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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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Les Wexner's ties to Jeffrey Epstein, explained

Wexner is set to testify as pressure mounts over the Epstein files.

Politics & Policy

Embattled billionaire Les Wexner is scheduled to testify Wednesday about his association with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jeffrey Epstein" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/epstein-files" data-vars-content-id="e56841ff-1263-428f-853c-f33094fc48c6" data-vars-headline="Les Wexner&#x27;s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, explained" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/epstein-files" target="_self">Jeffrey Epstein</a> as public pressure mounts on the L Brands founder and his many Columbus connections.Why it matters: Wexner permanently shaped Central Ohio. He&#x27;s Ohio&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="richest" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2024/05/03/les-wexner-richest-ohio-billionaire-forbes-list" data-vars-content-id="e56841ff-1263-428f-853c-f33094fc48c6" data-vars-headline="Les Wexner&#x27;s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, explained" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2024/05/03/les-wexner-richest-ohio-billionaire-forbes-list" target="_self">richest</a> person and an international business titan whose influence extends well beyond our state.

Crew ticket prices test fan loyalty

Some Columbus fans say rising costs are changing how often they can attend matches.

News

Since moving to a new Arena District home in 2021, the Crew has <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="built momentum" data-vars-click-url="https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2025/10/23/columbus-crew-2025-attendance.html?csrc=6398&amp;taid=68fc55d456d86e0001708546&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthemTrendingContent&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter" data-vars-content-id="299f6024-2780-40b8-802b-421bd9e73bd0" data-vars-headline="Crew ticket prices test fan loyalty" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2025/10/23/columbus-crew-2025-attendance.html?csrc=6398&amp;taid=68fc55d456d86e0001708546&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthemTrendingContent&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank">built momentum</a> on packed crowds and good atmosphere — but is it waning?Why it matters: Some fans say they&#x27;re being priced out, while others worry costs are stalling that momentum.

Ohio stars lift U.S. hockey to gold sweep

Zach Werenski and Laila Edwards delivered key assists.

Both U.S. hockey teams brought home the gold from Milan with dramatic 2-1 overtime wins over Canada — and that&#x27;s thanks to some big assists <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="from Ohio" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2026/02/06/ohio-winter-olympics-representation-milan-2026" data-vars-content-id="3397ff2b-510e-4654-92fb-618d7976bf44" data-vars-headline="Ohio stars lift U.S. hockey to gold sweep" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2026/02/06/ohio-winter-olympics-representation-milan-2026" target="_self">from Ohio</a>.Why it matters: The men&#x27;s victory ended a 46-year drought, their first gold since the 1980 &quot;Miracle on Ice.&quot;

Poll: Should Les Wexner's name stay on buildings?

Scrutiny is growing over the donor's Jeffrey Epstein ties.

Ohio State&#x27;s new University Hospital welcomed its first patients over the weekend as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="over 100 protesters" data-vars-click-url="https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2026/02/22/ohio-state-remove-les-wexners-name-jeffrey-epstein-ties/88811310007/?tbref=hp&amp;utm_source=dispatch-extra-credit-strada&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=baseline_greeting&amp;utm_term=newsletter-greeting&amp;utm_content=ncod-columbus-nletter38" data-vars-content-id="f8c0237d-c20c-4d3e-a37b-f2ea01981431" data-vars-headline="Poll: Should Les Wexner&#x27;s name stay on buildings?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2026/02/22/ohio-state-remove-les-wexners-name-jeffrey-epstein-ties/88811310007/?tbref=hp&amp;utm_source=dispatch-extra-credit-strada&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=baseline_greeting&amp;utm_term=newsletter-greeting&amp;utm_content=ncod-columbus-nletter38" target="_blank">over 100 protesters</a> demanded that Les Wexner&#x27;s name be removed from it.State of play: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="debate" data-vars-click-url="https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/oust-wexner-banner-ohio-state-connection-to-jeffrey-epstein-investigation/530-57218834-3b7a-4af3-b120-a23c4ff8a7af" data-vars-content-id="f8c0237d-c20c-4d3e-a37b-f2ea01981431" data-vars-headline="Poll: Should Les Wexner&#x27;s name stay on buildings?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/oust-wexner-banner-ohio-state-connection-to-jeffrey-epstein-investigation/530-57218834-3b7a-4af3-b120-a23c4ff8a7af" target="_blank">debate</a> over the billionaire donor&#x27;s naming rights likely isn&#x27;t going anywhere, amid renewed scrutiny over his <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ties to Jeffrey Epstein" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2026/02/18/les-wexner-jeffrey-epstein-ties-testimony" data-vars-content-id="f8c0237d-c20c-4d3e-a37b-f2ea01981431" data-vars-headline="Poll: Should Les Wexner&#x27;s name stay on buildings?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2026/02/18/les-wexner-jeffrey-epstein-ties-testimony" target="_self">ties to Jeffrey Epstein</a>.

Reviving historic media with OSU's digitization team

Catch a showcase of the team's work at the upcoming Cinema Revival festival.

