We're kicking things off with Ask Axios, where we answer your questions about the Columbus area.

Reader Nico asks: Can businesses legally refuse to accept cash for payment of goods and services? … Does the pandemic-accelerated trend of moving cashless overstep the laws on banking and money in the U.S.?

First things first: Cash is "legal tender" in America, but businesses do have the right to refuse it and require digital payment.

• We've seen Ohio restaurants, amusement parks and even Columbus City Schools make the shift for its sporting events.

Why it matters: Fewer and fewer people use cash in their daily lives, though cashless businesses can impact millions of "unbanked" Americans who lack credit or debit cards.

• The rate of "unbanked" households is highest among communities of color, lower-income earners and those with disabilities, according to the FDIC.

What they're saying: Going cashless is more efficient for businesses, wards off theft and can lower operational costs, former Ohio State University economist Jay Zagorsky wrote back in 2016.

• In pandemic times, cashless payments are contact-free and avoid the widespread coin shortage.

State of play: Places like Nationwide Arena have tried to accommodate those still relying on paper money with "reverse ATMs" that load cash onto cards used at concession stands.

• The Central Ohio Transit Authority is transitioning to a digital payment system, with riders able to put cash onto "Smartcards" at hundreds of vendors across the region.

Meanwhile, places like New York City have outlawed this practice and require businesses accept cash.

• There have been no local discussions on enacting such a ban here, Columbus City Council press secretary David Miller tells us.

Of note: State Sen. Louis Blessing III of the Cincinnati area sponsored a bill earlier this term requiring Ohio retail merchants accept cash.

• Exceptions would be given to large entertainment venues along with transactions conducted over the internet, telephone or mail.
• The ACLU and Ohio Poverty Law Center support the bill, but it has made no legislative progress in recent months.

📬 Got questions? We'll find the answers.

👋 Alissa here. After months of hype, I finally checked out the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit near Polaris Fashion Place this weekend.

• At risk of sounding like a get-off-my-lawn grump, I have some … thoughts.

How it works: The display is one massive room, with projectors beaming animated artwork on the walls and floor. The show is on a 35-minute loop.

• Floor circles keep people distanced. You sit on benches or, if it's crowded, the floor.

My take: The show itself was breathtaking. One of my favorites was "Irises," starting with roots underground that bloom into vibrant purple flowers. The music perfectly set the mood.

Yes, but: I underestimated how packed the event would be on a Sunday. At times, it felt like a concert where you wish people would just put down their phone and enjoy the moment.

• But when a venue encourages photography — all that free social media "advertising" has clearly worked, after all — the goal seems to be getting that perfect profile picture instead of appreciating the art.

💭 I recommend going on a weekday if you can. You'll save $15 and likely have a better experience with fewer crowds and distractions.

The bottom line: To me, $55 a ticket felt really steep. Want a comfier seat? A cushion rental costs an extra $10.

• I guess we live in a world where you can see real Van Gogh paintings for $29 at the Columbus Museum of Art, but have to pay twice that for the more Instagrammable variety.

If you Gogh: 940 Polaris Parkway, Columbus. $40 off-peak, $55 peak times. Through Feb. 27. Closed Tuesdays.

🎒 Central Ohio's college campuses welcomed back students over the weekend with COVID vaccination and face mask policies. (WBNS)

🏳️‍⚧️ Ohio's first openly transgender public official joined the Gahanna school board this month. (The Columbus Dispatch)

🔍 U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan won't cooperate with the committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. (Axios)

🧠 Ohio native Amy Schneider has reached the $1 million mark in Jeopardy! earnings. (AP)

The first in a series of monthly dispatches about the state's drug overdose crisis features a harm reduction supply giveaway in nearby Newark. (Columbus Alive)

It's time for the first 2022 installment of our Franklin County historical marker tour.

• If "reading more books" is a resolution this year, there's a place in town with hundreds of thousands of options.

The marker: The Columbus Main Library, 96 S. Grant Ave.

The intrigue: This is one of many "Carnegie Libraries" across the state built in the early 20th century thanks to funding by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie.

• Both Alissa and Tyler grew up in Ohio towns that also had Carnegie Libraries!

8️⃣ down, 113 to go.

The Browns' disappointing season ended on a positive note, defeating the rival Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday to finish with an 8-9 record.

Meanwhile, the Bengals are hosting a postseason clash against the Las Vegas Raiders this Saturday at 4:30pm.

• Will southeast Ohio-native Joe Burrow lead Cincinnati to its first playoff victory in 31 years?