A partnership among a trio of nonprofits will give 32 Columbus mothers $500 a month over the next year with no strings attached.

Why it matters: The initiative marks what appears to be Columbus' first unconditional guaranteed income program, and it launches as the City of Columbus begins to test the waters of its own direct assistance projects.

Driving the news: Last week, RISE Together Innovation Institute, Motherful, and UpTogether announced the Ohio Mothers Trust program, which will distribute the money to mothers with incomes at or below 80% of the median, surveying participants along the way to track impact.

The big picture: Since multiple cash payments were sent to Americans during the pandemic, various guaranteed income and cash payment programs have been launched nationwide.

• Astar Herndon, Midwest partnership director for UpTogether, says national attitudes around these programs have changed drastically since the pandemic.
• "I don't think it's the same environment as 10 or 20 years ago," she told us. "In the past four years, we've just had a lot of examples of cash at a national level. Now, our struggle is making more examples on a local level."

Case in point: Herndon pointed to Austin's Guaranteed Income Pilot, launched in 2022, as a template for bringing direct cash programs to other cities.

• In an evaluation of that pilot released last week, the Urban Institute found that it "substantially" improved housing security, among other positive outcomes.

State of play: In November, the City of Columbus launched its own $500 a month "Economic Mobility Accelerator Program," which will benefit 200 households but requires them to participate in one of six job training or career services programs.

Yes, but: For Herndon, requirements like that program's perpetuate "mistrusting poor communities" and simply add another barrier to entry for people who need assistance the most.

• "What we've found is that the restriction really limits the ability to decide, based on where you're at, the best decision for you," she says.

What they're saying: Councilwoman Melissa Green, the first licensed social worker on Columbus City Council and a proponent of the accelerator, sees it as a "steppingstone" toward conversations about expanded cash and direct assistance programs.

• "Those stimulus checks cut child poverty rates in half," she told Axios. "I think seeing information like that … gives us more motivation to continue forward on this path."

Columbus-area workers are still more likely to work remotely than the national average.

Yes, but: The number of people whose jobs offer that convenience keeps declining.

Catch up quick: In 2021, the peak of the pandemic, nearly a fourth of local workers were remote, per census data. 

• That dropped to 18.4% in 2022 and 16.8% last year, the most recent data available.
• It's likely this year's figure could be even lower, as more companies call their employees back to the office.

The big picture: Our metro area's share of remote workers in 2023 ranks 32nd out of the country's 164 largest.

• All cities in the top 10 have at least 20% of employees still working from home.

Go deeper: The cities where people are still working from home 

📬 Are you working in person again? Is it by choice or by force? Hit reply and let us know how you feel about it.

💨 Ohio's recreational marijuana sales are approaching $200 million since launching in August, but lawmakers are still considering a variety of changes to the state's program. (Dispatch)

☀️ Longtime local meteorologist Bob Nunnally died Sunday morning at age 68 from cancer-related complications, his family announced. (WCMH-TV)

🛝 Fort Rapids' abandoned property will be managed by a Dublin firm, per a court order. (Columbus Business First 🔒)

⚖️ House Bill 111, which Gov. Mike DeWine is expected to soon sign into law, would toughen penalties for domestic violence in Ohio. (WOSU)

Ohio State playoff tickets go on sale to the general public Thursday morning, but some are already on resale sites if you're especially eager to snag a seat at the 'Shoe.

State of play: After two straight years of heartbreaking bowl games and four straight losses to That Team Up North, the Buckeyes really need to win one that counts.

• There's no place like home to make it happen.

Follow the money: As of yesterday afternoon, tickets started around $300 on StubHub, Seat Geek and Ticketmaster.

• General admission tickets will start at $100 but likely disappear quickly. 
• Details here.

What's next: The game is 8pm Dec. 21.

• If the Buckeyes beat Tennessee, they'll play No. 1 seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl quarterfinals on New Year's Day.

Another Central Ohio tradition returns this holiday season: complaining about the bumper-to-bumper traffic surrounding the Columbus Zoo.

The latest: A warm, sunny weekend is a recipe for disaster during Wildlights, as many learned on Sunday, when over 25,000 people visited.

😬 Our thought bubble: Hey, at least nobody called 911 this time … we hope.

💡 Pro tips: While crowds are inevitable, here are our strategies to avoid the worst congestion. 

• Avoid weekends and Christmas Eve.
• Go on a cold or snowy day. Bundle up and buy a refillable hot chocolate mug!
• There are two zoo entrances — don't forget to check traffic leading to both.
• Your admission is good all day. Arrive early, before Wildlights begins, and enjoy the animals during daylight. Then leave well before closing time and beat the rush.