Culture

There are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="millions" data-vars-click-url="https://www.facebook.com/OSULibraries/posts/do-you-know-how-many-books-we-have-at-thompson-library-about-125-million-there-a/788221573334581/" data-vars-content-id="de330718-e2a5-4a78-8ec2-f2453ec9dc52" data-vars-headline="Reviving historic media with OSU&#x27;s digitization team" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.facebook.com/OSULibraries/posts/do-you-know-how-many-books-we-have-at-thompson-library-about-125-million-there-a/788221573334581/" target="_blank">millions</a> of books in Ohio State&#x27;s library system, but countless outdated media gems buried deep in the archives require the help of preservationists to return them to life.Why it matters: Thousands of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="historic" data-vars-click-url="https://library.osu.edu/archives" data-vars-content-id="de330718-e2a5-4a78-8ec2-f2453ec9dc52" data-vars-headline="Reviving historic media with OSU&#x27;s digitization team" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://library.osu.edu/archives" target="_blank">historic</a> audiovisual items are kept at OSU, especially its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="special collections" data-vars-click-url="https://library.osu.edu/special-collections" data-vars-content-id="de330718-e2a5-4a78-8ec2-f2453ec9dc52" data-vars-headline="Reviving historic media with OSU&#x27;s digitization team" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://library.osu.edu/special-collections" target="_blank">special collections</a> — and without digitization, these items largely sit unused and forgotten.

Ohio lawmakers may ban high school NIL deals

Currently most states allow teen NIL deals, but that may change.

Ohio high school athletes have been legally able to strike <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="name, image and likeness" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/26/high-school-athletes-nil-deals" data-vars-content-id="b421c559-109c-4d2f-83e1-69fdde964704" data-vars-headline="Ohio lawmakers may ban high school NIL deals" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/26/high-school-athletes-nil-deals" target="_self">name, image and likeness</a> deals for a few months, but a proposed law could make the practice short-lived.

The Crew is back in a World Cup year

Here's a 2026 season preview for the Columbus Crew and its new faces.

Major League Soccer returns this week, with the Crew aiming for a bounce-back season.Why it matters: Soccer is in the spotlight with America hosting the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="World Cup" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2026/02/11/world-cup-tickets-available-for-capital-one-venture-x-visa-cardholders" data-vars-content-id="aad2cef1-36e1-48cc-9f1e-a3b07bd6833e" data-vars-headline="The Crew is back in a World Cup year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2026/02/11/world-cup-tickets-available-for-capital-one-venture-x-visa-cardholders" target="_self">World Cup</a> this year, and Columbus has established itself as a perennial MLS contender.

Fast facts: OSU's new hospital

The $1.9 billion project is set to open Sunday.

OSU Wexner Medical Center will welcome patients into its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="University Hospital tower" data-vars-click-url="https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/lp/new-inpatient-hospital-tower" data-vars-content-id="c161efb0-ffb3-4846-ab68-fb84bc4827cf" data-vars-headline="Fast facts: OSU&#x27;s new hospital" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/lp/new-inpatient-hospital-tower" target="_blank">University Hospital tower</a> on Sunday, the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="largest" data-vars-click-url="https://medicine.osu.edu/news/an-inside-look-at-the-new-university-hospital" data-vars-content-id="c161efb0-ffb3-4846-ab68-fb84bc4827cf" data-vars-headline="Fast facts: OSU&#x27;s new hospital" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://medicine.osu.edu/news/an-inside-look-at-the-new-university-hospital" target="_blank">largest</a> single facilities project in Ohio State history.By the numbers:2020: The year crews broke ground. There was no ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After vendor shakeup, micromobility use dips

A report shows trips fell 19% as Columbus enforces parking and ADA rules for rented scooters and bikes.

A year after launching new bike and scooter share partnerships, Columbus is seeing a decrease in riders as the city continues to try to rid sidewalks of obstructive and annoying devices.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Deals with Veo and Spin" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2025/03/27/veo-scooter-bike-vendor-rental-ohio" data-vars-content-id="7b16f20e-6f58-4460-99e8-f3d35d26dcd3" data-vars-headline="After vendor shakeup, micromobility use dips" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2025/03/27/veo-scooter-bike-vendor-rental-ohio" target="_self">Deals with Veo and Spin</a> shifted the city&#x27;s micromobility paradigm by limiting the number of companies operating scooters, bringing in revenue and formalizing standards and fines.

A look back at Jesse Jackson's visits to Columbus

The civil rights icon died Tuesday. He rallied here for years.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon who <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="died Tuesday" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/17/jesse-jackson-dies-civil-rights-leader" data-vars-content-id="17a7195e-6291-4349-8dc9-964dbc678053" data-vars-headline="A look back at Jesse Jackson&#x27;s visits to Columbus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/17/jesse-jackson-dies-civil-rights-leader" target="_self">died Tuesday</a> at age 84, visited Columbus several times over his lengthy career of fighting against racial inequality and injustice.

Les Wexner's 2019 statements on Epstein relationship

The statements were issued to L Brands and the Wexner Foundation.

In the summer of 2019, Les Wexner made a pair of statements to L Brands and the Wexner Foundation about his relationship to Jeffrey Epstein.

News 🗞

Reviving historic media with OSU's digitization team

Ohio lawmakers may ban high school NIL deals

Poll: Should Les Wexner's name stay on buildings?

Ohio stars lift U.S. hockey to gold sweep

The Crew is back in a World Cup year