWFXHJNrzFAEL7nvbgLExvRWbqsK1JV1vQ7TCAx1Bn2ZaMnV92UNHH15w7Vl" data-vars-content-id="ff4b16cd-2452-4bcc-851b-14dc86028ecc" data-vars-headline="Columbus competing with Dayton for trendy businesses" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.facebook.com/HuberHeightsMayor/posts/pfbid02Mt8uMEWFXHJNrzFAEL7nvbgLExvRWbqsK1JV1vQ7TCAx1Bn2ZaMnV92UNHH15w7Vl" target="_blank">nearly broke the internet</a> when he recently announced local plans for Ohio&#x27;s first Buc-ee&#x27;s gas station.Why it matters: The Columbus region has long been a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="popular test market" data-vars-click-url="https://www.columbusmonthly.com/story/lifestyle/2015/01/26/how-columbus-became-america-s/22782650007/" data-vars-content-id="ff4b16cd-2452-4bcc-851b-14dc86028ecc" data-vars-headline="Columbus competing with Dayton for trendy businesses" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.columbusmonthly.com/story/lifestyle/2015/01/26/how-columbus-became-america-s/22782650007/" target="_blank">popular test market</a> and entry point for brands coming to Ohio, but we face increasing competition from metros like Dayton that can also tout favorable Midwestern geography and diverse demographics.

An overhead view of a Buc-ees gas station and convenience store. 

Dispatch pauses AI sports writing program

A Westerville football recap was blasted on social media for its robotic style.

The Columbus Dispatch paused use of an artificial intelligence sports writing tool after a Westerville football recap faced criticism on social media that went viral last week.Why it matters: Newsrooms are increasingly experimenting with generative AI tools, but must grapple with ethical challenges while still maintaining public trust, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios&#x27; Sara Fischer and Ryan Heath write" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/22/ai-rules-newsrooms-training-data" data-vars-content-id="feae0647-9ae9-4f21-ba91-847eca843203" data-vars-headline="Dispatch pauses AI sports writing program" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/22/ai-rules-newsrooms-training-data" target="_self">Axios&#x27; Sara Fischer and Ryan Heath write</a>.

Illustration of a football hitting a robot on its head.

Ohio's unemployment rate reaches a record low

Ohio has more filled jobs than ever before in the state's history.

Ohioans are getting to work this summer in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="record numbers." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2023/04/17/columbus-unemployment-rate-2023" data-vars-content-id="930f61e5-11e0-4ca6-b3ae-f3829c0159ee" data-vars-headline="Ohio&#x27;s unemployment rate reaches a record low" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2023/04/17/columbus-unemployment-rate-2023" target="_self">record numbers.</a>Driving the news: Ohio tallied 5,639,200 non-farming jobs last month, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="per the latest federal and state labor data. " data-vars-click-url="https://jfs.ohio.gov/static/RELEASES/July%202023%20Employment%20Situation.pdf" data-vars-content-id="930f61e5-11e0-4ca6-b3ae-f3829c0159ee" data-vars-headline="Ohio&#x27;s unemployment rate reaches a record low" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://jfs.ohio.gov/static/RELEASES/July%202023%20Employment%20Situation.pdf" target="_blank">per the latest federal and state labor data. </a>

We tried White Castle's new AI drive-thru

The Columbus-based chain hopes to bring AI technology to 100 locations.

👋 Tyler here. I&#x27;ve been on the hunt for a robot to take my fast food order, and recently got the chance at my neighborhood White Castle.Deep frying the news: The Columbus-based chain has spent a few years experimenting with &quot;Julia,&quot; its computer ordering persona, at restaurants on Hilliard-Rome Road and in Indiana.

An ordering menu for White Castle AI drive-thru. 

Study: AI will threaten many Columbus area jobs

Administrative roles are most at threat with the development of AI tools.

Approximately one out of every eight jobs in the Columbus metro area will be threatened by artificial intelligence in the coming years, per <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/where-ai-will-replace-jobs?utm_source=st&amp;utm_medium=en&amp;utm_campaign=inno&amp;ana=e_n&amp;utm_content=au" data-vars-content-id="f721cfd5-242e-45b0-9cae-ac2a51ad3eea" data-vars-headline="Study: AI will threaten many Columbus area jobs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/where-ai-will-replace-jobs?utm_source=st&amp;utm_medium=en&amp;utm_campaign=inno&amp;ana=e_n&amp;utm_content=au" target="_blank">new analysis</a> from the research website ChamberofCommerce.org.Why it matters: Rapid AI development can be an economic double-edged sword, with the potential boost in productivity accompanied by significant job losses.

Illustration of multiple name tags that all say "Hello my name is AI."

Retirement out of reach for many in Ohio

Most want to retire, but some feel they will never be able to.

Most Americans want to retire, but only half feel they can save for the future.The big picture: Many working Americans who haven&#x27;t yet retired say they are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="unprepared to do so" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/04/27/retirement-income-us-401k" data-vars-content-id="9aa711f3-addc-4baa-a2d4-d5466ae3a55a" data-vars-headline="Retirement out of reach for many in Ohio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/04/27/retirement-income-us-401k" target="_self">unprepared to do so</a>, unsure how to prepare and unsure if they even want to fully retire, according to<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" a new Axios-Ipsos poll" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/axios-ipsos-retirement-survey" data-vars-content-id="9aa711f3-addc-4baa-a2d4-d5466ae3a55a" data-vars-headline="Retirement out of reach for many in Ohio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/axios-ipsos-retirement-survey" target="_blank"> a new Axios-Ipsos poll</a>.

A stacked bar chart showing the share that agree or disagree with two statements about retirement. 80% agree that the point of working hard your adult life is to have a nice retirement, while 49% say that they feel they are just getting by and are unable to save for retirement.

The lasting legacy of Columbus' Summit Station bar

The former lesbian bar was recently honored with a historical marker.

The newest historical marker in town honors a bar that one former patron called the &quot;soul of the lesbian community.&quot;The marker: Summit Station at 2210 Summit St., now a music hall.

Lesbian bars are disappearing, but Ohio's is going strong

The Columbus staple celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Since opening in 1993, Slammers has welcomed downtown patrons with the slogan &quot;all walks, one groove&quot; — a motto that continues to evolve.Driving the news: The country&#x27;s lesbian bars are dwindling, but Slammers is thriving as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. It&#x27;s Ohio&#x27;s only lesbian bar and one of just 27 nationwide, per the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lesbian Bar Project" data-vars-click-url="https://www.lesbianbarproject.com/" data-vars-content-id="f725c086-0268-415a-ab95-4e13b5611842" data-vars-headline="Lesbian bars are disappearing, but Ohio&#x27;s is going strong" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.lesbianbarproject.com/" target="_blank">Lesbian Bar Project</a>.

A mural reading "Slammers" surrounded by hearts, with a rainbow wall

Amazon Web Services investing $7.8 billion in new data centers

The data centers will be used for cloud computing and AI technology.

Amazon is the latest tech giant to announce a major expansion in central Ohio.What&#x27;s happening: Its subsidiary Amazon Web Services (AWS) plans to invest $7.8 billion toward expanding its data center operations here over the next handful of years.

Logos for Amazon and its subsidiary Amazon Web Services.

Business 🏦