Andrew Ginther

Mayor Andrew Ginther declared an emergency Wednesday after severe storms damaged several Columbus neighborhoods Tuesday.

Ginther says the cost of new construction across the country has increased, even more so than the cost to renovate very old buildings. The 19-floor municipal court at the corner of South High Street and Mound Street was built in the 1970s.

The Franklin County Municipal Court was told by the city of Columbus construction of a new court facility was canceled due to operating shortfalls and construction costs.

An audit released by Columbus police found more than 15,000 possible immigration related searches, prompting Mayor Andrew Ginther to order police to stop statewide access.

Soon after the city first noticed something was wrong on July 18, 2024, officials shut down systems to thwart the attack. The action shut down the city's systems for months, leaving some systems not fully operational until 2025.

Soon, shoppers who don’t want to travel far for fresh fruits and vegetables may finally see some options within walking distance of downtown Columbus and its core neighborhoods.

Elaine Bryant was named chief of the Columbus Division of Police in 2021. At the time, Mayor Andrew Ginther said the police division needed new direction and leadership.

City leaders say it typically takes two years to receive a new fire engine after it's ordered. That timeline was put into flux last year when Sutphen workers went on strike.

During Tuesday's State of the City address, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther touted the city's lower homicide rate and Alternative Crisis Response program to respond to people dealing with mental and behavioral health crises.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said the city will use $1 million in new funding to create a team of non-uniform experts who will respond to certain mental and behavioral health crises in place of the police.