Central Ohio's population continues to grow, thanks largely to international migration.

Why it matters: As Ohio birth rates decline and life expectancy lags behind other states, our region is relying on migration to drive population growth and the resulting productivity, creativity and tax dollars.

State of play: The Columbus metro area grew by 1.4% from 2023 to 2024, adding around 30,300 people, according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

• Local growth outpaced national growth (1%) for the fourth year in a row.

By the numbers: Natural growth explains some of the local increase. Our region had around 26,000 births from 2023 to 2024, compared to around 18,000 deaths.

• But according to the new census estimates, the metro area drew 23,395 international migrants last year, accounting for about 77% of our growth.

Zoom out: Not every Ohio city is experiencing the rapid growth seen in Columbus.

• Cleveland's Cuyahoga County, for instance, grew by just 2,000 people between 2023 and 2024.

The big picture: The number of people living in U.S. metros rose by almost 3.2 million between 2023 and 2024, and most areas can thank international migration for the population boost.

• "All of the nation's 387 metro areas had positive net international migration between 2023 and 2024, and it accounted for nearly 2.7 million of the total population gain in metro areas," the Census Bureau said in a statement accompanying the new data.

A controversial but critically acclaimed documentary is screening in Columbus thanks to independent cinema.

Why it matters: "No Other Land," which won the Oscar for best documentary feature film for its coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has struggled to find nationwide distribution due to its subject matter.

State of play: Nonprofit independent theater Gateway Film Center hosted Columbus' only pre-Academy Awards screenings of the movie and has shown it continuously since early February.

Friction point: The film has become a microcosm of the global debate over the conflict it documents, drawing both criticism and acclaim.

• In Miami Beach, O Cinema was threatened with eviction for screening the documentary. The city's mayor also proposed pulling local grants for showing the "one-sided propaganda attack on the Jewish people."

Between the lines: Gateway president and CEO Chris Hamel tells Axios screening the film is "very important" to the theater's mission and highlights the importance of independent cinema in Columbus.

• Hamel says he has heard nothing but "messages of gratitude and positivity" from local audiences.

What they're saying: Hamel offers "full-throated support of the great people at O Cinema," a fellow nonprofit and independent theater.

• "The type of censorship they are experiencing, for an Academy Award-winning film, is surprising and disappointing. I hope the people in Miami come out to support this great venue and the fine people who are running it."

🍿 If you go: Visit the Gateway Film Center website for showtimes.

🏀 OSU men's basketball declined to participate in the first College Basketball Crown tournament, ending its season.

• After missing out on an NCAA Tournament berth, the team was contractually obligated to participate or pass on all postseason events. (Dispatch)

🏒 The Buckeyes' women's hockey team, meanwhile, has reached its fifth straight Frozen Four appearance, and will play Cornell in Friday's semifinal Friday. (Eleven Warriors)

🏛️ Two Ohio House Republicans introduced a bill directing certain state agencies to "collect and maintain" citizenship status of the people they interact with. (Ohio Capital Journal)

🥯 A month after Block's Bagels closed, Cincinnati chain Marx Bagels — also founded by Hal Block — is taking over the McNaughten Road location. (WSYX-TV)

It was a better week for the Crew, but the team was officially eliminated from one competition and is still trying to find its footing.

MLS Record: 2-0-2, 8 points.

• 3rd in the East, 5th in MLS.

On the field: It was a bittersweet week, with a pair of performances that felt better than the results they earned.

• First, the Crew did their very best to claw back from a 3-0 first leg deficit, but were eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup after a hard-fought 2-1 win over LAFC.
• Then they went to San Diego and led most of the match before a 61st minute red card for Malte Amundsen and a 69th minute equalizer resulted in a 1-1 draw.

State of play: Most of those 180 minutes were improvements over the blowout loss and listless draw from last week.

• Columbus was one incredible save away from the 3-0 scoreline they desperately needed.
• The performance in San Diego was better, but undone by the red card.

Threat level: This weekend will test an already thin squad.

• Hosting New York City Saturday, the team will be missing Mo Farsi, Taha Habroune and Patrick Schulte for international duty, along with the suspended Amundsen and anyone still injured.

"This is an everybody issue, even if you don't have a neighborhood where typically people are shooting or robbing, you still have an opportunity to support."

The latest: The anti-violence group is taking its campaign to area malls to raise awareness and connect with people who "wouldn't typically have to worry about violence."

Context: Columbus' homicide count has fallen since a record high 210 killings in 2021, but the group wants to see figures drop below 100 for the first time in a decade.

• Last year's homicide total was 124.
• So far in 2025, the Columbus Division of Police has reported 12 homicides, per a spokesperson.

Stop by: The first "silence the violence" mall walk is tomorrow at Polaris and begins with a 6pm meetup at the food court.

Go deeper: Learn more about "Operation Under Triple Digits."