It's a new week — let's start it right.

🌤️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny with a high near 90.

🎂 Happy birthday to our member Dean Cox!

📸 Situational awareness: Mayor Andrew Ginther has announced "expanded protocols" for Columbus police's use of license plate readers like Flock cameras.

• Changes include tightened retention, usage and access policies, monthly audits of CPD use, and a "kill switch" to immediately suspend access.

Today's newsletter is 983 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Public bathrooms, bike paths and trails and are among the million-dollar suggestions of Columbus' first participatory budget program.

Why it matters: "Our Voice, Our Choice Budget" lets residents choose how funds are allocated, and its success will determine whether Columbus gives them more say in the future.

How it works: The city allocated $9 million ($1 million for each district) to the program, which sought to gather resident-driven ideas for small but impactful local projects.

By the numbers: Over 600 proposals were submitted to a public portal through Friday.

• Most people offered a single idea, but there was no limit — the prolific "Participant 713" alone submitted around 30 proposals.
• Submissions came from every neighborhood, but District 7 (which includes downtown, the Short North and German Village) had the most with over 150.

Zoom in: The most common topics were streets, sidewalks, green space and parks.

• Many related to children and families or accessibility.

The intrigue: The portal allows users to like, follow and comment on submissions. Proposals with the most engagement include:

• Public, flushing restrooms in Goodale Park.
• Bike lanes in Franklinton.
• Connecting the Olentangy Trail with Highbanks Metro Park.

What's next: Now, city staff and volunteer "budget delegates" from each district will assess the submissions and turn the most plausible ideas into concrete proposals with cost estimates and timelines.

• From Nov. 2 to Dec. 4, residents will vote on which ideas to fund.

What they're saying: Council member Nick Bankston, who spearheaded the program's introduction, tells Axios that residents "stepped up in a big way" and "completely surpassed what we hoped for."

• "The quantity and quality of the ideas submitted show just how deeply people care about their neighborhoods."

📥 Read the ideas and tell us: What are your favorite submissions? Did you participate? Are you a budget delegate?

• Reply to this email to share your thoughts.

We're grateful to the readers who make Axios Local part of their day and continue to follow the stories unfolding around them.

Looking ahead: There's always more to cover. Member support helps our newsroom grow alongside your community and continue bringing you the local reporting you value.

🪴 Become a member today. You'll support our newsroom and help us keep delivering smart, trustworthy journalism about the place you call home.

• Thank you for growing with us.

Vaccination rates among Ohio kindergartners fell across all tracked vaccines during the 2025-2026 school year, mirroring a nationwide decline.

Why it matters: The drop-off coincides with continued efforts by the Trump administration to make controversial vaccine policy changes and with U.S. measles cases hitting levels not seen in more than three decades.

Zoom in: Ohio requires K-12 students to be fully protected against 10 vaccine-preventable diseases.

Yes, but: The rate of kindergarteners with vaccine exemptions in Ohio keeps rising, now up to 5.7% in the 2025-2026 school year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest report.

• That's higher than a U.S. average of 4.2%.

Threat level: Coverage for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine was 88.1% in Ohio last school year, also lower than a national average of 92.4%.

• Public health officials say overall measles vaccination rates should remain above 95% to maintain herd immunity.
• Ohio has reported 107 measles cases so far in 2026, including seven in Franklin County, per the Ohio Department of Health.

A few readers have asked: When you report rainfall totals or a certain number of 90-degree days in Columbus, where do those weather measurements come from?

👋 Alissa here, our resident weather nerd. Our reporting uses records from the National Weather Service, the federal agency that collects and maintains official U.S. weather observations.

• In major metro areas, that data typically comes from an airport — and that's been the case in Columbus since 1930. (Before then, data came from downtown buildings.)
• I reached out to the weather service's Wilmington office, which has jurisdiction over Central Ohio, to learn why.

What I found: John Glenn International Airport houses a sophisticated Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) site, one of nearly 1,000 nationwide managed by federal agencies. The real-time measurements help keep flights running safely.

• Airports are wide open areas and staffed 24/7, making them ideal collection locations.
• Having one "official" site keeps comparisons consistent over time.

Yes, but: The airport's weather can differ from what's happening across town.

The intrigue: The weather service also relies on radar and rain gauges throughout the region to compile more granular data.

• That includes gauges maintained by a network of trained volunteer observers, the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network.
• You can apply to join, but an official, $48 rain gauge is required.

The bottom line: Though 9.94 inches of rain "officially" fell in Columbus this August, that may not reflect what fell in your backyard.

It's National Eat Outside Day, and our recent trip to Amara has us feeling inspired with its perfect patio vibes.

Dig in: We've got a few recommendations if you're looking to celebrate.

🇪🇸 Barcelona: While Lindey's is an obvious German Village pick, don't sleep on this Spanish cuisine and garden-like atmosphere.

🐺 Understory: From the folks behind Wolf's Ridge, this restaurant and event space is nestled under a canopy near the Olentangy River in the Old North.

🍝 Basi Italia: An intimate spot in Victorian Village, perfect for date night.

🍺 Jackie O's on Fourth: A laid-back brewery. Goood Friends — by the team behind Wario's — serves "Midwest fine grub" from a pickup window.

🔥 Olde Towne Tavern: Get cozy by the fire pit with this late-night option.

Go deeper: Check out our readers' timeless suggestions from a few years back

Thanks to Tyler Buchanan for editing today's newsletter.

Our picks:

🚰 Alissa's house got its fancy new water meter.

👶 Andrew is having a lot of fun with toddler era.

👍 Tyler thinks the $9 million should simply be given to him.